From hieroglyphic-covered pots in ancient Egypt to hyper-sexualised sculptural containers in the 1990s (we’re looking at you, Jean-Paul Gaultier) perfume bottles have been produced in nearly every shape and form over many centuries.
Of the hundreds of designs we’ve covered over the years, there are times when we come across something that truly impresses. And the new L’Envol de Cartier certainly fits the bill. The new scent is the French fashion brand’s sixth major men’s fragrance but its first since 2008. Evidence suggests that it has put the eight-year fallow period to remarkably good use.
Sparked by the metaphorical idea of ‘taking flight’, Cartier’s in-house perfumer Mathilde Laurent has created an adventurous, mead-inspired cologne that is both sophisticated and subtle. With its golden amber appearance, it’s no surprise to find the scent accented with honey notes and hints of musk, but the inclusion of gaiac wood gives it a more solid, masculine feel.
However, as impressive as the eau de parfum is, it is the 100ml bottle’s design that is the most notable achievement. Cartier has ramped up the creative process to produce a statement-making design that also displays a delicacy of craftsmanship, paying tribute to the Maison’s expertise in glasswork.
More than just an eye-catching display case, L’Envol stands apart from most other store-bought colognes by the fact that the liquid capsule can be unscrewed like a lightbulb, and refilled. Like a shot of adrenaline, the scent is cased in a glass ampule that appears to be suspended inside an open-bottomed glass bell. Combining the rather skilled techniques of tableware glassmaking with traditional bottle making presents the fragrance like a precious serum.
Resolutely modern in its design, the bottle also references the brand’s creative and stylistic tradition, with a guilloché-inlaid bottle stopper that twists down to reveal the nozzle. And this is the magic of Cartier: it both looks to the future while carrying the finest elements of its legacy along with it for the ride.
