Guerlain opens its first flagship boutique in Fashion Avenue, Dubai Mall, with a celebration of the fantastic bestiary limited-edition collection by Turkish designer Begüm Khan.
Photo: Mehmet Erzincan
The queen bee dazzles her subjects, her wings made from shimmering zirconia and 24ct gold. Around this icon of Guerlain, a tiger, turtle, frog, and beetle shimmer with flecks of sapphire and emerald, their features rendered in precious jewels and exquisite detail by Turkish jewelry designer Begüm Kiroglu, for her brand Begüm Khan. This delicate menagerie can only be from Guerlain, the French maison so intricately linked with the craftsmanship of excellence.
Jewelry designer Begüm Kiroglu with Ann Caroline Prazan, Guerlain’s director of art, culture, and heritage. Photo: Mehmet Erzincan
The limited-edition collection of two Bee Bottles (The Bee Bottle by Begüm Khan and Imagine Guerlain 2023 Millesime by Begüm Khan), five L’Art & La Matière Jewellery Plates, and one Rouge G Fantasy Bee found in the Prestige Gift Set by Begüm Khan (an exceptional limited-edition lip case) is the second occasion Begüm Khan has collaborated with Guerlain. This time, the partnership coincides with the opening of the brand’s first flagship boutique in Dubai. “We are so proud,” says Ann Caroline Prazan, Guerlain’s director of art, culture, and heritage. “It’s been a dream, always. Dubai is a paradise because people love fragrance and they are so interested in it, too. They know the history of Guerlain.”
To create this special collection, Prazan worked intimately with Kiroglu, the pair’s passion and friendship evident in the intricate yet bold details and sizing. The magnificent pieces embody not just Guerlain’s legacy of refined craftsmanship and attachment to the animal world, but Kiroglu’s mastery of her medium. Photo: Mehmet Erzincan
For Kiroglu, there is also a cultural connection with the emirate and she’s looking forward to showcasing her Guerlain collection in the new boutique. “Dubai is a dream made into a reality and we, too, are people who dream, and who make them come true,” she shares. Prazan picks up the theme by pointing out that the new boutique will be offering Guerlain’s Exceptional Pieces – those works of art created to distill the very essence of Guerlain’s expertise and commitment – and rare fragrances for the first time in the region. “We come with the perfect gift – one with a lot of beauty. It’s rare and extraordinary.”
Photo: Mehmet Erzincan
To create this special collection, Prazan worked intimately with Kiroglu, the pair’s passion and friendship evident in the intricate yet bold details and sizing. “We share a common understanding of aesthetics,” Kiroglu explains of the touchpoints between Begüm Khan jewelry and Guerlain. “For both brands, the approach to craftsmanship with respect to history, while always trying to be contemporary, modern, and sustainable, is important. It’s remarkable for two such different design worlds – a 195-year-old French fragrance and beauty house and an 11-year-old Turkish jewelry brand – to come together and create something so unique.”
Photo: Mehmet Erzincan
The two extraordinary Bee Bottles in the collection celebrate the 170th anniversary of this most special of Guerlain icons. The first, a masterful Métier d’Art piece limited to only 40 worldwide, is decorated with a radiant beetle, while the second is an Exceptional Piece based on the bee for the Imagine Guerlain Christmas rendezvous. The Bee Bottle by Begüm Khan is a handcrafted one-liter bottle garlanded with a 24ct gold-plated bronzed beetle, pavéd with 440 gems. The dazzling insect is surrounded by a rosette of shining stones, breathtaking in its delicacy and precision. The Imagine Guerlain 2023 Millésime by Begüm Khan – limited to 4 515 pieces worldwide – sees the beloved bee bottle adorned with a unique jewel. The bee is captured in a poetic dance with a flower, rendered in 24ct gold-plated bronze and 37 hand-set sparkling gems.
These magnificent pieces embody not just Guerlain’s legacy of refined craftsmanship and attachment to the animal world, but Kiroglu’s mastery of her medium. Guerlain has a thoughtful heritage of supporting the arts and incorporating this ethos and importance into its house codes. “Art can be the best way to imagine the future,” Prazan shares. “Today, more than ever, art is key for Guerlain. Our link to art is strong and sincere and has been for two centuries.”
The limited-edition collection of two Bee Bottles, five L’Art & La Matière Jewellery Plates, and one Rouge G Fantasy Bee is the second occasion Begüm Khan has collaborated with Guerlain. Photo: Mehmet Erzincan
This exceptional collection will be available for a limited time for the festive season at Guerlain’s brand-new flagship boutique in Dubai Mall – where the most precious creations are elevated with personal touches. Here, you can explore perfumery and cosmetics in luxurious private lounges, with personalized consultations helping you find the perfume of your soul. In the dedicated facialists’ suites, you can experience bespoke facial treatments and learn the art of Guerlain gestures during dedicated masterclasses. The luxurious flagship offers an exclusive and private shopping experience, infused with modern yet classic architectural touches. Throughout, Guerlain’s rich 195-year heritage is reflected in delicate details and the choice of materials, which was developed in collaboration with French craftsmen. Further reflecting Guerlain’s long-standing relationship with art, a private lounge is adorned with exceptional masterpieces only found at the Guerlain boutique. “We imagined something bigger, something completely different and never done before,” Prazan says of both the collection and the new boutique. “We will dream together.”
The Guerlain flagship boutique is now open at Dubai Mall and offers a full experience of product discovery and tailor-made services. The Begüm Khan collection launches in November. Contact +971 (0) 4 34 22 428 for more information.
Photography: Mehmet Erzincan
Style: Bengisu Gürel, Samet Cetinkaya
Hair: Hüseyin Altun
Makeup: Ece Birsen
Local producer: Banu Vostina at Krank Photography
Production manager: Denis Durgan
Lighting assistant: Yagiz Bingül
Style assistants: Gözde Ekici, Azra Ulku, Ayten Türk, Bekir Demiray
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