Lalique 2016

ISSUE 2016

M ANUFACTUR E DE H AUTE H OR LOGER IE

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THIS IS THE NEW WEST END One West End extends the Manhattan skyline west with iconic architecture

by Pelli Clarke Pelli, just four blocks from Columbus Circle and Central Park, near Lincoln Center, Midtown Manhattan, and world class restaurants.

Meticulously crafted residences, expansive indoor and outdoor amenities, and a new culinary marketplace—all designed and curated by visionary hospitality designer Jeffrey Beers—define the spirited lifestyle of One West End.

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Visit the Opera

OPÉRA BASTILLE www.operadeparis.fr

PALAIS GARNIER www.operadeparis.fr

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CONTENTS 9

Editorial

11

News

12 Paris Opera & Jewellery La Divine takes centre stage 14 New chapter for Villa René Lalique 24 Mario Botta Multi-faceted Geometry 29 Absolutely Alsace

14 – New chapter for Villa René Lalique

34 Elton John The art of love 42 The legendary Golden Age of Travel of The Macallan 46 Steinway & Sons A piano duet 52 Yacht Illusion V In the name of the rose 56 Yves Klein The Blue Revolution 60 Tequila Patrón Unprecedented blend

34 – Elton John The art of love

68 Outstanding artisans 75 Perfumes In the wake of a visionary 83 Cognac Hardy A taste of summer 88 Fabric Frontline Light meets silk!

46 – Steinway & Sons A piano duet

90 René Lalique Forerunner of total art 97 A look at the Charmante ring 98 Perfume must-haves 101 Lalique boutiques

56 – Yves Klein The Blue Revolution

75 – Perfumes In the wake of a visionary

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On the cover: Restaurant Villa René Lalique. © Gilles Pernet Copyrights (from top to bottom and left to right): © Reto Guntli, © Steinway & Sons

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EDITORIAL

Sharing passions

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lsace has long had a place in my heart. I’ve known the region well since I was young. For me, Valentine’s Day 2008 marked the beginning of an enduring love story. On February 14 of that year, I

signed the contract for the acquisition of Lalique. The next day, I travelled to the crystal works in Wingen-sur-Moder to inform the personnel and get to know them. Over the past eight years, strong ties have developed, and my affection for Alsace and its people has grown steadily.

Today, the dream of restoring the house built by René Lalique and giving it new life has come true. It took four years to make that happen. We started out by kicking around a few ideas and finally decided to convert the villa into a hotel and create a restaurant. The renaissance of René Lalique’s house fills me with emotion. The way it blends heritage and modernity is most effective. The restaurant was designed and built by my friend, the Swiss architect Mario Botta. With its clean lines and glass walls, it’s like a cube of light set down in nature. The interior of the hotel and restaurant

was designed by Lady Tina Green and her partner Pietro Mingarelli, who did a fine job capturing the spirit of René Lalique. The layout of the kitchen is the work of chef Jean-Georges Klein, with whom I share a passion for fine wine. The restaurant has an extraordinary wine cellar, containing 20,000 bottles, including some very rare vintages. With its luxury hotel and gastronomic restaurant, the Villa is sure to attract those who share our passion for excellence and enjoyment at every level.

We wanted our 2016 magazine to present the less well-known talents of René Lalique. Besides jewellery and fragrances, his artistic heritage extended to many other fields and finds expression today in collaborations such as that with Fabric Frontline, who create silk scarves with motifs based on Lalique designs from the 1920s.

Also listed in the summary of this new issue are the results of Lalique’s partnerships with high-profile artists such as Elton John, as well as Steinway & Sons and the Yves Klein Archives; and the collaborations with prestigious spirit brands like The Macallan Whisky, Hardy Cognac and Patrón Tequila. They all appreciate the creativity of our brand and the excellence of our craftsmanship.

We became partners because they value our expertise and, like Lalique, take pleasure in creating fine objects. The contacts and inspiration for joint projects often come from my travels. New ideas are born all over the world, whether in Shanghai or London, or simply during a walk in the forest or my vineyards. I love my encounters with people and friends from different cultures.

The next project, after Villa René Lalique, is to open a new hotel in the summer of 2016. With 15 rooms and a real Alsatian brasserie, it will be housed in Château Hochberg, just across from Musée Lalique in Wingen-sur-Moder, Alsace, France. The Lalique legacy continues.

Silvio Denz Chairman and CEO LALIQUE

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INTRODUCING A NEW ERA OF GLAMOUR Manhattan’s most iconic hotel reveals dramatically redesigned guestrooms and suites.

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NEWS © Eddy Brière

LE GEORGE, BRILLIANT! An atmosphere of peace and well-being meets the guests at the recently opened Italian restaurant Le George in the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris.

The luminous space, large windows onto the courtyard, grey cashmere curtains, sparkling crystal and elegant furniture have been entirely orchestrated by the Hotel’s interior designer, Pierre-Yves Rochon. The furnishings – from serving carts and tables to the large entrance doors by Lalique – contribute the magic of transparency and the brilliance of crystal to an overall impression of timelessness.

Chef Marco Garfagnini from Carrara (Tuscany), with a distinguished career in gastronomy, likes food “from the heart”. Mediterranean-style, modern, simple and healthy. Fish, seafood and vegetables. The risotto is prepared to the minute and the pasta freshly made twice a day. The starters, pasta and risotto are available in half portions, meat and fish can be shared. A highly convivial and gastronomic experience.

Le George, Four Seasons Hotel George V, 31 avenue George V, 75008 Paris + 33 (0) 1 49 52 72 09 www.le.george@fourseasons.com

PARMIGIANI FLEURIER OPENS ITS NEW STUDIO IN THE PALAIS-ROYAL

a-kind objects and timepieces with elaborate complications proving that Parmigiani Fleurier belongs to the very select circle of Haute Horlogerie watchmakers.

Parmigiani Fleurier opened a studio in the

This beautiful studio is well suited to

Palais-Royal, the first showcase in France de-

its purpose: the contemplation and acquisition

dicated to its marvellous timepieces.

of emblematic timepieces or new models, such

Contemporary in design, the space is

as the Tonda 1950 Tourbillon.

ideally suited for brand interaction with the clientele. The interior, traditional and sophisticated, features superb cabinet-making and marquetry inlay. Inside the studio is a cabinet of curiosities holding collector’s items, one-of-

LALIQUE AND PARMIGIANI FLEURIER CONTINUE THEIR UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP

1928 and 1935. At its heart is a pocket watch boasting a Toric Quaestor PF355 movement.

Two unique models Le Jour & La Nuit, Soleil de Gaïa and Serpent, pay tribute to the

After a first collaboration in 2013, the two

night and day allegory that inspired the ori-

houses reunited again in 2015 to launch three

ginal Le Jour & La Nuit model created in 1926

table clocks that are real collector’s items.

by René Lalique. The central dial is equipped

The Toric Lépine, reveals a remarkable

with a traditional PF347 movement.

play of light: perfectly transparent, the crystal enters into a fabulous alliance with 536 scintillating diamonds. Inspired by the aquatic world, this timepiece reproduces the Sirènes and

Prices on request.

For further information contact: Boutique Lalique, 20 rue de la Paix, Paris 2ème – + 33 (0) 1 42 65 03 04

Aréthuse motifs created by René Lalique in

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Studio Parmigiani Fleurier, Jardins du Palais-Royal, 125 – 126 Galerie de Valois Paris 1er – + 33 (0) 1 40 13 93 93

‘LA DIVINE’ TAKES CENTRE STAGE ‘La Divine’ collection, paying tribute to René Lalique’s friend and muse Sarah Bernhardt, introduces ‘Adrienne’, a fine jewellery set created in collaboration with the Paris Opera.

Inspired by the talents of the “golden voice” that helped make Sarah Bernhardt a legend, these creations recall her fascination with Adrienne Lecouvreur, an immensely talented tragic actress.

T E X T M A L I K A BAU W E NS

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Sarah Bernhardt wearing the “lilies” theatre crown created

by René Lalique (circa 1895). © BNF

superstar of the Belle Epoque, The Divine Sarah captivated Paris with her aura and personality, long a source of inspiration for great poets and playwrights, including Jean Cocteau,

who was both. Victor Hugo praised her “golden voice”. Fiery passion infused Edmond Rostand’s prose when he referred to “the queen of the attitude, the princess of the gesture”. She enthralled her contem-

poraries – among them the art lover René Lalique – with her extravagant artistic talents, for she was not only a gifted actress, but also a writer and sculptor.

The master jeweller created a lotus flower brooch that she wore in Izéyl (1893) and the sparkling theatre crown adorned with lilies for her role in Edmond Rostand’s The Princess Far-Away (1895), as well as stunning necklaces and rings. His fabulous creations were every bit as daring as his muse’s innovations on stage. Today, more than a century later, La Divine, a 27-piece jewellery collection created to honour Sarah Bernhardt, revives the visual repertory of fantastic flowers and rare birds that the diva so adored (e.g. lilies of the valley, lilies and parrots). She wore Lalique’s creations on her international tours, an ambassador of his style.

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— PARROT EARRINGS From the Lalique Fine Jewellery collection: yellow gold, sapphires, emeralds, Paraiba tourmalines and lacquer. © Lalique S.A

The Adrienne collection (see necklace), created in collaboration with the Paris Opera, tells a story of drama and tragic passion, a tour de force in five pieces! Sarah Bernhardt played Adrienne Lecouvreur, an acclaimed tragic actress of the early 18th century, bringing her back to life on stage as well as in the shaky images of early cinematographic history.

Stylised, reminiscent of the famous theatre crown, the jewellery in the Adrienne collection shines as brightly as Bernhard’s talent. The diamonds and onyx of these necklaces, pendants and rings gleam, as if rinsed in the tears of the tragic actress. Each one is as contemporary in inspiration as the works of her pen, paintbrush or chisel. The mere sight of these stunning white gold rings – adorned with rubellite, and pavé set with diamonds and onyx – conjures up a vision of the famous red curtain at the Opera in Paris, which has worked in partnership with Lalique since the house was founded.

René Lalique and Charles Garnier, the architect of the Opera, each marked their century with their bold aesthetics and a modern style that would go down in history as Art Nouveau. Each inspired the other: the lilies used for The Princess Far-Away were reproduced by the workshops of the Paris Opera. In 1957, Suzanne Lalique, head of sets and costumes at La Comédie Française, undertook the first artistic cooperation with the Opera. Today, the partners have teamed up again to launch the Adrienne collection, which celebrates the brilliant legacy of two tragic actresses. The Lalique & the Paris Opera Jewellery

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collection features costume jewellery as well as a selection, renewed

ADRIENNE NECKLACE

each year, of luxury pieces emblematic of Lalique and available exclusively at the boutiques of Lalique and its approved retailers and at

From the Lalique & the Paris Opera collection: white gold, diamonds and onyx. © Lalique S.A

the Opéra Garnier and Opéra Bastille shops.... the perfect place for the “golden voice”!

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NEW CHAPTER FOR VILLA RENÉ LALIQUE Since September 2015, the house where René Lalique lived when he stayed in Alsace with his family has been given new life as a sumptuous hotel with its own gourmet restaurant.

The epitome of refinement, it is a showcase for the style and craftsmanship of Maison Lalique.

T E X T A DI N E F IC HO T

© Enrico Cano

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A LUXURY HOTEL WITH A HISTORY

commissioning architect Mario Botta to enlarge the house and build an ultra-contemporary addition for the lobby, restaurant and cellar;

A

heavy gate gives way to a driveway that winds between ma-

Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli were entrusted with the in-

jestic trees. Around the last bend, the large house appears,

terior design and decoration. These high-flying professionals were

rising solidly from its green surroundings. Built in 1920 by

well known to Lalique’s owner. Mario Botta had already carried out

René Lalique in Wingen-sur-Moder when the Lalique glass factory

several prestigious projects for Silvio Denz, including the stunning

was being erected, this house is where the artist and his family lived

Château Faugères winery (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé). As for

when they stayed in Alsace. After René died in 1945, his son Marc lived

Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli, they are the authors of the

there with his own daughter Marie-Claude. Silvio Denz decided to

Lalique Maison collection of furniture and home accessories in-

give the house new life by converting it into a luxury hotel and res-

spired by original René Lalique motifs. This team was perfectly quali-

taurant that would showcase the Lalique style and craftsmanship. He

fied to recreate the heart and soul of the place as it was when the

recruited a team of internationally famous architects and designers,

family lived there. They succeeded brilliantly, creating a luxury hotel

A series of sofas and armchairs adorned with the Victoire and Longchamp mascots – originally used as radiator cap-hood ornaments for luxury automobiles – creates a warm mood in this reception room decorated in beige, black and white.

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Sitting on the black lacquer bar with its crystal Masque de Femme cabochon is the Villa René Lalique Cognac, crafted especially for the villa by the Distillerie de la Tour. It is shown inside a crystal decanter with foliage motifs, inspired by the Héliotrope perfume bottle created by René Lalique for the master perfumer Coty (circa 1911–1914).

To its right is the magnificent Bourgueil decanter by René Lalique (1930), revisited and customised for the villa.

Inside is a one-of-a-kind blended whisky made especially and exclusively by The Macallan for the Villa René Lalique, the one and only place where one can taste it. These two decanters are exclusively available for purchase at the Villa René Lalique. © Gilles Pernet

© Reto Guntli

without modifying the spirit or basic structure of the original house, standing in its sumptuous 15-acre park. One’s first glimpse of the lobby, which occupies the glass passageway between the villa and the new addition, sets the tone. It features emblematic house creations, such as the Cactus table or the Languedoc vase, not to mention the reception desk adorned with crystal cabochons. Instantly, one succumbs to the charm of the place. At one end of the lobby, one finds the entrance to the ultra-contemporary restaurant and, at the other end, the entrance to the “historic” part, the villa itself. The renovated villa remains true to the original. The exterior has been restored to the last detail, including the blue of the shutters. The ground-floor reception rooms are harmoniously decorated in black, white and beige with cosy corners that beckon invitingly, their low tables decorated with cabochons and their armchairs with Longchamp and Victoire mascots.

The showpiece of the main reception room is the black lacquer bar with its crystal inlay. Gorgeous decanters created in partnership with renowned luxury houses pose elegantly, like film stars, on beautiful glass-fronted shelves. To reach the six suites decorated by Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli, one climbs a black staircase, identical

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On the third floor, the Dragon Suite is done in shades of blue.

