The New Olfactory Jewel of Guerlain Rue Saint Honoré

by: Sophie Normand

Guerlain recently inaugurated a place exclusively dedicated to scent on Rue Saint-Honoré, close to its historic address. Last week, we were invited in small groups to discover this "temple of perfume" that pays tribute to the origin of the house.Therefore, the public does not find skin care or makeup in here (except nail varnishesand lipsticks exhaling the sillage of La Petite Robe ), only perfume and “rien que du parfum”.

One of the first things that catches the eye on entering the premises, is these twocolumns where the entire catalog, poured in the classic bee bottle, can be found. A sort of "fragrant library" , which is sure to amaze the parfumista you are.

Designed as a dive in the heart of the heritage of Guerlain, this space is also intendedas a new experience for the audience, thanks to the iPad app that is now available.Via the different fragrances of the collection that that one can try blind from ceramics, it guides visitors to a perfume that suits them or, why not, to new olfactory territories.Visitors then have the opportunity to dress their favorite perfume in a bottle in the beecolor of their  choice.

The fragrances of the collection can be discovered through blind-test on ceramics by means of a questionnaire on an ipad.

Consulting software on touchscreens are on the rise in perfumery. In the wake of the olfactory diagnosis of Nose, this trend is also implanted in the French Sephora andMarionnaud, for example. So far, the software was destined to concept stores or large shopsrich in perfume choices. It is, it seems, the first time that a brand uses this in their flagship store for their own collection. And because of this, the extensive catalog of Guerlain, from classics to exclusive collections, has become more easy to manouvre.

For me, the experience was rather conclusive, since it suggested to me Shalimar Cologne (which I love) and Angelique Noire, two choices that highlight vanilla, one of my favorite materials. Three other perfumes that came up were Cuir Béluga, L’Heure Bleue and Spiritueuse Double-Vanille, which I wear every day. The knowledge and sensitivity of the advisors of the store will then narrow the selection, and indeed I remain convinced that this high tech application can not totally replace the seasoned advice of an expert, no matter how playful and relevant it is.

The chosen fragrance is then dressed in one of the bee bottles with their bright colors,which can be personalized by engraving it with a message of one's choice.

This novelty from Guerlain offers a taste of the perfume consultations (in French) that were created by Guerlain director Sylvaine Delacourte a few years ago. It offers a privileged and intimate moment to discover that rare gem and to better understand one's olfactory affinities.

In the center of this shelf that is dedicated to the male sex is the new Eau de Parfum version l'Homme Idéal, about which I will write more soon.