Guerlain’s Bee Bottle, also known as the ‘Abeille’ bottle, has a rich history dating back to its creation by the French perfume house in 1853. Now celebrating its 170th year, the Bee Bottle has been transformed into an extravagant masterpiece by renowned jewelry designer Begüm Kiroglu of Begüm Khan. Known for its mystical Eastern influences, Begüm Khan was the ideal choice to design the Bee Bottle, given her ability to transform bees, beetles, and birds into exquisite jewelry pieces.
The iconic Bee Bottle is meticulously hand-painted in luxurious 24-carat gold and features a stunning centerpiece—a radiant beetle surrounded by a mesmerizing array of crystals. This one-liter Bee Bottle rests on eight jewels inspired by the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, and boasts over 1000 hand-set gems, all meticulously crafted in the artist’s Istanbul ateliers.
The Imagine Guerlain fragrance in its Eau de Parfum version is presented as the Exceptional Piece, marking a sumptuous celebration of the magic of Christmas. It opens with a captivating trail of magnificent floral notes with a subtle hint of citrusy orange, gradually revealing vibrant woody notes that create an irresistibly warm and sensual composition.
Ann-Caroline Prazan, the brand’s director of art, culture, and heritage, highlighted Guerlain’s long-standing tradition of collaborating with the best artists.
Begüm Khan shared her perspective on the collaboration, emphasizing her affinity for unique and less conventionally accepted animals like beetles and bees in her designs. She humorously added, ‘When you look at the bee really closely, it [looks] strange. You don’t want to touch it.’
The Bee Bottle by Begüm Khan is an exclusive limited edition, with only 40 numbered pieces available worldwide. Earlier this year, Guerlain paid tribute to the 170th anniversary of the iconic Bee Bottle with a limited-edition flacon priced at $27,000, crafted by the renowned Glassmaker Aristide Najean.
The queen behind the bees, Begüm Kiroglu:
With Istanbul’s labyrinthine streets as her creative canvas, a master’s degree in Chinese culture and art, and a deep appreciation for Ottoman and Eastern art, Begüm Kiroglu has crafted a surreal and dazzling world of jewelry. Despite being in the industry for just a decade, she has established herself as a prominent designer, creating modern-day heirlooms hand-crafted by Turkish artisans. Her designs break away from traditional norms, focusing on the unconventional and underappreciated ‘bugs’ of the natural world, including insects, white turtles, koi fish, and even dinosaurs. Ann-Caroline Prazan has described her Istanbul boutique as a work of art and commended the young designer’s knowledge and respect for past traditions, making her the perfect collaborator for Guerlain.