The dragon motif appears on the decorative inlaid crystal pieces and bed cushions. This is the only suite with its own large terrace. © Reto Guntli

“It’s wonderful working in a gem of a place that’s absolutely unique and takes refinement to the extreme while making one feel at ease. Luxury that feels like home!”

NICOLE KLEIN, MANAGER OF THE HOTEL, VILLA RENÉ LALIQUE

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The bathroom fittings at the Villa René Lalique were co-designed by Lalique and THG Paris, a French company specialised in high-end taps, fittings and accessories.

The partners have already co-developed some 20 collections. This shows the bathroom of the Masque de Femme Suite, equipped with the Masque de Femme model

by THG. © Reto Guntli

On the second floor, the Rose Suite is decorated in very soft colours, reminiscent of the flora that so inspired René Lalique. Crystal cabochons with a rose motif adorn the headboard of the bed and the drawers of the bedside tables, bearing witness to Lalique craftsmanship. © Reto Guntli

to the original, dominated by a Champs-Élysées chandelier. Each of the suites – Hirondelles, Rose, Dahlia, Masque de Femme, Dragon and Zeila – is unique, bearing the name of an emblematic creation by René Lalique (except for Zeila, the name of the panther designed by Marie-Claude Lalique) and referring to a decade in the master glassmaker’s life. Each is decorated in colours that go with the suite motif.

House creations are used to great effect, even in the smallest details.

The furniture, chosen from the Lalique Maison furniture collection and customised by the interior design team, is white, beige, black or blue lacquer in a pure Art Deco style. Crystal pieces bearing the suite motif are set into headboards, console tables, bedside tables, sofas and mirrors. The suites are also high tech, equipped with the elegant AeroSystem One sound system co-created by electronic composer Jean-Michel Jarre and Lalique. As for the bathrooms, they extend an invitation to relax with their view of the park and their marble surfaces in tones of soft beige. One refined touch is the heated marble floor, a huge comfort when one steps out of the shower! Crystal inlays bearing the suite motif and crystal taps add to the refinement.

Adding a personal touch, the suites and hallways are hung with large photographs of family members going about their daily life during their stays at the house. Photographs of glassblowers at the factory recall the company’s history and craftsmanship.

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The tables are beautifully laid with items created by Lalique in collaboration with other premium houses. The stemware, decanters and the cork holder (created especially for the villa) are from the 100 Points Collection designed in 2012 by James Suckling, the well-known American wine critic. The napkin rings adorned with the Masque de Femme motif, which René Lalique created in 1935 for a fountain, were co-designed with Christofle. The salt and pepper mills are exact replicas of the Feuilles pepper mill designed jointly by René Lalique and Peugeot in 1924. Nearly a century later, Peugeot Saveurs and Lalique teamed up again to re issue this exceptional piece to mark the opening of the Villa René Lalique. © Gilles Pernet

AN ARCHITECTURALLY MODERN RESTAURANT AND WINE CELLAR Famous for designing buildings that fit beautifully into their surroundings, Mario Botta respects nature and prefers simplicity of design.

It comes as no surprise that he chose to set the restaurant inside a simple, immense rectangular floor space enclosed by glass, connected to the house by a glass passageway. The overall effect is highly contemporary and the structure fits wonderfully into the greenery of the park, courtesy of its living green roof, three glass walls and columns of local red sandstone. Comfortably ensconced at a beautiful table set with items conceived by Lalique in collaboration with other prestigious luxury houses, diners can sit back and enjoy the view, looking out on hydrangeas as well as chestnut, birch, beech and spruce trees. Nature is omnipresent in the restaurant, whose atmosphere is muted and soothing but, oddly enough, absolutely not noisy.

The serenity and calm allow one to savor the chef’s cuisine to the fullest. The dining room occupies 200 sq.m. and seats only 40, so there’s plenty of room between the tables to ensure privacy. Here, too, Lalique’s creative genius is on display. Three sumptuous Windfall chandeliers are suspended above the room, their crystals scintillating in contemporary splendour. Every detail is studied to enhance refinement. Stunning house decanters are presented in magnificent glass-fronted bookshelves on either side of a glass window offering Nature is omnipresent in the spacious restaurant dominated by an immense Windfall chandelier. Every detail celebrates Lalique’s creative genius: the tables and furnishings are embellished with crystal cabochons, the chair backs bear a crystal motif, and flowers are presented in Mossi vases. © Reto Guntli

“We’ve got a magnificent place to work as well as a good, highly motivated team in the dining room and in the kitchen.”

JEAN-GEORGES KLEIN, CHEF, VILLA RENÉ LALIQUE

a view of the kitchen. Even the cheese cart is special, designed by the Restaurant Manager, Patrick Meyer. Presiding in the kitchen, chef Jean-Georges Klein, formerly of the three-starred restaurant L’Arnsbourg, commands a culinary brigade of about ten. Naturally, the menu evolves with the seasons. This winter’s selection will include “Foie Gras d’Oie surmonté d’une Gelée de Coing”, a definite winner; an extremely flavourful crab dish “Salade de Tourteau aux Herbes Salées”; an ultra-tender loin of venison “Dos de Chevreuil” served with “Opéra de Noisette et Purée de Céleri rave” and an unbeatable “Cappuccino de Pommes de Terres et Truffes”, not to be missed under any

Chef Jean-Georges Klein in action in the kitchen that he himself designed for the Villa René Lalique. © Gilles Pernet

Head Sommelier Romain Iltis, Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2015 in the Sommellerie category, presides over this stunning contemporary cellar designed

by Swiss architect Mario Botta. © Adeline Wagner

“This selection is unique: it shows Mr Denz’s appreciation for Bordeaux but also possesses the gustatory eclecticism that I’m looking for.”

The Villa René Lalique boasts a wine cellar with 20,000 bottles, including 8,000 set aside for aging. There is an admirable Bordeaux collection as well as a vast selection of Alsatian wines. © Gilles Pernet

ROMAIN ILTIS, SOMMELIER, VILLA RENÉ LALIQUE

© Gilles Pernet The Villa René Lalique serves Deutz champagne from the village of Ay en Champagne, where René Lalique was born.

Since 1838, Deutz has been making champagnes that combine elegance, vinosity and complexity. This Cuvée Villa René Lalique is characterised by its deep gold colour and extremely small bubbles. Connoisseurs will recognise this to be the Deutz signature, characteristic of wines aged over lees for a long time. The aromas meld harmoniously, the texture is silky and the aftertaste is rounder, with a very persistent fruity note and a pleasant minerality.

The Brut Classic is an assembly of wines from several different years. A perfect example of the Deutz style, it is generous and harmonious, expressing floral and fruity aromas with great elegance.

Here, the bottle has a lovely companion: a champagne flute glass from the 100 Points Collection.

circumstances; as well as “L’Œuf Parfait retour du Japon”, a real find. Alongside the chef is Romain Iltis, Meilleur Sommelier de France (2012) and Meilleur Ouvrier de France (2015) in the Sommellerie category. This man rules supreme over yet another premium asset of Villa René Lalique: the wine cellar. At the bottom of the stairs leading to his sanctum, the visitor can admire Eternal, a collection of 14 backlit crystal panels representing butterflies in different styles and colours, created in collaboration with British artist Damien Hirst. Also designed by Mario Botta, the cellar is immense, holding 20,000 bottles (including 8,000 set aside to age) and 2,000 references, of which 1,000 come from Silvio Denz’s collection, including a few rare vintages of Château Yquem.“We’re in a wine cellar, but there’s not a bottle in sight!” says Romain, smiling. It’s true that the design of the place is impressive.

Fortunately, one can look through the big glass panes protecting the precious crates and read the provenance.

The cellar holds many Alsatian wines, in honour of the region, but also more than 120 eaux de vie and interesting spirits, such as aged plum brandies or grappas.

“In our reception rooms, we serve Deutz champagne from the village of Ay en Champagne, where René Lalique was born.” Guests will highly approve this choice!

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EXCLUSIVITY AND INDIVIDUALITY Porzellanmanufaktur FÜRSTENBERG has combined exclusive porcelain manufacturing with contemporary design since 1747. Alongside renowned designers such as Wilhelm Wagenfeld the high quality of craftsmanship sets the standard. Both for collections, such as CLAIR DE LUNE, or the in some cases individually developed tableware collections, an exceptional precision and empathy for the products plays a decisive role – a level of expertise that both friends of sophisticated dining culture as well as sophisticated gastronomy and the hotel industry have appreciated for many years.

Finest Handcrafted Porcelain. Contemporary since 1747. fuerstenberg-porzellan.com

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Porzellanmanufaktur FÜRSTENBERG GmbH | Meinbrexener Straße 2 | 37699 Fürstenberg | Germany

MULTI-FACETED GEOMETRY In the ‘Géo’ vase, symmetry becomes light…

As pure as a line from an architect’s imagination.

And what an architect! With his immense creative talent, Mario Botta has pushed the limits of form many times in forty-five years of international practice.

T E X T M A L I K A BAU W E NS

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A

t the root is a square! 40 x 40 cm. Add a clean cut and a 32 cm opening at the top, along with myriad facets that will contribute pyramidal shapes, angles or lines. In the centre is a hub,

whose rays reach for infinity... All of the fineness of the Géo vase may be measured in this delicate equation. Perfectly logical, considering that the most recent creation to join Lalique’s Crystal Architecture collection is the product of a subtle sum in which one adds the architect Mario Botta (for the form) to the Lalique crystal works (for the substance). The result of this operation – more like alchemy than arithmetic! – equals 3 works of art issued in 8 copies each and a limited edition of 250 pieces.

From Italy to the United States, Botta’s architecture celebrates the ellipse, bringing his own take on modernity to museums like the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto (MART) or the Tinguely Museum in Basel (see box).

A few years ago, the Swiss architect met Lalique’s Chairman and CEO Silvio Denz and their encounter would prove fruitful. As the owner of Château Faugères (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé), Silvio Denz chose Mario Botta to design and build its stunning new winery.

A more recent commission followed for the restaurant for the Villa René Lalique (see p. 14), also in a lovely setting: a 15-acre park edged

San Giovanni Battista, a church in Mogno, Switzerland (1986–1996). © Pino Musi

with chestnuts, oaks, birches and beeches in Wingen-sur-Moder (Upper Vosges).

A VASE LIKE THE MINIATURE OF A PALACE MARIO BOTTA Mario Botta is a highly renowned Swiss architect whose work has been presented in many major exhibitions and has received more than 50 international awards and distinctions. His best-known works include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (USA), Evry Cathedral (France), the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto (Italy), the Tinguely Museum in Basel (Switzerland) and the Tschuggen Bergoase spa at the Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa (Switzerland).

During the restaurant project, Mario Botta became familiar with the Lalique crystal factory, operating in Wingen-sur-Moder since 1921. Fascinated, the architect, who oversees large projects all over the world, contemplated the painstaking care, born of long tradition, with which its artisans performed moulding, blowing and polishing. He was especially interested in the lost wax process, which originated in China 3,000 years ago and has been perpetuated at

The Château Faugères winery, Saint-Emilion, France. © Ph. Caumes

the crystal works since its founding by René Lalique. “I discovered an ancestral technique with great potential for creating new images today.” A sculptor of masses, Botta sketched out a geometric shape patterned with raised pyramids. Géo was born! According to the architect, “this vase can be interpreted as the miniature of a large palace”.

It refers visually to the façade of the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara, with its diamond-like three-dimensional patterning. “The fact that ‘Géo’ is made of crystal,” notes Botta, “and presents different geometrical shapes, intensifies the play of light and reflections.”

The architect’s drawings were turned over to Lalique’s artisans who, taking the time necessary for the creation of beauty, “crystallised” them! Exacting craftsmanship and great precision were required in polishing the 250 pieces of clear crystal in the limited edition after their removal from steel moulds. In addition, three exceptional art works in eight copies were also created using plaster moulds and the lost wax technique. Available in black, midnight blue and clear crystal, each of these objets d’art spent about 20 days exposed to the heat of the ovens.

In the cold-end shop, artisans will have spent hours and hours on their dialogue with light, striving to illuminate each facet, matte or shiny. For Mario Botta approaches crystal in the same way as architecture: he sees “the masterly, correct and magnificent play of masses brought together in light”, quoting Le Corbusier, an early influence on

SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA USA (1989-1995) © Pino Musi

his style. Géo represents the radiance of light, petrified into crystal.

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—

VASE GÉO

VASE GÉO, ART EDITION

325 x 325 x 150 mm Clear crystal Limited edition of 250 signed pieces.

400 x 400 x 170 mm Crystal, available in clear, midnight blue and black. Lost wax process Limited art edition of 8 signed pieces + 2 HC.

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A CLASS ACT 1 ER GRAND CRU CLASSÉ DE SAUTERNES

™

™

GRAND CRU CLASSÉ DE SAINT-EMILION

LALIQUE

ALICANTE VASE, NO. 998 designed 1927 double cased jade green

AUCTION

• 9

February 2016 • London, South Kensington

VIEWING

•

6–9 February 2016 • 85 Old Brompton Road • London SW7 3LD

10 ⅛ in. (25.5 cm.) high

CONTACT

•

Joy McCall • jmccall@christies.com • +44 (0) 20 7752 3237

£20,000–30,000

UPCOMING • 16 November 2016 • London, South Kensington

christies.com

engraved ‘R. Lalique France’

ABSOLUTELY ALSACE The Alsace region owes its multicultural identity to a rich past, an especially eventful history and a geographical location at the heart of Europe. This lovely French region between Germany and Switzerland has preserved its natural environment, its traditions and its remarkable architectural heritage.

TEXT ANNEMAR IE MAHLER

The old town of Thann overlooks a valley amid steep-sloped vineyards and forests.

The spire of the collegiate church of St. ThiÊbaud has been standing guard over it since 1516. Š AAA / Zvardon

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La Cité de l’Automobile in Mulhouse has one of the world’s finest automobile collections with more than 450 fabulous cars. One is a magnificent Bugatti Royale with a solid silver radiator cap representing a rearing elephant.

