No life is complete without Lalique.
No home can be justly called a home of any good taste, timeless elegance, and sophistication without an original Caldera Lalique vase, chandelier, table lamp, oil and vinegar cruets, a toucan sculpture, owl decanter, some new range Terramineral jewelry, a $2000+ scented crystal candle or a crystal flacon…or two.
Ideally, a collection of Lalique flacons. Something with the signature swallow motif anyway.
Master Art Deco glassmaker Rene Lalique (1860-1945), who started his career as an apprentice goldsmith and jeweler, started designing perfume bottles in collaboration with French perfumer Francois Coty in 1907. Their work together revolutionized the perfume industry and made it possible for the first time to offer perfumes in attractive bottles at affordable prices. From then on, Lalique worked increasingly on designs for the perfume sector, finally devoting himself entirely to more industrial techniques of glass production.
Lalique launched its first fragrance in 1992 when Marie-Claude, the grand-daughter of René Lalique who died on Captiva Island, Florida in 1994, created the eponymous fragrance, “Lalique de Lalique”. In 2008, Art & Fragrance acquired the Lalique Group and the brand developed its presence in the perfume industry under Silvio Denz’s management.
There are many Lalique landmarks around the world.
Swiss entrepreneur Hansjörg Wyss and Silvio Denz, head of luxury goods firm Lalique Group bought The Glenturret distillery in 2019. Lalique’s existing culinary investments include Villa René Lalique, the two-star Michelin restaurant and hotel in Alsace, and the one-star Michelin restaurant and hotel at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey in Bommes in the heart of Bordeaux’s Sauternes.
There are Lalique Museum Hakone in Japan and Wingen-sur-Moder where he set up his glassworks in 1921. The British Motor Museum recently acquired 28 original Lalique glass hood ornaments or, as they were called in his day, radiator caps.
There is also the Lalique Bar in New York City’s Hotel Daniel which invented La Liqueur de René cocktail featuring The Glenturret 15-year-old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Montreuil Reserve Calvados, Pineau Des Charentes, and aromatic bitters. St Matthew’s glass church at Millbrook, Jersey on the UK’s Channel Islands was designed and built by Lalique. Jesse Boot -the founder of “Boots the Chemist” -married a local girl and they bought a holiday home next to the 1840 square-steepled chapel. On her husband’s death, Florence Boot (Lady Trent) commissioned Lalique, a neighbor in southern France, to re-designed the church in Art Deco style without color or stained glass.
The molded fluted glass baptismal font is believed to be unique. Lalique also designed the church windows which depict Jersey lilies. The communal tables and screens are also made from glass. There are six see-through angels.
All the glass throughout is molded white glass or “verre blanc moule-presse” which was formulated by Lalique. After he finished St Matthews he broke all his moulds.
London’s V&A Museum and The Met in New York have works by Lalique.
But what everyone wants to see is a Lalique in their bathroom or bedroom. Or displayed in the drinks cabinet.
Patron Tequila, Glenturret whisky, and Dictador rum have all used Lalique designs for decanters.
Original work is hard to come by. Such as work commissioned by his chief patron, “Mr. Five Percent”, British-Armenian businessman, Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian, the first man to exploit Iran’s oil. He has a museum in Lisbon. Other museums around the world display Lalique’s handiwork -pendants, brooches, tiaras, and necklaces.
The ultimate brand in French luxury living is still manufacturing.
A genuine modern Lalique TV surround costs £15000. A Lalique Raisins bed will set you back £28100, a mirror based on his 1935 Masque de femme design £11,800, a Zeil black lacquered cigar box £3500, and a clear crystal clock based on his 1928 Antoinette “Clock of Eight Days” design £1,230.
The main men’s fragrances are Pour Homme Lion, Lalique White, Encore Noire, and L’Insoumis Ma Force. The best-selling women’s fragrances include Amethyst, Perles de Lalique, Azelell, Satine, and Reve D’ Infini.
Noir Premier Plume Black 1901 “turns the sinuous elegance of a white peacock’s tail into scent.”
A flacon of Lalique for Bentley Blue Crystal with perfume by Mylene Alran of Robertet is priced at £3500.
The latest Eau du parfum pour femme – created by Lalique’s noses Nathalie Lorson and Alexandra Monet – is the “wildly sensuous”, “vividly alive” and “luminous” Soleil Vibrant featuring pear, bergamot, Corsican clementine, orange blossom, saffron, jasmine sambac, “the carnal facets of vanilla bourbon” and cedarwood essence. There is also Soleil Lunar Lalique. And other “stellar sustainable ingredients” to let you express your inner Sun Child! You can get it in a hair mist.
A Lalique Merles et Raisins crystal scented candle based on Rene’s Hirondelles motif will set you back £950. A frosted crystal Odysee Envolee Florale crystal reed diffuser inspired by Rene Lalique’s “small leaves” design of 1910 costs £900 and a refill £100. Somehow, pounds sound more than dollars!
Also available are Bougie Parfumee Voyage De Parfumeur scented candles- Fig tree Amalfi. Santal Goa, Neroli Casablanca an Le Soleil Chiang Mai Thailand. Plus an authentic Lalique wick trimmer and candle snuffer, as well as Vanilla Acapulco, US Poplar Aspen, Yuzu Shikoku Japan Lalique room sprays, but you can now also get Lalique shower gel, hand wash, shampoo and conditioner, body lotion and soap.
Better some Lalique than no Lalique at all.
