Shalimar Exceptional Piece

A new addition to my collection in 2026 was not a miniature at all, but a giant: Guerlain’s Shalimar 100 Years Masterpiece, created in 2025 to commemorate the fragrance’s 100th anniversary. When I retired from Guerlain in 2026, the bottle was given to me by the CEO in thanks for my 22 years of service to the Maison. By that time I had left New York and was living in the Berkshires. The piece arrived at my home in a wooden crate signed by my former colleagues—a keepsake I treasure as much as the bottle itself.

This beautiful limited edition 1.5 liter creation was handcrafted by renowned French glassmaker Waltersperger. Only 232 pieces were created worldwide, each filled with 51 fluid ounces of Shalimar Eau de Parfum. The piece stands 15‑inches tall and measures 11-inches at its widest point. It is adorned with delicate barbichage—the signature silk tassel—meticulously tied and sealed by Guerlain’s Dames de Table in the House’s ateliers, symbols of enduring French savoir-faire.

Shalimar was created by perfumer Jacques Guerlain in 1921. Due to a legal dispute over the name, it was temporarily marketed as No. 90 before being reintroduced as Shalimar in 1925. The fragrance has remained in continuous production to this day.

Shalimar isn’t just one of the most famous perfumes ever made—it’s one of the fragrances that helped define what modern perfumery became.