In 2014, Lalique launched a numbered limited edition of L’Éléphant dressé in clear, black, blue or amber-coloured crystal. © Christophe Recoura / CULTURESPACE

lsace offers a marvellous mix of French and German culture,

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Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace and seat of the European

not to mention the influence of nearby Switzerland. In 58

Parliament, is a modern, young and dynamic metropolis. Not only

BCE, Alsace became Roman under Jules Caesar. With the

a tourist magnet, the city is home to many prominent internation-

Rhine River and the Vosges Mountains for natural boundaries,

al institutions. Its world-famous historic heritage includes Gothic,

Alsace was long the object of intense rivalry and was obliged to

Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces. The Cathedral, one of Europe’s

change its nationality several times.

finest, was erected in local Vosges sandstone, like many of the city’s other buildings, between 1176 and 1439.

There’s a lot more to this region than picture-postcard scenery.

“Must visit” places include Strasbourg, eminently European; Colmar, for

When it comes to Alsatian heritage, the city of Colmar ranks

its romantic atmosphere; and Mulhouse, with its technical museums,

second only to Strasbourg, with Sélestat in third place. Colmar may

including an outstanding automobile museum: more than 450 mag-

be small in terms of population – the last census counted only 68,000

nificent rare cars are on display at the Cité de l’Automobile.

inhabitants – but it has everything going for it: the vineyards nearby,

Like a ship sailing on the Rhine, the glass building of the European Parliament symbolises an open, transparent democracy. © EU2014 – EP / Raphael Seiler The Louise Weiss Building: © Architecture Studio

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Rich in art and history, Colmar is one of Alsace’s loveliest and most interesting cities.

With its canals, the “Little Venice” area is especially picturesque. © CRTA / Estelle Tschan

the beauty of its historic monuments and its medieval houses, not to mention “Little Venice”, which looks like Bruges, only transplanted to the banks of the Lauch River! Surrounded by vineyards, Colmar is known as the capital of Alsatian wine. It is also a prime cultural destination, boasting France’s most-visited museum outside the Paris area. The Unterlinden Museum houses the famous Issenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald, a master of Late Gothic art. The city has undertaken an ambitious museum expansion project carried out by Herzog & de Meuron, the well-known architects from Basel. In addition, Colmar’s international music festival has been rated by The New York Times as one of “the top ten music festivals in Europe”.

Another remarkable museum, the Musée Lalique may be found in Wingen-sur-Moder (Upper Vosges). In Roman days, the town was a stage on the Via Bassonica, which ran through the forest between the provinces of Belgica and Germania. This French museum bears witness to the history of the industry and the craftsmanship of Alsatian master glass makers.

It’s hard to resist the charm of these tidy, picturesque villages with their half-timbered houses, geranium-bedecked balconies and narrow streets adorned with flowers. The surrounding landscape is equally attractive, with its rolling hills, medieval fortresses, workers’ housing estates, mysterious forests and vast vineyards.

While often associated with harsh winters, Alsace also enjoys the warm, sunny summers that allowed it to develop into a premier wine region. This is one of the rare parts of France where the dialect is still commonly spoken, although the charming accent is gradually

Strasbourg Cathedral, one of Europe’s finest, is 1,000 years old. A marvel of Gothic architecture with more than 4 million visitors a year, it can be recognised from afar, standing 142 metres high with only one bell tower. © Christophe Hamm / Tourist Office for Strasbourg and its region

being lost, especially among the young people.

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For 900 years, the castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg has dominated the Alsatian landscape. One of France’s most-visited historic monuments, it was completely restored by the emperor Wilhelm II early in the 20th century. © CRTA / Zvardon

Sociability, excellent food and good wines are important to the

local cheeses and, last but not least, Alsace’s most emblematic dessert:

Alsatian way of life. It’s customary to celebrate the milestones of fam-

the “kougelhopf”. Visitors can enjoy Alsatian specialities at a country

ily life with a good meal. Alsatians are warm and welcoming, proud

inn or a glass of Riesling at a “Winstub”, a bit like the local equiva-

of their renowned gastronomic heritage. This is a region of bestarred

lent of the English pub.

chefs and first-class restaurants. Traditional Alsatian specialities in-

And let’s not forget the brasseries! Alsace is famous for its

clude foie gras, stream/river fish dishes, flambéed tarts (which, like

beer and its venerable brewing tradition. The first brewer set up shop

pizza, appeal to blue-collar fans as well as chic urbanites), “baeckeoffe”

in 1259 near Strasbourg Cathedral. By the early 19th century, there

(a stew of three types of meat marinated in white wine and layered,

were 250 brewers in town! All those who love good food and drink

separated by sliced potatoes), sauerkraut, country-style sausages,

will be in seventh heaven in Alsace.

With more than 650 items in its permanent collections, the Musée Lalique (Wingen-surModer) is a showcase for the world of the French crystal company. It presents creations from the late 19th century to the present, including Art Nouveau jewellery, crystal pieces and Art Deco glass objects. © Musée Lalique

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THE ALSACE WINE ROUTE The Alsace Wine Route runs from Marlenheim to Thann, 170 km of picturesque landscape, including vineyards as far as the eye can see.

Its many attractions include the ruins of medieval castles, prosper-

In the heart of wine country, Kaysersberg – literally, “the mountain of the Emperor” – is famous for its charm. The ruins of the imperial castle stand guard over the medieval village and surrounding vineyards. © AAA / Zvardon

ous villages decorated with flowers, Romanesque abbeys and rolling vineyards, as well as inviting “Winstubs” and country inns.

According to the well-known international wine critic James Suckling, Alsace is France’s most exciting wine region. “No other area offers the diversity of wines from such an array of grape types, soils, microclimates and producers,” he says. James Suckling has compiled a list of his personal Top 100 Alsace wines, which figure among the 650 Alsatian wines rated in his new wine guide, Great Wines of

The guide may be downloaded from the “Partners” page of the Villa René Lalique website.

Alsace 2015/16 (French and English). “Riesling dominates this year’s Top 100 list and comes from some of the best vineyards in Alsace.” He also notes that “another important point in my Top 100 was the inclusion of so many Pinot Noirs. The great reds of Alsace are now some of

www.villarenelalique.com/ partners/

the best and most distinctive Pinot Noirs in the world.”

Silvio Denz, Chairman and CEO of Lalique, declares: “Alsace has terroirs of great quality and the region abounds with excellent wines

It is also available on James Suckling’s website.

and magnificent domains which I hope this guide will help to promote – for the pleasure of wine connoisseurs everywhere.”

www.jamessuckling.com

James Suckling and Silvio Denz at the launch of the 2015/16 Great Wines of Alsace, the first edition of this annual guide, at the Villa René Lalique restaurant (Wingen-sur-Moder) on September 28, 2015. © Roland Letscher

Romain Iltis, the Alsatian sommelier of Villa René Lalique, who earned the titles of “Meilleur Sommelier de France” in 2012 and “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” in 2015, explains: “Alsace’s troubled history and geographical situation lead to the planting of a large array of grape varietals. They can be sorted in three categories: the Rhine grapes (Riesling, Sylvaner white and red); the grapes brought by Romans (Gewürztraminer and Muscat varietals); and grapes from nearby regions (Pinot Blanc, Gris ou Noir) and Chardonnay (for the cremant wines) from Burgundy and Auxerrois with Lorraine.”

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THE ART OF LOVE February 2016 sees the culmination of ‘Music is Love’ – a landmark creative collaboration in support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

At the heart of the project is an angel in crystal, imagined by the artist and made, with love, by Lalique…

T E X T H E N R I E T TA T HOM P S ON

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All the pieces of MUSIC IS LOVE collection are engraved with the signature of Sir Elton John.

35 ŠGilles Pernet

From left to right: Maz Zouhairi, Chairman and CEO of Lalique North America, Marc Larminaux, Lalique Creative Director, Sir Elton John, Silvio Denz, Chairman and CEO of Lalique, and Alexander Gilkes, co-founder of Paddle8 at the International Press Launch, Old Windsor, September 10, 2015. © Lalique S.A

S

ir Elton John believes in love, in music and in angels. One would be hard-pressed to find a more devout evangelist for the power that goodness, tolerance and art have to transform the world:

“I firmly believe that love can heal the world and make anything possible,” he says. This belief is the foundation of his philosophy,

the inspiration for his music, and the driving force of the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) – the trailblazing non-profit he founded in 1992 with the mission of conquering the AIDS pandemic.

Over the past two decades, the foundation has been on the front lines of the fight against AIDS and HIV, supporting those af-

“I firmly believe that love can heal the world and make anything possible.”

SIR ELTON JOHN

flicted, educating communities and improving access to treatment all over the globe. But although EJAF’s work has contributed hugely to the prevention of the disease’s spread and the alleviation of its impact, there is still a lot of work to be done.

“To truly make a difference in the epidemic’s trajectory, we must look at all of the root causes that contribute to the spread of HIV,” Elton explains. “The early AIDS crisis was one of science, centred on the urgent need to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

Today’s crisis is one of justice. Around the world, people become infected with HIV and die from AIDS because of deeper societal problems that

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— MUSIC IS LOVE Angel, ‘Cire Perdue’ Clear and red crystal.

730 x 380 x 270 mm – 28.74 x 14.96 x 10.63 inches.

Unique piece, lost wax.

2015

©Lalique SA

pervade every aspect of our lives: profound racial inequality, homopho-

Lalique and EJAF have worked together before, on the cre-

bia, isolation, multi-generational poverty, drug addiction, sexism, sur-

ation of a crystal angel in the late 1990s. So when it came to de-

vival sex work and flagging political will to deal effectively with these

ciding on the form of the new pieces, the design inspiration was

problems are all drivers of today’s epidemic.”

already in place. This time, however, Elton John and Lalique’s cre-

If EJAF is to address these issues, it needs support. So when

ative director Marc Larminaux wanted their artwork to embody

the prospect arose of a project that would provide the foundation with

the founding principle at the heart of Elton John’s work: the idea

essential funding and present an opportunity for a ground breaking

that ‘music is love’.

creative collaboration – between one of the world’s best-known mak-

The artist elaborates: “Love is one of the primary forces that can

ers of music and one of the world’s best-known makers of fine crystal

unite us and bring us together despite our differences. Love shows us

– both Elton John and Lalique were thrilled at the possibilities.

that the differences dividing us from each other are ultimately superfi-

Renowned for his collection of art, sculpture and crystal,

cial; that we have so much more in common than not. Music is a power-

Elton John is a self-confessed Lalique enthusiast, with many pieces in

ful medium for expressing all the many faces of love, and it is a partici-

his home. “Lalique crystal has an amazing way of constantly changing

patory medium. Music draws us together. It is a universal language. We

with light and shadow,” he says: “Lalique sets a standard of craftsman-

come together to make music, to listen to music, to share music. This is

ship that is simply unparalleled in the world.”

why I believe that music and love are synonymous – that music is love.”

“I am surrounded by glass and a lot of Lalique. Subconsciously, it inspires me to do better things.”

SIR ELTON JOHN

— MUSIC IS LOVE —

Heart Red crystal and platinum enamel.

120 x 140 x 50 mm – 4.72 x 5.51 x 1.97 inches.

Unique piece, 2015. © Lalique S.A

MUSIC IS LOVE Heart Clear crystal and gold stamping.

120 x 140 x 50 mm – 4.72 x 5.51 x 1.97 inches.

Unique piece, 2015. © Lalique S.A

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© Gilles Pernet

The collaboration has resulted in seven crystal sculptures, in-

panying the angel are three other unique special editions also engraved

cluding four unique designs, each engraved and signed by Elton John.

by Elton John: a smaller standing angel and two spectacular heart

The most important of these is the one-of-a-kind ‘Lost Wax’ Angel in

sculptures – one in clear crystal enamelled in gold, the other in red and

clear and red crystal. Many months in the making, the angel has been

platinum. Bidding on these four unique pieces will be available online

crafted using a complex and extraordinary technique originally em-

at paddle8.com in the two weeks leading up to the live auction of

ployed for sculpting bronzes thousands of years ago, and first pioneered

February 28. All proceeds will go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

in glass by René Lalique. The angel was first sculpted in wax, then

Limited-edition versions of the heart sculptures and the

covered with plaster and baked to harden the clay. The wax is “lost” by

standing angel are available to buy from Lalique, with 10% of pro-

melting, leaving an intricate mould into which molten crystal is poured.

ceeds going to EJAF. “The finished piece is even more exciting and beautiful than I

Emerging from this process is a one-of-a-kind piece of startling beauty

had imagined it could be,” Elton declares. “It is phenomenal, a work of

and exquisite detail – Elton John’s vision embodied in crystal.

“The process of artistic creation, whether for music or dance

art. Whoever buys it will have a piece that will last for centuries and will

or visual art, arises from the same impetus, the same need to express

get better every day.”

thoughts, feelings, ideas. I found the entire design process for this project – from theorising, to working and revising with drawings, to realising the concept as a three-dimensional object – to be absolutely exhilarating.”

During the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s annual Academy Awards viewing party on February 28, 2016, in Los Angeles, The Angel in ‘Cire Perdue’ will be auctioned by Paddle8, the premier online auction house, which has a global community of 500,000 collectors. Accom-

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SWISS First

Discover a new world before you even get there.

THE LEGENDARY GOLDEN AGE OF TRAVEL The Macallan ‘Golden Age of Travel’ series revives the glamour of the 1930s – an era that saw the inception of international travel by road, rail and air, and above all by sea.

T E X T C H A N DR A K U R T

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The flat shape of The Ocean Liner decanter is reminiscent of the hip flask. The stopper is decorated with a compass rose.

The exclusive setting, done by hand, of the CRYSTAL & Diamonds writing instrument.

43 Š The Macallan

O

For the Normandie, which was vying with the Queen Mary

nly 50 examples of the first Limited Edition Decanter are being issued, each containing a rare The Macallan single

for the “Blue Ribbon”, a coveted prize for the fastest Atlantic cross-

malt, distilled in 1937 and first bottled in 1971. There are

ing, René Lalique designed the wall panelling for the dining room

actually 48 for sale as two are archive bottles, one for The Macallan

and the illuminated glass and coloured columns for the Grand

and one for Lalique. This is the first in a series of rare The Macallan

Salon. Beneath a magical play of light, guests enjoyed the finest

whiskies which have been rebottled in specially created Lalique

cuisine, wines and spirits, and danced to the music of the ship’s

decanters, all part of a celebration of The Golden Age of Travel.

orchestra – the last throes of a golden age before the imminent descent of darkness at the end of the decade.

Gorgeous Art Deco posters with travel illustrations from the 1930s show the great ocean liners, exotic locations, blue seas

During those years, The Macallan distillery still kept three

with far horizons, and carry the promise of romance and adven-

horses for general work, notwithstanding the difficult times they

ture. From Europe to America and faraway Japan, these giants of the

were going through, owing to the Great Depression and Prohibition

ocean vied to outdo each other in elegance, luxury and speed. The

in the USA. In the face of all adversity, The Macallan maintained

names are legendary: Normandie, Queen Mary, Rex, Bremen, Nieuw

the superb quality of its whisky. Top-grade barley, Speyside peat

Amsterdam and Asama Maru. They all plied the waters of the Atlantic

and Spanish sherry barrels were already part of an aging process

and the Pacific, powered by the latest turbo-electric engines. It was

that pertains to this day. At the end of 1938, towards the end of the

an age that saw great liners flying the flags of shipping lines such

Spanish Civil War, a note was made in the records that the “price

as P&O, Cunard White Star, Compagnie Générale Transatlantique

of sherry barrel wood was normalising again”. In the same year, “in

and NYK of Japan. Among their passengers were Hollywood stars,

view of the international situation”, the distillery managers decided

statesmen, industrial magnates, adventurers and newlyweds, as

to fill 30 to 50 additional barrels. One year later, the Second World

well as a growing number of middle-class tourists.

War began.

The 1937 The Macallan is liquid history in a glass.

By the way, the history of The Macallan goes back to 1824

These small copper stills are situated in the still house.

They are used to distil the spirit which is then matured in oak casks to create The Macallan.

when the schoolteacher and farmer Alexander Reid founded a distillery on a plateau high above the River Spey in north-eastern Scot© The Macallan

land. The Macallan distillery started out as a small operation supplying single malt whiskies in the local area. But thanks to the high quality of the product and the constant striving to produce the best possible single malt, The Macallan quickly rose to become one of Scotland’s leading distilleries. Today, it enjoys a worldwide reputation, and some of its bottlings are absolute rarities: the 1937, for example, now rebottled in 48 limited-edition decanters in The Golden Age of Travel series.

Fresh, balanced and smooth on the palate, the 1937 The Macallan is liquid history in a glass. It was distilled two years before the outbreak of the Second World War and today reveals something of the methods of distillation and maturation that were employed by The Macallan at the time, when steam trains still passed at the foot of the hill. The 1937 gleams with a light oak brown and reveals a notable freshness, characteristic of the year and the high quality of this rarity. On the palate, it unfolds discreet hints of smoky peat, followed by delicate, yet highly complex aromas, redolent of candied fruits and spices.

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© The Macallan An aerial view of the distillery site shows the still house, the warehouse, Easter Elchis House and in the background the River Spey.

The quality of a whisky is largely dependent on the quality of the oak casks it is matured in. Around 60% of The Macallan’s final whisky, character and flavour is determined by the quality of the oak cask.

This rare and unique malt has now been rebottled in specially created Lalique decanters. In the words of Marc Larminaux, Creative Director at Lalique : “The inspiration for this decanter came © Scott Rankin

above all from the company’s founder, René Lalique, whose work in the 1930s included the decorative glass lighting on the ‘Normandie’ ocean liner and the presidential carriage on the ‘Orient Express’. The flat shape of the decanter is reminiscent of the hip flask; the cap is decorated with a compass rose. Apart from this striking motif, emblematic of travel, there are seams of the sort once sewn in the crafting of suitcases. Besides the ocean steamship, the decanter is decorated with designs of old shipping routes.”

This new creation is closely bound up with Lalique, especially given that René Lalique was at the height of his creative powers during the Art Deco period. Those who aspired to absolute luxury at that time wanted Lalique just as in our day, when new products are created to satisfy the taste for ultimate luxury. The Golden Age of Travel series from The Macallan is one of them.

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A PIANO DUET In our globalised, industrialised world, craftsmanship is an increasingly rarefied and valued commodity. Intelligent design has always been at a premium. But where fine craftsmanship complements brilliant design – well, then there’s music.

In this spirit, Lalique and Steinway & Sons have joined forces to create the ‘Heliconia’ and ‘Masque de Femme’ piano editions.

T E X T JON AT H A N F OY L E P H OTO S S T E I N WAY & S ONS

Heliconia piano designed by Lalique. Available in black or white.

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Detail of Heliconia piano inspired by the Héliconia design created

by Marie-Claude Lalique in 1992.

“The Heliconia piano is a wonderful symbiosis between sound and optics.”

tracting forest humming birds by day, and at night the white Honduran bat, which improbably uses the upturned leaves as its habitat, like a tent. Heliconias are at once rhythmically arrayed, playful, exotic, colourful, intriguing – all musical qualities.

Marc Larminaux, Creative Director at Lalique, is responsible for the concept and design of the Heliconia and Masque de Femme piano editions. He explains: “The challenge was to have a great effect without the feeling that the piano is overloaded, taking into consideration the technical difficulties through an iterative process in order to achieve a perfect execution and finish. Taking care about every single detail, never

OLGA SCHEPS, STEINWAY ARTIST

mind the time it takes and the effort, is also what luxury is about.”

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key exhibitor at the 1925 Paris Expo, his spectacular glass

mature work, when streamlined ocean liners linked continents. Lucky

sculptures from this era became 20th classics. By 1935, he had de-

passengers: theirs was a pioneering experience of discovering the

signed the Masque de Femme, a refined female visage framed by

world on elegant, beautifully crafted vessels. The first French luxury

fish, based on ancient depictions of Arethusa, the mythical water

liner in the Art Deco style was the Ile-de-France of 1925 while the fastest

nymph of Syracuse, Sicily. The design accompanied the Coutard

across the Atlantic was the Normandie launched in 1932. Both had inter-

fountain pattern, a shower of beads in symmetrical arcs that lent itself

iors designed and fitted by Lalique. The liners’ cocktail bars were dressed

to translucent frosted panels. Remarkably, his stylish vases, bowls

with marquetry panels, mirrors and glass or crystal chandeliers, and

and figures are still made from the original steel moulds at the facto-

their focus was always the piano: five embellished Steinways were on

ry he founded in 1920 at Wingen-sur-Moder in the forests of Alsace.

an earlier British ship called the RMS Titanic. Any pianist in the halcyon

In a family tradition of developing the master’s characteris-

days of jazz and radio during the 20s might have conjured Gershwin,

tic style and brilliance, the Héliconia pattern was designed in 1992

early Cole Porter or Louis Armstrong. First-class lounges knew the

by Lalique’s granddaughter Marie-Claude. Heliconias are tropical

scent of Coty perfume dabbed from Lalique’s exquisite coloured glass

rainforest flowers from South and Central America, their tall stems

bottles like the 230 that the company Chairman and CEO Silvio Denz

strung with thick, cupped leaves in orange or flame red and chartreuse

has loaned to the Musée Lalique in Wingen-sur-Moder, each package

like a stack of toucan beaks. They offer a 24/7 source of nectar, at-

a distillation of design as much as fragrance.

ature’s beauty and structure have always informed great

Under Larminaux’s watchful eye, the partnership between

design, not least the work of René Lalique (1860–1945). A

Steinway and Lalique evokes the Art Deco age of René Lalique’s

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The new pianos are updated expressions of that era, and part of a still longer Steinway tradition of collaboration. Their story began in 1836 when the founder Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (1797–1871) built the Kitchen piano in the culinary workshop of his home at Seesen in Germany. Heinrich and his family moved to New York in 1850 after the wars in continental Europe, and founded the company close to Broadway in 1853. Steinway pianos became renowned as the preferred instrument of accomplished musicians. From 1857 – three years before René Lalique was born – special editions were produced with collaborative “art cases”, sometimes with inlays and veneers of the rarest wood, or with paintings by famous artists like the 1883 Alma-Tadema Model D #54538. A more recent model of 1998 was designed by Frank Pollaro: the Rhapsody in Blue edition was limited to 24 pianos, Gershwin’s age when he wrote the piece.

Today, Steinway has factories (really, they are vast, meticulously organised craft workshops) in Queens, New York, and also Hamburg, which was established in 1880 to serve European concert halls and clients. Steinway in Hamburg and New York, as well as the Lalique factory in Alsace handcraft their work from the arrival and sorting of the raw materials to the engraved certification of the flawless final articles, whether glossy piano or translucent vase, cool white keys or white-hot crystal. The craftspeople’s dedication to both companies is exceptional: at either workshop you will encounter numerous artisans who have laboured for 25 years or more. Their explanation is, “If you want to

Steinway & Sons factory

produce the best, where else would you go?”

Detail of Masque de Femme piano from a design created

by René Lalique in 1935 for the Coutard Masque de Femme fountain.

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“Taking care about every single detail, never mind the time it takes and the effort, is also what luxury is about.”

MARC LARMINAUX, CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT LALIQUE

Masque de Femme piano designed by Lalique. Unique piece.

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Steinway & Sons factory

The 75 Lalique crystals and metal incrustations that decorate each Heliconia piano are all pressed, fashioned, cut, engraved, pol-

Wiebke Wunstorf achieves through intense listening and careful adjustment of the hammers.

ished and signed at the Lalique factory; each is then carefully set into

Ashley Wass is an international concert pianist. When he’s not

position on the lid, the legs and the case of the pianos, at the Steinway

playing in Melbourne, Bergamo or with the Slovak Philharmonic, he

factory in Hamburg. Clients can choose veneers to further personalise

is a Professor at the Royal College of Music in London. And he will

their instrument.

only play on a Steinway. “The thing that really sets a Steinway apart

The Masque de Femme piano is a unique piece with 1,043 crystals.

is the depth and variety of its tone,” he says. “There are other pianos

It was presented at the Maison & Objet fair in Paris in January 2016, then,

that have a single fundamentally nice sound, but a Steinway offers an

following a world tour with concert performance it is to be sold at auction.

accomplished pianist an almost infinite range of tonal colours.” Steinway

Each piano in these twin editions represents Steinway’s ex-

artist Olga Scheps, who music reviewer Tom R. Schulz once called

pertise, technical challenges hard-won over the course of more than

“eine glasklare Romantikerin” (“a crystal-clear romanticist”) adds: “I love

a century that ensure not just the best sound but the profound char-

the sound of the Steinway grand which is accompanied now by the warm

acter and colour sought by the world’s great performers. These are

shimmering of the crystals by Lalique. It’s a wonderful symbiosis between

the indescribable qualities that the Hamburg factory’s Head Voicer

sound and optics.”

Steinway & Sons factory

THOSE WHO KNOW US, KNOW US THROUGH FRIENDS. WE LOOK OUT FOR OUR CLIENTS THE SAME WAY ONE LOOKS OUT FOR ONE’S FRIENDS. AND WE DO BUSINESS THE WAY ONE DOES WITH FRIENDS. CLEAR, CANDID AND CONSIDERED. OPEN AND SUCCESSFUL. FOR MORE THAN A 100 YEARS.

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Illusion V, the elegant 58-metre Benetti superyacht, with comfortable interior and exterior design by Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli.

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IN THE NAME OF THE ROSE René Lalique would have been very pleased to discover a modern version of his rose motif as the main theme of the interior and exterior design of the superyacht ‘Illusion V’.

P H OTO S M I K E BU R NS PHO T O GR A PH Y

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The bar on the main deck with floor-to-ceiling windows giving an uninterrupted view is one of five bars on the yacht.

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llusion V is an impressive 58-metre Benetti superyacht, constructed at the company’s Livorno boatyard, with interior and exterior design by Lady Tina Green and her business partner

Pietro Mingarelli. “They did an amazing job,” the owner says. It is not his first boat. He has an enviable track record as a sportsman, but when he started a family, space on board became a priority.

“When my wife and I first met the designers, we told them how we wanted the yacht to feel. I didn’t want lounges where you were too scared to sit on the sofa. They managed to pull it all together, including our requests for certain colours and a certain vibe – casual and relaxed. It’s a superyacht and supposed to be luxurious and high-end, but as we’re quite young, with a young family, we don’t want anyone to feel there are no-go areas on board.”

“The owner was familiar with what Pietro and I have done with Lalique Maison, and how we had used the rose motif,” explains Green, “and he liked it so much he wanted us to make it the main theme on his boat.” As well as working on yachts and houses, Green and Mingarelli design and produce Lalique Maison, a collection of furniture and accessories that makes up the lifestyle arm of Lalique, most famous for its crystal. No fewer than 480 crystal pieces are used on Illusion V, in the floor, ceilings and walls – all bearing the rose motif.

The exterior style is a fusion. There’s some Bali in there, as seen with the use of coconut and mother-of-pearl on the deck furniture, a hint of ancient Rome in the copious use of travertine and even some Thai, evident in the pen shell ornaments and wooden Buddhas.

But the central theme – a ubiquitous emblem – is the simple rose.

Whether embossed, engraved or embroidered, the motif is unavoidable, with details of the flower evident in everything from cushions to carpets, walls to windows.

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“The owner was familiar with what Pietro and I have done with Lalique Maison, and how we had used the rose motif.”

LADY TINA GREEN

You’d think the design might become repetitive, but the duo have cleverly avoided monotony by playing with the shape as much as possible. For example, cushions are covered in scattered petals, while the staircase features leather walls embossed with the full three-dimensional, beaded flowers. The other thing that strikes you about their designs, particularly on Illusion V, is how comfortable they feel, probably a consequence of Tina Green living on a yacht up to six months a year.

A great example of this “comfort max” is the TV area leading into the main-deck master suite. “Usually this would be a study or an office, but that would just have wasted space, the owner felt. Nowadays you’ve got laptops, iPads, your phone. The world we live in doesn’t require you to sit for hours on end behind a desk with a computer on it.

So we turned it into a room we might actually use, where the kids can come in the morning, jump on the sofa and watch TV. So they’re in the owner’s area, but, you know, not on your bed!” Guests are treated well.

The big VIP cabin is on the lower deck. It has the only bathroom other than the owner’s with the full white onyx treatment. Four roomy guest cabins sit in front of it. All the cabins have discreet but voluminous storage: “One thing we’re well known for is our hidden cupboards,” Green explains.

There is an all-pervading feeling of luxury: the bar is panelled in matt coconut and embellished with travertine – while the chairs in front

The main-deck master suite is full beam, and features huge headboards and cushions, embellished with intricate beaded roses and highlighted with crystal bugle beads. Lalique roses are designed into all the furniture, as seen in side tables, as well as subtly included in the carpets.

of it are also made from coconut and highly lacquered with mother-ofpearl inlays.

All the textures and materials throughout the yacht are a speciality of Green &Mingarelli. “Tina and Pietro have been all over the world finding this stuff” the owner of Illusion V says. “The skill is that they don’t go and buy out of a catalogue. There are many boats where most of the furniture comes from the same catalogue, the same places. G&M build, buy and create specific products you’ll never see anywhere else… they are unique!”

The bathroom is full beam, made from white onyx, with one huge bath, a shower, and his-and-hers private toilets.

YVES KLEIN, THE BLUE REVOLUTION Yves Klein is considered one of the greatest avant-garde artists of the 20th century.

His work is characterised by a unique blue.

T E X T A R M A N D O SA BE N E

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he art and life of Yves Klein reflect a spiritual quality. “The blue sky is my first work of art,” he liked to say. For him, blue was a unique colour that could be used to visualise the

intangible and invisible, including space and the sky. His perception of the world coincided with that of scientific discoveries and space conquests. “The Earth looks blue from space,” said Yves Klein, quoting Yuri Gagarin.

He loved that a blue horizon defined a peaceful universe, which contrasted sharply with his time, the period of the Cold War with tension between East and West, when the world feared nuclear war. In 1958, as part of his “Blue Revolution” project, he wrote a letter to the President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. At about the same time, he wrote to the President of the International Conference for the Detection of Atomic Explosives, offering to colour the explosions of atomic bombs blue. Last but not least, he wrote the Secretary General of the International Geophysical Year, proposing that one of the seas on our planet be christened the “Blue Sea” and that it be coloured with plankton in the Klein blue. Ultimately, the purpose

Yves Klein, Monochrome bleu sans titre (IKB 67), 1959, 92 x 73 cm. © Yves Klein, ADAGP, Paris, 2016

of the “Blue Revolution” advocated by Yves Klein was to transform how we think.

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Yves Klein was a precursor. He was born in Nice on April 28, 1928. His parents were both artists, but Yves was not interested in art when he was young and only started to paint at the age of 27. He attended France’s merchant marine academy and the Ecole des Langues Orientales. He travelled a great deal in England, Germany and Italy.

He developed a passion for judo, left for Tokyo in 1952 to perfect his skills and became a black belt (fourth dan or level), one of the first Europeans to do so. He stayed for nearly two years in Japan. Practicing judo and learning Zen laid the foundation for what would become Yves Klein’s philosophy. And monochromes provided a foundation for his art. In fact, Yves Klein used a variety of colours for the monochromes. His renowned blue would only make its appearance in late 1956, after the artist had done lengthy research into the chemistry of pigments and created his International Klein Blue (IKB). He patented it in 1960 under his own name. By that time, Klein was famous.

Yves Klein, Relief éponge bleu sans titre (RE 4), circa 1960, 100 x 42 cm. © Yves Klein, ADAGP, Paris, 2016

Yves Klein during the making of the film The Heartbeat of France in the studio of photographer Charles Wilp, Düsseldorf, February 1961. © Photo Charles Wilp / BPK, Berlin

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Yves Klein, Victoire de Samothrace (S 9), 1962, 52 cm. © Yves Klein, ADAGP, Paris, 2016

On a trip to Nice in 1957, he met his partner, the young German artist Rotraut Uecker, and they married in Paris in January 1962.

Yves Klein arrived in New York for the first time in 1961, to mixed reviews. He wrote his “Chelsea Hotel Manifesto” to justify his approach.

He died of a heart attack on June 6, 1962, at the age of 34, a few months before the birth of his son.

The artist’s widow, Rotraut Klein married again. Her second husband, Daniel Moquay, eventually became the coordinator of the Yves Klein Archives. “When I met Rotraut, I found documents in a large cardboard box and started to get interested in Yves Klein’s papers.

Rotraut and Yves Klein, New York harbour, March 26, 1961. © all rights reserved

The man was a genius. Although his career was cut short, he produced a tremendous body of work. Yves Klein left a body of intense, bold work that continues to inspire artists and aficionados today.” For 47 years,

“The blue sky is the greatest and most beautiful of my artworks.”

Daniel Moquay has been the coordinator of the Yves Klein Archives.

“Yves Klein had the idea of painting a globe. In fact, he did two versions, one small and one large. That’s what I had in mind when we decided to pursue our collaboration with Lalique. Crystal’s hardness and fragility can be taken as an allegory for the Earth’s current situation. The artisans that I met at the Lalique workshops have created a magnificent piece of art, worthy of Yves Klein’s masterpiece.”

YVES KLEIN

Yves Klein and Globe Terrestre Bleu (RP 5), in his Paris studio. © Yves Klein, ADAGP, Paris, 2016 © Photo Gilles Raysse

— LA TERRE BLEUE Yves Klein by Lalique 2015

Yves Klein’s Terre Bleue (1961) has been recreated in crystal, which lends it a whole new dimension.

The Earth is one of Klein’s recurrent themes. Terre Bleue belongs to his Reliefs planétaires series and fully reflects his fascination with monochromes, the immaterial, the void and Nature. The Earth looks as if it’s been plunged into a bath of International Klein Blue.

In producing this remarkable piece, Lalique – thanks to its skill of its artisans, the lost wax process and the IKB blue, cleverly duplicated using a special formula of copper and cobalt oxides – has once again pushed back the limits of the art of working with crystal.

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UNPRECEDENTED BLEND The refined world of sophisticated spirits and exclusive crystal is about to witness an irresistible new collector’s item, ‘Patrón en Lalique: Serie 1’. This captivating encounter is the first in a pioneering collaboration between Patrón, makers of Mexico’s finest tequila, and the renowned French designers and master glassmakers behind Lalique’s celebrated crystal.

T E X T JOH N BRU N T ON P H OTO S PAT RÓN S PI R I T S I N T E R N AT ION A L

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P

atrón has made its mark from the day it was established, when master distiller Francisco Alcaraz handcrafted their firstever batch of high-quality ultra-premium tequila more than

25 years ago. The far-thinking founders of Patrón, John Paul DeJoria and Martin Crowley, two entrepreneurial Americans with a passion for Mexico’s iconic liquor, were quite simply determined to create the best tequila in the world, visionaries who realised that this was the moment for a new offering in the world of luxury spirits. Tequila may have been around for centuries, but it was Patrón that announced to aficionados across the globe that an ultra-premium, “Extra Añejo” or extra-aged, tequila should be treated with the same esteem by connoisseurs as a priceless XO cognac or a rare single malt whisky. Gone are the days when tequila was served in a shot glass, downed in one along with a pinch of salt and a zesty wedge of lime. Today, there are specially designed tequila tasting glasses, the world’s greatest barmen and mixologists are turning to tequila as a magic ingredient for cocktails.

And now, the historic launch of Patrón en Lalique: Serie 1, an

exquisite limited-edition crystal decanter, handmade by Lalique’s master artisans, marks the coronation of tequila as a member of an exclusive club of “haute couture” brands. As Patrón’s CEO Ed Brown recounts, “at Patrón, crafting the world’s finest tequila is an art. This unwavering dedication to our passion inspired us to find other artists committed to their specific crafts, which led us to Lalique. We have always admired Lalique for the beauty and elegance in everything they create, but it was their history and commitment to handcrafted quality that inspired us to approach them for this extraordinary venture.” While Silvio Denz, Chairman and CEO of Lalique, confirms that “this is the first time Lalique has worked with a tequila brand, and we are proud to partner with Patrón. Our two brands share strong and mutual values of creativity, craftsmanship and artistry, both striving for uncompromising quality and excellence.”

When the “Jimador” decides the moment is right for harvesting, the “piña”, the succulent heart of the agave plant, is cut out with a special “coa” knife, and taken by truck to Patrón’s Hacienda, where it will be cut, baked, mashed and then slowly distilled until it transforms into tequila.

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The cultivation of the Weber Blue Agave plant is unchanged since the days of the “Conquistadores” and the traditional skills of the straw-hatted “Jimadores” are passed down from generation to generation.

The Patrón en Lalique decanter was inspired by Mexico’s in-

each bottle. And as René Lalique was known to be inspired by flora,

digenous Weber Blue Agave plant, from which tequila is produced.

so the design for Patrón en Lalique: Serie 1 is based on the agave

The meticulous detail of the amber crystal stopper is perfectly shaped

plant itself, of course with a French influence. Inside each breath-

to represent the heart of the agave, the “piña”. The bottle showcases

taking bottle of Patrón en Lalique: Serie 1 is an exceptional blend of

Lalique’s signature technique of contrasting clear and frosted crystal

the oldest and rarest Patrón tequilas, hand selected from the barrel

finishes which subtly enhance the amber colour of the tequila. The

aging room at the Hacienda Patrón distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. This

learning process behind this groundbreaking collaboration involved

unique tequila remains for at least four years in a combination of

visits by executives from Patrón to Lalique’s workshop in Alsace to

new American oak and new and used French oak barrels to achieve

understand the complex techniques behind crystal, while Lalique’s

the perfect balance of agave and oak notes. And this special series

Creative Director Marc Larminaux and his team immersed themselves

is limited to a mere 500 bottles worldwide. Speaking at a tasting at

in the detail about how Patrón create their “small batch” tequila. From

Lalique’s New York boutique, Francisco Alcaraz, still the magical al-

harvesting by hand the highest-quality Weber Blue Agave, to the centu-

chemist distiller at Patrón, describes the tequila he has created as

ries-old process of cooking, fermenting and distilling the agave, to the

“a stunningly beautiful spirit, both inside and out, well balanced but with

selection of barrels for aging, even to hand labelling and numbering

complex notes of sweet caramel, honey, vanilla, dried fruits and nuts”.

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Mural paintings on the walls of the Patrón Hacienda depict the ancient method of mashing the baked “piña” using a large stone wheel, the “tahona”. Today Patrón continues the tradition, using a giant volcanic rock “tahona” to squeeze out the precious agave juice.

So what exactly is the history of tequila, the emblematic national drink of the proud nation of Mexico? It can come as quite a surprise to discover that it has a long heritage, just as noble as brandy, bourbon or whisky. Officially, production dates back to the 16th century, when the Spanish “Conquistadores” began to distil the distinctive

of the “Conquistadores”, with the traditional “Jimadores”, the skilled

“At Patrón, crafting the world’s finest tequila is an art.”

harvesters, passing down knowledge from generation to generation,

ED BROWN, CEO OF PATRÓN

cactus-like agave. But they were only continuing the ancient traditions of native Aztecs, who had been transforming the plant for centuries into their fermented “pulque”. The first serious distillery was built around 1600 in Jalisco, and four centuries later, this rural state in north-west Mexico, whose red volcanic soil is the perfect “terroir” to cultivate the agave plant, remains the home of tequila. The regulations governing tequila are just as strict as for cognac in France, with production strictly limited to Jalisco, apart from small pockets of four other states. Cultivation is virtually unchanged from the time

while rules for aging are strictly enforced, with a “Reposado”, rested, tequila only allowed up to a year in the barrel, while an “Añejo” tequila is aged for at least a year and an “Extra Añejo” must be barrel aged for at least three years.

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While the subsequent Patrón en Lalique: Serie 2 may not be launched till 2017, crafting the perfect blend is a time-consuming process, and master distiller Francisco Alcaraz is already working to create a new special tequila. A typical day finds him and his team at the Hacienda Patrón distillery in the highlands of Jalisco, at a large table in his office surrounded by different shapes and sizes of bottles, carafes, and tasting glasses, smelling and tasting each sip of what they’re testing, and taking detailed notes. Although the Hacienda follows Mexican tradition and has its own chapel for the workers dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, Francisco says with a smile that “his chapel” is the tequila barrel room, stocked with the rarest Patrón vintages.

Each morning, master distiller, Francisco Alcaraz, comes into Patrón’s resplendent Hacienda in the highlands of Jalisco to continue his quest to make the world’s finest tequila.

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Lalique continues its olfactory journey around the world with three refined new candle scents. The special edition la neige completes this year’s journey.

Pivoine

SAFFRON candle Mashhad - Iran

Saffron is said to come from the MiddleEast and is rightly nicknamed “Red Gold”: it is indeed the world’s most expensive spice. Saffron is widely used in the Persian cuisine, but its various facets unfold in other fields: saffron’s coloring properties were already known to prehistoric artists and the first references to its unique scent are written in the Bible… Saffron’s dry smell evokes hay; in this composition, leathery and woody notes dress saffron up in a warm, dark costume. A mysterious symphony to take you on the road to the Orient.

L

La Neige

PEONY candle M ount o lyMpus - Greece The peony was called “healing plant” by the Ancient Greeks because of a famous legend: Peon, physician of the gods on the Olympus mount, succeeded in saving from certain death Hades, god of the underworld, thanks to a remedy containing peony.

In addition to its medicinal properties, peony’s beauty and delicate scent have been well known since Antiquity.

In our interpretation, peony comes with timeless rosy notes spiced up by pink berries and patchouli. An ethereal scent echoing the „rosy-fingered dawn” praised in Homer’s Odyssey.

Safran

LA NEIGE candle

Adélie Land - Antarctica

This is the other end of the world.

Adelie Land’s adverse climate and snow-covered, vast desert lands make it sound hostile. However, a white flag is flying on the Antarctic continent – a land of peace and science. The candle’s white glass echoes the immaculate white desert.

The scent is a symphony of white musks while raspberry, rose and patchouli give the note soft and chypréed feminine accents. A small tribute to the caring Adèle, the wife of Terre Adélie’s discoverer.

OUTSTANDING ARTISANS At the Lalique workshops in Wingen-sur-Moder (Alsace), seven craftsmen have won the title Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) in the glass- and crystal-making category. Two work in the hot glass workshops, five in the cold glass workshops. The quest to earn this title, delivered by the French Ministry of Education to reward excellent craftsmanship, represents a professional challenge deserving of the highest admiration.

T E X T AGN Ăˆ S WA E N DE N DR I E S P H OTO S GI L L E S PE R N E T

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O

ne hundred and twenty workers – blowers, sculptors and en­ gravers – are directly involved in making Lalique pieces.

Whether they do hot glass and cold glass work, “all of our workers

show manual skill, a degree of artistic sensitivity and a passion for their job without which nothing great could be achieved,” observes Denis Mandry, Director of the factory. It’s not only a matter of technical virtuosity, because “the ultimate purpose of this facility and our personnel is to express the dreams and the emotion that the creator had in mind”.

Most of the workers got their vocational training in a work-study

program at one of France’s two remaining schools (one is in Sarrebourg in Moselle, and the other in Moulins in L’Allier*). After learning the basics in the classroom, they need several more years on the job before they master their craft. In cold glass and hot glass workshops alike, it takes about ten years to train a good glassblower, sculptor or cutter-en­ graver. Noting a shortfall in the number of artisans completing voca­ tional training for the third year in a row, Lalique set up its own train­ ing centre in cooperation with the national employment office and a regional job centre**. Some applicants had already received training in glassmaking skills, others had not. Success depends on individual motivation and good manual dexterity, knowing that a good crafts­ man can’t be “all thumbs”. According to Denis Mandry, “the decision to try for the MOF title (***) or not depends on personal priorities. It’s time-intensive, taking up to 600 hours of work. There are many reasons – to do with family or personal life choices – that might discourage one from tackling such a tough challenge.”

The company’s seven MOF artisans have several things in com­ mon. They all have a passion for their craft, strive for perfection them­ selves (and require it of others) and like to test their skills. They are equally motivated. Last but not least, they all have a competitive streak!

The MOF challenge represents an investment time-wise. For the “Class of 2015”, two to three years elapsed between the moment when they entered the competition and the certificate award ceremony at the Sorbonne, followed by a reception at the Presidential Elysée Palace on July 6, 2015.

Eric Harter and Matthieu Muller both won MOF status last year. They competed in the same category (sculpture-engraving) and presented the same piece. Carved from a 40-kg block of crystal, the figure that earned them the title, which represents a fox, is impres­ sive for its realism, strength and beauty.

Lalique is proud of its crafts and its master craftsmen. When a Lalique employee decides to take up the MOF challenge, the company provides support, supplying the crystal, making the necessary equip­ ment available and allowing that person to work on factory premises after the workday is over. Equivalent to a higher professional certificate or a degree from a technical college, the MOF competition is open to all entrants, French and non-French alike. There is only one condition: one must be 23 years old at the time of registration. This just goes to show that handcrafts speak a universal language of their own! *L ycée professionnel Dominique Labroise in Sarrebourg and Lycée Jean Monnet in Moulins ** www.alemploi.fr *** www.meilleursouvriersdefrance.org

MOF ARTISANS IN COLD GLASS WORKSHOPS PIERRE PIGEARD MOF 2011, OPTION: SCULPTURE-ENGRAVING Pierre Pigeard, sculptor and engraver, remembers his collaborations with artists like Damien Hirst with great pleasure. He loves working on pieces by René Lalique, such as the Languedoc, Bacchantes or Avallon vases, as well as on more contemporary works like the Révélation Bacchantes and Angélique vases or the Victoire de Samothrace by Yves Klein. First introduced to art by his grandfather, a draughtsman for architectural firms, he’s been entering drawing and painting contests since boyhood. A visit to the Daum glass factory in Nancy when he was eight years old made a big impression on him. In 2001, he started working in Lalique’s cold glass workshops, which proved to be “a wonderful discovery”.

Today, he supervises training in cold glass work, his speciality. Teaching reminds him of the early days of his career, after he got his professional certificate in Moulins and on-the-job training with artisans.

“The ultimate purpose of this facility and our personnel is to express the dreams and the emotion that the creator had in mind.”

DENIS MANDRY, DIRECTOR OF THE FACTORY

MATTHIEU MULLER MOF 2015, OPTION: SCULPTURE-ENGRAVING His gestures are guided by the sonority of the material.

Always concerned about potential breakage, Matthieu Muller admits that he “works with his ears”. No matter what model he’s working on – Aphrodite, Bucéphale or Vuelta – “the more complicated it is, the better I like it”.

The first man from Moselle to become an MOF in the sculpture-engraving category, he adores challenges and is even thinking about competing again, this time in the engraving category. “When I was a boy, I went to see my father and grandfather at La Cristallerie Lorraine (NDLR now closed), but I didn’t decide to get into this line of work until later.” After completing work-study vocational training in glass-making, Matthieu Muller started doing cold glass work at Lalique at age 16 in 1998. With a passion for his work, he learned on the job and decided to enter the MOF competition to gain high-level recognition in his craft.

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ERIC HARTER MOF 2015, OPTION: SCULPTURE-ENGRAVING Seven-year-old Yaël and ten-year-old Yanis are proud of their dad, who was presented with his MOF certificate on the television. This being said, his career was largely a matter of happenstance. Fifteen years ago, Eric Harter was working in Germany and living in Alsace as a graphic designer and illustrator in advertising. He knew how to draw, he knew how to paint, he knew his materials. Then he began training with Lalique in 2001 and “discovered volume”. His instructor, Raymond Staub, an engraver and a MOF himself, pushed him hard to go for the prestigious MOF title. Eric Harter also made a habit of doing online research. Sometimes – e.g. for jobs requiring the lost wax technique – preparation is required. Here, Eric Harter “gets ready by learning as much as possible about the artist’s background and the medium used for the original work”.

EMMANUEL ROPPE MOF 1994, OPTION: TRADITIONAL CUTTING Family tradition helped guide him in his choice of car eer. Emmanuel Roppe was born in Baccarat to a glassmaking family. His grandparents, parents, brother and cousin all worked for the crystal manufacturer. He worked as an engraver-cutter for that prestigious company from 1987 to 2006 and, looking back, he says he learned more on the job than he did in school or vocational training. He ran his own company from 2006 to 2014 with a client portfolio that included Russia, museums, antique dealers and Baccarat, on an outsourcing basis. Farther back, in 1994, he became France’s youngest MOF and received his medal from President Mitterrand in person. He likes nothing better than to tackle exceptional pieces, like the Poissons fountain

by René Lalique or the Cactus table. He was hired by Lalique in May 2015, two years after his son, to whom he has obviously passed his passion for crystal.

CHRISTIAN DORCKEL MOF 2007, OPTION: TRADITIONAL CUTTING Supervisor of the polishing and stemware shop since 2004, Christian Dorckel has broadened the scope of his activities since then to include masking with asphaltum, enamelling, acid polishing, satin acid and stopper fitting. His whole family worked in the glass or crystal business, making Christmas ornaments or optical lenses for Vergo in Goetzenbruch or Meisenthal. After a preliminary introduction to the trade, he learned the ropes at the Saint-Louis crystal plant. After a stint in mechanics, he returned to making crystal in 1992 as an artisan. Joining Lalique in 1999, he “discovered skills that were unique in the world”. In 2004, Christian Dorckel became shop supervisor and learned to manage people and set up programs. One of his top priorities is knowledge transmission. As technical referent, he helps engineer Frédéric Bour, in charge of cold glass work and new products, to compile technical data for the creation of a database. Daughter Rachel, a cutter at Saint-Louis, is following in her father’s footsteps.

MOF ARTISANS IN HOT GLASS WORKSHOPS JEAN-CLAUDE HERTRICH MOF 2000, OPTION: HOT-WORK GLASSMAKING For Jean-Claude Hertrich, having MOF status opened doors. A glassblower by trade, he’s been responsible for production and hot glass training for more than seven years. He remembers his first, magical encounter with crystal. As a boy of seven, he visited the Lalique plant with his father and exclaimed: “It’s so beautiful!”

He joined the company when he was 14, trained on the job and has worked there for 36 years. His family is a company clan: his father, three brothers and three sisters-in-law also work for Lalique. “What I really enjoy is blowing fabulous pieces,” like the Bacchantes or Poséidon vases or the one designed by Zaha Hadid.

Unlike cold glass work, “hot work is not solitary, but requires a real team effort.” It’s also interesting because team members are called upon to perform different jobs – carrying the piece to the annealing oven, managing the mould, detaching the piece and blowing – that require different levels of skill.

FRANÇOIS SCHILT MOF 2000, OPTION: HOT-WORK GLASSMAKING The story is that François Schilt met Jean-Claude Hertrich just before joining Lalique, in Strasbourg, at the exhibition of the winning pieces in the MOF competition in 2000. Today, the two men work together. “Glassworkers are like truck drivers, we’re a community!”

Working at the Saint-Louis crystal factory, passing the torch from father to son, his family hailed from SaintLouis-lès-Bitche, where François Schilt began his career after completing vocational training in 1981 at the school in Sarrebourg. He moved up, step by step, from gatherer to blower. Today, his work on perfume bottles, decanters and vases fascinates him, more than sculptural figures. He has always liked working on the Spatial vase, because it presents a particular challenge. When he looks back, he sees his success in the MOF competition as a source of personal and professional satisfaction: proud to share this achievement with his family, he also gained recognition in his chosen career.

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LALIQUE PERFUMES

IN THE WAKE OF A VISIONARY Lalique’s history is closely entwined with perfume, which inspired René Lalique and his successors, Marc and Marie-Claude Lalique, to create some of their most beautiful designs. From flacon to fragrance, the saga of a century of creation.

T E X T L OU I S E YOU NG

Flacons created by René Lalique, 1912 – 1925, exhibited at the Lalique Museum in Wingen-sur-Moder © Lalique S.A

René Lalique, 1910. © Lalique S.A

“Poissons” flacon, circa 1893.

T

oday, the idea seems crystal-clear: perfume must appeal to the eye as well as the nose. Yet up to the early 20th century, it was still sold in plain flasks! It is to the alliance of two visionaries

that we owe one of the defining features of modern perfumery: the notion that each bottle, conceived as an objet d’art, should reflect both the scent it holds and the brand it bears. The first, François Coty, a self-made man known as the Emperor of Perfume, claimed: “Give a woman the best product to be made, market it in the perfect flask, beautiful in its simplicity yet impeccable in its taste, ask a reasonable price for it, and you will witness the birth of a business the size of which the world has never seen.” The second, René Lalique, would supply Coty with the means to achieve his ambition.

A creative genius, Lalique had already revolutionised the art of jewellery – his original calling – by drawing on the full range of decorative possibilities offered by female, fauna and flora. Circa 1893, he started to explore a new means of expression, glass, which he was already boldly combining with precious materials in his jewels. His very first glass piece was a perfume bottle, “Poissons”, produced with the lost wax technique in his Parisian apartment on the rue Thérèse.

He was so focused on his experiment that he set the place on fire!

While the landlord put out the flames, the artist saved the tiny phial, so dear to him that he only parted with it in 1925, when he loaned it to the Louvre. Today, it is displayed in the Lalique Museum at Wingen-sur-Moder in Alsace.

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René Lalique, who met François Coty in 1905, initially designed labels for him. Their collaboration, which developed more fully in 1908 with “L’Effleurt”, marked the beginnings of the industrial production of perfume bottles. To illustrate a fragrance whose name conjured all at once “effleurer” (to touch lightly), “effluve” (scent) and “les fleurs” (flowers), the artist applied the creativity and elegance that had made him the undisputed master of Belle Epoque jewellery. A sinuous female nude springing from stylised corollas, “L’Effleurt” started out as a plaque of glass fused to a Baccarat flacon.

Then, in 1912, René Lalique reprised it to design a complete bottle. The same year, he decided to focus entirely on glassmaking, and devised an industrial process that allowed him to produce sophisticated bottles on a large scale at a lesser cost. From Coty to Guerlain by way of Roger & Gallet, Houbigant, D’Orsay, Worth or Molinard, the artistglassmaker designed masterpieces for the greatest perfume houses of the era. He also offered dazzlingly virtuosic models in his Place Vendôme boutique.

Brilliantly blending art and industry, René Lalique almost single-handedly invented the modern perfume bottle.

“L’Effleurt” flacon, 1912. © Lalique S.A

Lalique factory, Wingen-sur-Moder, in the 1920s. © Lalique S.A

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Over the decades, the Lalique dynasty has thus offered its most beautiful bottles to French perfumery. What could be more natural than to continue the saga by becoming the first perfumer and crystal maker? In 1992, the House launched Lalique de Lalique at the initiative of Marie-Claude Lalique, who designed its “Chèvrefeuille” motif bottle. Each year, the silken elixir of jasmine, iris and rose is presented in a new, numbered and signed, limited-edition crystal bottle, the latest opus in the series being the Anémone flacon. These genuine objets d’art are born from the peerless know-how and exacting standards of the Manufacture Lalique. Located in the heart of the Vosges du Nord regional natural park, a region with a strong glassmaking tradition, it is the sole Lalique crystal factory in the world. As for the shapes and decors of these precious flacons, they are inspired by the works of René Lalique, revisited by the Lalique Creative Studio.

Lalique de Lalique, first perfume by Lalique, 1992. © Lalique Parfums S.A

Marie-Claude Lalique. © Lalique S.A

Over the decades, the Lalique dynasty has offered its most beautiful bottles to French perfumery.

— “Quatre aigles” flacon René Lalique et Cie, “Quatre aigles”, black glass with a greenish-white patina, 1911, h. 13,2 cm Silvio Denz Foundation Collection Published in “The Art of René Lalique, flacons and powder boxes”

by Christie Mayer Lefkowith© Photographer: Skot Yobbagy

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— Noir Premier collection To showcase the Noir Premier collection, a symbol.

The very first black perfume bottle designed by René Lalique in 1911, the “Quatre aigles” bottle. Noir Premier reinterprets it and offers a new aesthetics in a bold balance of the abstract and the figurative. ©Lalique Parfums SA

It is also from this rich heritage that Lalique draws to conceive contemporary creations in which bottles and fragrances reflect one another in perfect harmony. Thus, the glass cube of Encre Noire (2007), inspired by the “Biches” inkwell (1913), contains an “olfactory block” created by the perfumer Nathalie Lorson to enhance all the facets of a complex distinctive, eminently masculine material: vetiver.

Today, she offers a richer, sultrier and more powerful interpretation of the classic with Encre Noire à l’Extrême. For women, the exquisite Living Lalique by the perfumer Richard Ibanez translates the quintessence of the Lalique lifestyle with the most precious ingredient of the perfumer’s palette: iris, which suffuses the elegant heart of the scent. The Extrait de Parfum is offered in a precious crystal flacon but also in a very exclusive edition of twelve crystal bottles with a gold-leaf motif. Finally, as a tribute to the milestones of Lalique’s history, the Noir Premier collection boldly revisits the major fragrance families.

To highlight the blend of tradition and innovation that has always _

marked the spirit of Lalique, its elegant bottle is inspired by the first black perfume bottle ever designed by René Lalique, the 1911 “Quatre

Living Lalique

aigles” model, but also by one of his first designs for François Coty, the poetic “Cyclamen” with its diaphanous wings motif. Thus, from

Crystal edition decorated with gold leaf, limited to twelve pieces, 2015 © Lalique Parfums SA

flacon to fragrance, Lalique perfumes follow draw out the wake of a visionary…

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THE CRYSTAL LIMITED EDITIONS, AN ENDLESSLY REINVENTED HERITAGE

LES MUSES 1994

JASMIN 1995

LE NU 1996

AMOUR 1997

ONDINES 1998

ÉDITION 1999

SYLPHIDE 2000

SIRÈNES 2001

LES ELFES 2002

BUTTERFLY 2003

DEUX COEURS 2004

SONGE 2005

LES FÉES 2006

COMMEDIA 2007

SHÉHÉRAZADE 2008

APHRODITE 2009

CASCADE 2010

ENVOL 2011

SILLAGE 2012

LIBELLULE 2013

DEUX PAONS 2014

PLUME 2015

ANÉMONE 2016

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AT THE SOURCE OF

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Our joint venture with Jasmine Concrete Exports, the leader in Indian Florals, enables us to source the most exquisite naturals.

Together, we work directly with a network of over 800 local farmers growing jasmine in Tamil Nadu, ensuring them improved standards of living, while delivering the necessary quantities and the ultimate quality for our customers and creators.

Embark on a journey to discover the most beautiful natural ingredients for Fragrance and Flavors, the communities who grow them and the creators who bring them to life.

Join our journey on Firmenich.com/NaturalsTogether

#NATURALSTOGETHER

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The emblem of the Maison Hardy Cognac, a proud Gallic cockerel, decorates the historic site of the company’s domicile in Cognac, in Poitou-Charentes.

A TASTE OF SUMMER A unique partnership continues to flourish as the crystal designers of Lalique and Hardy Cognac’s master blender combine their interpretation of the four seasons with the breathtaking ‘L’Été’ carafe.

T E X T JOH N BRU N T ON P H OTO S C O GN AC H A R DY SA

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T

wo years after the unveiling of the remarkable Le Printemps ca-

rafe, an audacious collaboration between France’s “haute couture” cognac producer, Maison Hardy, and exclusive crystal

glassmaker, Lalique, collectors around the world of luxury crystal and connoisseurs of the finest cognac are at the end of a long wait for the second edition, as L’Été carafe is now available in a unique series of just 400 pieces. While the form of L’Été carafe retains its

voluptuous, feminine style, inspired by René Lalique’s iconic 1920’s design for perfume bottles, the carafe’s extravagant fan-like stopper reflects the evolution of the seasons. Like a crystal tiara crowning a regal head, Lalique’s fantasy vine magically grows out of Hardy’s amber cognac, subtely changing from the almond-green tints and tiny buds of Le Printemps edition, into a rich golden L’Été hue, the ripened grapes bursting with maturity on the sturdy branches.

Anthony Hardy, an English gentleman, who loved France very much, founded Hardy Cognac in 1863. © Andy Julia

Silvio Denz, chairman and CEO of Lalique, explains: “Both our

The luminous carafe L’Été is the second in a series of four outstanding carafes, all signed by Lalique.

companies are steeped in tradition and expertise, and were both born in the middle of the 19th century. The exceptional is extremely important to both, so creating products together was a logical step.” While for Bénédicte Hardy, the fifth generation of this historic cognac family, “working with Lalique was a dream come true, to create a cognac carafe that resembles a Lalique perfume bottle. Perfume and cognac share many things: a world of fragrances, of enhancement of the senses, both visually and olfactorily. Looking at the magnificent collection in Lalique’s museum in Alsace, I was inspired to begin this adventure because design is something perfumes have mastered for so long, and only now is the world of cognac beginning to understand that a beautiful, luxurious packaging is essential.”

It was Bénédicte’s father Jacques who had the boldness to make Hardy the first Maison to launch a super deluxe cognac, sold at a then unheard-of price. It was a brave but visionary move from a cognac house that opened its doors in 1863 when distinguished English gentleman, Anthony Hardy, a wine and spirit merchant specialised in cognac, fell in love with the region and relocated to France, founding Maison Hardy. This family is obviously very determined, beginning with the original English Mr Anthony, who changed his name to Monsieur Antoine and adopted the Gallic cockerel as the emblem of his Maison. And it is this inherited family boldness that sees Hardy collaborating today with Lalique.

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Bénédicte Hardy represents the fifth generation of this cognac family. Ambassador of the company, she has much developed the international sales, especially in the United States.

“Working with Lalique was a dream come true, to create a cognac carafe that resembles a Lalique perfume bottle.”

To complement the talented design team and skilled master glassworkers of Lalique’s ateliers, Hardy has come up with an exceptional Grande Champagne cognac, blended by Master Cellarman, Mickaël Bouilly, from an unrivalled selection of small batches of eauxde-vie set aside by Armand Hardy, between 1919 and 1949. Grande Champagne is the heart and soul of the cognac region, rolling hills of vineyards growing primarily the Ugni Blanc grape, divided up into six “communes”: Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne, Borderies,

BÉNÉDICTE HARDY

The big encased bottles which contain the precious nectar are called “demijohns” .

They are stored in a cellar named “the paradise”.

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—

—

LE PRINTEMPS 2013

L`ÉTÉ 2015

Fins Bois, Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires. Hardy age their cognac ex-

So when privileged collectors of L’Été carafe remove Lalique’s

clusively in oak barrels from the Limousin, initially using new wood,

exquisite vine-inspired stopper to release this near centenary gold-

then slowly transferring it into older barrels to regulate the effect of

en elixir, they will discover a cognac that evokes soft yet intense, al-

the tannins. Bénédicte Hardy becomes quite emotional talking of the

most sweet flavours mingling with notes of apricot, honey and cinna-

legacy of “carrying the torch” of Armand Hardy’s heritage, explaining

mon. The only questions that remain are how will the design and the

that “for ‘L’Été’ carafe we use the same collection of casks set aside be-

flavour change with the seasons when the next edition, L’Automne, is

tween the two World Wars by my grandfather as we did for ‘Le Printemps’.

revealed in two years time.

But what is different is the master blender’s craft of making a different

And when is the best moment to appreciate the Hardy’s

selection of vintages –some more expressive of the wood, some having

Grande Champagne inside Lalique’s L’Été carafe? Why not follow

a deeper colour – to create an ‘Été’ blend that is more matured, more hon-

the advice of a New York sommelier, that “to really appreciate a great

eyed than the ‘Le Printemps’ cognac, which by contrast has more of a

cognac, I prefer it after dinner, with little distraction: no stress, no anger

fresh floral expression.”

or loud people about”.

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SPARKLING TIMES Relax and indulge all your senses on the banks of Lake Lucerne in a magical setting surrounded by the enchanting beauty of the Swiss Alps.

Switzerland

CH-6353 Weggis/Lucerne

www.parkweggis.ch

LIGHT MEETS SILK! Lalique and Fabric Frontline share a common vision based on the quality, craftsmanship and high standards developed and upheld at their respective houses, the former for more than a century, the latter for three decades. Together, they have “woven” a first collection of silk and cashmere scarves: ‘Précieux Jardin’ and ‘Plumes Impériales’.

T E X T M A L I K A BAU W E NS P H OTO S FA BR IC F RON T L I N E

The scarf motifs, redesigned by hand, draw on the Lalique archives.

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T

hey shine as if made from the same dazzling light, one cut from crystal and the other from silk. We could spin out the metaphor even farther, affirming that the spirit of Lalique and

Fabric Frontline share the same “cocoon” of knowledge. The same detail-oriented culture, the same high standards governing the selection of the purest of materials... Weaving these passions together yielded a first collection of scarves: Plumes Impériales and Précieux Jardin.

This pair of Lalique models was turned out by expert hands at Fabric Frontline, a silk and cashmere house based in Zurich for the past 30 years.

This remarkable collaboration allows Lalique to take up a fine

Silk scarf, Champs de Marguerites, René Lalique, circa 1907. © Les Arts décoratifs, Paris / Jean Tholance. All rights reserved.

thread of its history once again, a thread originally spun by its founder, René Lalique, more than a century ago. Impelled by his insatiable creativity, “the inventor of modern jewellery” also became a master of working with crystal and excelled at creating precious textiles for

and Quentin Obadia, Designer of Lalique jewellery, took the reveries

stylish Parisian women. He came up with long scarves of silk crêpe

that René Lalique had laid on paper and spent hours meticu-

for these elegant creatures to wear during their promenades on the

lously reworking the design and composition, with stunning results.

broad boulevards of the Belle Epoque [illustration]. Two models still

The next step is transferring the design to silk and cash-

remain in the collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris,

mere. The task of reinterpreting Lalique’s visual heritage called for

one scattered with butterflies, the other with daisies (1907). René

precious materials. Fabric Frontline, which is led by CEO Riccardo

Lalique’s rich imagery provided the inspiration for the scarves creat-

Pfenninger, made its selection from silk farms all over the world. As

ed today in collaboration with Fabric Frontline.

for the palette, Fabric Frontline turned to family-owned companies in

The first step is the design. This is the thread that leads to the

Northern Italy, working in the strictest confidence, and studied shade

choice of motifs, inspired by the research in graphic design done by

after shade. Finally, with the fervour of artists creating a masterpiece,

René Lalique, a close observer of fauna and flora. The young jeweller

Fabric Frontline and Lalique came up with two compositions in silk and

would compose his pieces by setting down his ideas on paper, sketch-

cashmere. Précieux Jardin, a shimmering garden planted with lilies-of-

ing them out, combining shapes or eliminating them to refine the

the-valley, a favourite emblem used in Lalique jewellery, presents a

overall effect. His papers, a treasure trove of Art Nouveau herit-

woman’s radiant face in the form of a flower. In Plumes Impériales, her

age, were opened up to Fabric Frontline’s talented designers, used

profile takes bird form. Once the scarf is folded, knotted, draped over a

to working for top fashion designers or creating collections of acces-

shoulder or swathed around the neck, the muse disappears only to ap-

sories with the label “Handmade in Switzerland”. Fabric Frontline

pear as something else. Soft as a whisper, soft as silk...

Précieux Jardin scarf, 100% silk twill, colour: blue, 95 x 95 cm.

Plumes Impériales scarf, 70% cashmere and 30% silk, colour: sand, 140 x 140 cm.

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RENÉ LALIQUE, FORERUNNER OF TOTAL ART All of his life René Lalique kept some models made of bronze, cast iron and plaster, which he considered to be his masterpieces.

T E X T C H R I S T I E M AY E R L E F KOW I T H

T

hese models were primarily those used in the composition of his most impressive pieces of jewellery, all of which had been commissioned by his great friend and patron Calouste

Gulbenkian. Thanks to the generosity of Marie-Claude Lalique, granddaughter of the artist, these models can be found today in the Lalique Heritage Collection.

Created between 1898 and 1904, these models attest to the ge-

nius of René Lalique, who was first and foremost an exceptional sculptor. Working with his future father-in-law, Auguste Ledru, and his future brother-in-law, also named Auguste Ledru, both collaborators of Auguste Rodin, enabled Lalique to develop his mature style, which, although inspired by the Rodin style, was nevertheless intensely personal. Traditionally, the Fine Arts, or higher arts, were dissociated from the Decorative Arts, or lesser arts. However, as early as 1894, Lalique

—

exhibited a decorative art object, The Valkyrie, a book cover made of

THE ABDUCTION, 1900 – 1902

leather, silver and ivory, in the sculpture section at the Salon of the French Artists Society. Starting at that time, Lalique sought to imbue

Model in patinated plaster.

Height 180 mm, width 155 mm.

Lalique Heritage Collection.

his jewellery with pictorial and sculptural qualities, a singular idea, which until then was unknown in the domain of jewellery.

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— THE ABDUCTION, 1900 – 1902 Pendant in gold, enamel, ivory, diamonds.

Height 75 mm, width 60 mm.

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon.

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Created between 1898 and 1904, these models attest to the genius of René Lalique.

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—

WOODED LANDSCAPE, 1899 – 1900

WOODED LANDSCAPE, 1899 – 1900

Pendant in gold, enamel, crystal, baroque pearl.

Height 113 mm, width 67 mm.

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon © Carlos Azevedo 2015 The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation/Scala, Florence.

Model in patinated plaster.

Height 65 mm, width 67 mm.

Lalique Heritage Collection.

— — THREE BUSTS OF NUNS, 1900 – 1902 COMB, 1900 – 1902 Cast iron models.

Diameters from 78 mm to 90 mm.

Heights from 22 mm to 32 mm.

Lalique Heritage Collection.

Horn, ivory, silver.

Height 100 mm, width 110 mm.

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon.

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A scene of violence, The Abduction, was rendered in a patinated plaster sculpture, a bas-relief portraying a woman being assaulted by a corpulent man. She cannot escape, because only her torso emerges from the bas-relief. This model, sculpted in ivory in reduction, was incorporated into a pendant, itself a true sculpture, an object of art. This pendant could have been the gift from a man who wanted to be forgiven for an abduction.

A sculpted bas-relief in patinated plaster was based on the photograph of a landscape taken by Lalique at his Clairefontaine estate.

This bas-relief served as the model for the central crystal plaque of the Wooded Landscape pendant, a veritable miniature painting expressing the magnificence and the melancholy of the centuries-old trees.

Three cast iron female busts in medieval-style nun’s habit, positioned as if in prayer, served as models for small ivory sculptures that were used as the decorative elements in a sumptuous comb. Who could have worn such an astonishing comb? Perhaps a woman, who had been a great sinner, now in search of redemption?

Cavalier, another violent scene, is a cast iron sculpture, which served as the model for a smaller ivory sculpture that was incorporated into a pendant of the same name. The scene is the tragic representation of an unarmed, fallen man, beseeching mercy from a cavalier, mounted on horseback, who is about to take his life – a surprising subject matter for a piece of jewellery. It could have been worn by a woman who had two suitors, and one had prevailed over the other.

The Lalique Heritage Collection includes a number of similar models, as well as other objects – wax sculptures, glass objects, some

—

produced through the cire perdue process, jewellery, furniture and drawings. This museum-quality collection, unknown to the general

CAVALIER, 1900 – 1902

public, would deserve an exhibition so that the revolutionary universe

Pendant in gold, ivory, enamel and opals. 8.5 x 7 cm.

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon. © Carlos Azevedo 2015 The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation/Scala, Florence.

of this leading artist could be better appreciated, because in the extravagant and provocative art of René Lalique, the Fine Arts have been merged with the Decorative Arts to achieve a Total Art.

Christie Mayer Lefkowith, the writer of this article, was named in May 2015 the Official Expert for Lalique by Silvio Denz. She recently completed an inventory of the Lalique Archive, with condition reports, after conducting comprehensive research into the history and importance of each piece.

She explains how four models in the Archive, of great artistic quality, were adapted to be integrated into four jewelry pieces in the collection of the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon.

— CAVALIER, 1900 – 1902 Cast iron model.

Maximum height 238 mm, width 155 mm.

Lalique Heritage Collection.

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During a trip to Egypt in January 1934, Calouste Gulbenkian was photographed sitting in front of a statue, symbol of God Horus, represented as a falcon. This picture inspired Leopoldo de Almeida (1898 – 1975) for his bronze statue of this important art collector which was inaugurated in Lisbon on July 20th, 1965. © Márcia Lessa

CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN Calouste Gulbenkian was born in 1869, in Scutari (today Üsküdar, a district of Istanbul), to a family of Armenian merchants of modest means. At an early age he exhibited great intelligence and an amazing ability to negotiate. He was a diplomat for Persia, an arms smuggler, and one of founders of Shell Petroleum. He was the proprietor of 5% of the oil fields in Iraq, which earned him the nickname of “Mister 5%”. At 30, he was already one of the richest men of his time, and became one of the greatest art patrons, perhaps of all times. He was able to acquire an extensive collection of unobtainable Oriental and Occidental works of art, from Antiquity to the 19th century. The only artist of the period that he admired was René Lalique, from whom he commissioned his most important creations.

He bequeathed his collection to Portugal, where he had been retired since 1942. He died in 1955. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum in Lisbon was inaugurated in 1969. www.gulbenkian.pt

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THE ART OF GLASSWARE AT AUCTION DESIGN SALES IN PARIS MAY AND NOVEMBER 2016

RENé LALIqUE Vase Penthièvre, circa 1928 Enquiries + 33 (0)1 53 05 52 69 florent.jeanniard@sothebys.com 76, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris. sothebys.com/20th-century-design AGRéMENT N°2001-002 DU 25 OCTOBRE 2001-COMMISSAIRE-PRISEUR HABILITé CYRILLE COHEN

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DISARM WITH CHARM! Introducing the ultra-contemporary ‘Charmante’ ring.

Definitely a must-have!

TOTALLY FEMININE The rounded cabochon cut and the sensual look of its lines, sculpted in vermeil, give this piece a glamorous aura whose charm is – completely and totally! – irresistible.

IT-RING

MIX AND MATCH

Sculpted and very current, this Art-Deco

Contrasting colours and finishes unite

inspired piece makes a statement in

for a marvellous overall effect. Both the

simplicity. Vintage in spirit, with a style

shiny green crystal and the clear crystal

that is retro yet ultimately timeless, this

with its satin finish are reflected in the

ring is sure to be a big favourite in your

gleaming metal of the vermeil ring. The

jewellery box!

way the light and reflections interact is nothing short of gorgeous!

PURE LALIQUE

DAY AND NIGHT

The look is pure Lalique, recalling the

To accessorise your day, you can’t go

cult, timeless design of the Gourmande

wrong with the all-crystal model! (see

cabochon ring, which has been a house

the rest of the collection).

best-seller since René Lalique put his

To brighten up your evenings, give in to

TOTAL LOOK

signature to it in 1931. The gadroons sculpted into the metal are inspired by

temptation! Choose this delightful vermeil version...

the renowned Langeais crystal tableware

This vermeil ring also comes in silver

service created by Marc Lalique in 1976.

with a crystal in Cap Ferrat blue. These rings may be worn by themselves or coordinated with other pieces from the Charmante collection (e.g. pendants, necklace, earrings and bracelet). Totally charming!

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MUST – HAVES

ENCRE NOIRE A L’EXTRÊME

LIVING LALIQUE

Encre Noire à l’Extrême redefines masculine sensuality with a powerful blend of cypress and vetiver.

A new woody intensity, for a unique, unforgettable trail…

Living Lalique, an emotional, elegant fragrance whose iris heart is softened by woods and balsams. The quintessence of the Lalique lifestyle.

OR INTEMPOREL Or Intemporel is a spicy oriental fragrance whose two deliciously addictive primary notes – tobacco and coffee – evoke the opulence of gold.

VOYAGE DE PARFUMEUR THE SNOW ADÉLIE LAND – ANTARCTICA

L’AMOUR LALIQUE Lalique offers women an olfactory declaration of love and pays a radiant and moving tribute to femininity.

The fragrance is built on rosebud, gardenia, cedar and sandalwood.

2016 LIMITED-EDITION CRYSTAL COLLECTIBLE BOTTLE Created in 1922 by René Lalique, the ‘Semis de Fleurs’ bottle lends its spherical shape to the new design.

The original model’s stylised forget-me-not is replaced with the anemone.

A floral motif that often bloomed in the work of the artist.

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The candle’s white glass echoes the immaculate white desert. The scent is a symphony of white musks while raspberry, rose and patchouli give the note soft and chyprée feminine accents.

A small tribute to the caring Adèle, the wife of Terre Adélie’s discoverer.

VOYAGE DE PARFUMEUR OCEANS GOLD EDITION After his unforgettable chance encounter with amber gris, the perfumer continues his journey on the Spice Route.

Lalique has captured the essence of this scented treasure hunt and set it in a crystal vase adorned with Hirondelles painted in gold.

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UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP

DESIGNED BY

DESIGNED BY

“...The complexity is indescribable and almost incomprehensible...” - JAMES SUCKLING Limited to 150 decanters world-wide. $10,000 AUD each.

Hand crafted in Alsace, France and the Barossa Valley, South Australia The world’s first 100 year old average age Tawny (Port), containing vintages 1886 - 1970 James Suckling 100/100 points wine review All enquiries to chad@seppeltsfield.com.au or ph +61 (0)8 8568 6200 seppeltsfield.com.au

BOUTIQUES Non-exhaustive list. To find all Lalique points of sale (showrooms, shops within shops, corners, etc.), please refer to our website: lalique.com

EUROPE PARIS 11 rue Royale, 75008 Paris, France – Tel. (+33) 1 53 05 12 81 – shop.paris.rueroyale@lalique.fr Boutique Lalique Joaillerie – 20 rue de La Paix, 75008 Paris, France – Tel. (+33) 1 42 65 03 04 – shop.paris.ruedelapaix@lalique.fr Printemps Haussman – 64 boulevard Haussman, 75009 Paris, France – Tel. (+33) 1 42 82 64 33 – shop.paris.printemps@lalique.fr CANNES 87 rue d’Antibes, 06400 Cannes, France – Tel. (+33) 4 93 38 66 88 – shop.cannes@lalique.fr STRASBOURG 25 rue du Dôme, 67000 Strasbourg, France – Tel. (+33) 3 88 75 55 52 – lalique.strasbourg@orange.fr WINGEN-SUR-MODER Musée Lalique – 40 rue du Hochberg, 67290 Wingen-sur-Moder, France – Tel. (+33) 3 88 89 08 14 Villa René Lalique – 18 rue Bellevue, 67290 Wingen-sur-Moder, France – Tel. (+33) 3 88 71 98 98 – direction@villarenelalique.com MONTE CARLO 17–19, avenue de Monte-Carlo, 98000 Monte Carlo, Monaco – Tel. (+377) 93 25 05 02 – laliquemc@mc-monaco.com ZURICH Talstrasse 27, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland – Tel. (+41) 44 212 02 22 – boutique.zuerich@lalique.ch GENEVA 65 rue du Rhône, 1204 Geneva, Switzerland – Tel. (+41) 223 123 666 – contact@touzeau.com LONDON 47 Conduit Street, London W1S 2YP, United Kingdom – Tel. (+44) 0 207 292 0444 – shop.london.cs@lalique.fr Harrods 2nd floor, 85 – 135 Brompton Road, London SW1X 7XL, United Kingdom – Tel. (+44) 0 207 730 1234 BERLIN KaDeEe, 4th floor, Tauentzienstrasse 21–24, 10789 Berlin, Germany – Tel. (+49) 302 186 883 – shop.berlin.kadewe@lalique.fr FRANKFURT Goethestrasse 37, 60313 Frankfurt, Germany – Tel. (+49) 6 921 997 770 – shop.frankfurt@lalique.fr MOSCOW Nikolskaya 19/1, Moscow, Russia – Tel. +7 (495) 933 33 74 UZBEKISTAN Matbuotchilar Street 17 – 70000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Tel. (+998) 712 320 630 – shedevr185@yandex.ru

NORTH AMERICA NEW YORK 609 Madison Avenue, New York 10022, New York, USA – Tel. (+1) 212 355 6550 – newyork@lalique.com BEVERLY HILLS 238 North Rodeo Drive, California 90210, Beverly Hills, USA – Tel. (+1) 310 271 7892 – beverlyhills@lalique.com BAL HARBOUR 9700 Collins Avenue, Suite 103, Florida 33154, Bal Harbour, USA – Tel. (+1) 305 537 5150 – balharbour@lalique.com CHICAGO 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 6129, Illinois 60654, Chicago, USA – Tel. (+1) 312 867 1787 – chicago@lalique.com LAS VEGAS The Shops at Crystals, 3720 Las Vegas Blvd, Suite 266, Nevada 89109, Las Vegas, USA – Tel. (+1) 702 507 2375 – lasvegas@lalique.com

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ASIA BANGALORE Unit 103, 1st floor, The collection at the Ub City, # 24 Vittal Mallaya Road, 560001 Bangalore, India – Tel. (+91) 804 211 0024 – glittex@yahoo.com CALCUTTA Ganga Expression PVT-LTD, Forum Courtyard, OC Ganguly Sarani, Sreepally, Bhowanipore Kolkata, West Bengal, 700020 Calcutta, India – Tel. (+91) 334 007 1408 – tarundaga74@gmail.com HONG KONG LALIQUE LOUNGE – M1, Baskerville House, n°13 Duddell Street, Central Hong Kong, Hong Kong – Tel. (+852) 2259 6641 LALIQUE MAISON – Shop 104, Ruttonjee Centre, 11 Duddell Street, Central Hong Kong, Hong Kong – Tel. (+852) 34 886 028 IFC Shop 2025, Podium Level 2, IFC Mall, Central Hong Kong, Hong Kong – Tel. (+852) 2234 7333 Shop 2036-2036b, Level 2, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong customerservice@laliqueasia.com SHANGHAI Shop 42, Level 2, Phase 2, IFC Mall, 8 Century Avenue, Shanghai, China – Tel. (+86) 21 5034 2504 Shop 429, Level 2, IAPM, 999 Huai Hai Road, Middle Shanghai, China – Tel. (+86) 21 5456 1243 JAPAN Royal Boutique, Rihga Royal Hotel 1F., 5-3-68, Nakanoshima, Kita-Ku, 530-0005 Osaka, Japan – Tel. (+81) 6 6449 0663 SINGAPORE 333a Orchard Road, #01-16 Mandarin Gallery, 238897 Singapore – Tel. (+65) 61 002 124 – crystal@lalique.com.sg VIETNAM Sofitel Grand Metropole Hanoi Hotel, 15 Ngo Quyen Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam – Tel. (+84) 4 3266 8737 – crystalmetropole@lalique.com.vn Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, 88 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – Tel. (+84) 8 3915 9179 – crystalsheraton@lalique.com.vn PHILIPPINES Ayala Center, Ayala Avenue, Makati City 1226, Metro Manila, Philippines – Tel. (+63) 2 813 3739 – makatimainconcierge@rustans.com.ph

MIDDLE EAST DUBAI Dubai Mall, First Level Star Astrium, Po 30069 Dubai, UAE – Tel. (+971) 433 987 82 – lalique.dubaimall@mailmac.net ERBIL Shoresh Street facing Zein Telecom, Erbil, Iraq – Tel. (+964) 75 08 99 34 18 MANAMA Ashrafs W.L.L, Old Palace Road, Hoora, Building 63, Road 339, Block 318, PO Box 62, Manama, Bahrain – Tel. (+963) 17 53 44 41 – giftware@ashrafs.com.bh MUSCAT G-34, Royal Opera Galleria, Royal Opera House Shatti al Qurum, Muscat, Oman – Tel. (+968) 2440 4240 – lalique@omantel.net.om RIYADH Urban Design Gallery, Al Takhassusi Street, Olaya District, Prestige Center, Riyadh, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia – Tel. (+966) 11 201 5680

AFRICA CASABLANCA 13 boulevard Abdelatif Ben Kadour, quartier Racine, Casablanca, Morocco – Tel. (+212) 522 94 29 91 – infos@lalique.ma

www.lalique.com

PUBLISHER: Lalique SA, 11 Rue Royale, 75008 Paris, France CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF LALIQUE: Silvio Denz HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS: Cerise Guisez MANAGING EDITOR: Annemarie Mahler EDITORIAL CONSULTANT: Regina Maréchal ART DIRECTION: Florian Spierling, Geyst AG, Zurich ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Florian Walz, Geyst AG, Zurich

PROOFREADING: Lektorama, Zurich PRODUCTION MANAGER/LITHOGRAPHS: Geyst AG, Zurich PRINT: Bechtle Druck, Stuttgart CIRCULATION: 32,000 ex.

PRINTED IN JANUARY 2016 EDITION: 2016 E-MAIL: communication@lalique.fr

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«Pomme» et «Dahlia» © 2015 THG - Photo Didier Grieu

Bath & Art de Vivre

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