Thursday, September 10, 2015

Giorgio Armani’s Murano Glass Flacon - The Perfume With a Most Venetian Backdrop

It’s fitting that Giorgio Armani—who has been known to dress a Hollywood powerhouse or two himself—chose Venice as the place to bring his fashion label’s most exclusive fragrance to date, Sì Murano Edition, to life.

It’s safe to say that Venice has seen its fair share of extreme glamour, from Peggy Guggenheim’s 18th-century palazzo turned art museum to the glittering lineup of red carpet premieres happening at the 72nd Venice Film Festival this week. 

Offering a backdrop so visually striking it could easily pass for a movie set itself, the otherworldly island is home to deep-bottom gondolas, endless reserves of blue water, and the Aman Canal Grande, where George and Amal Clooney got married. 

What makes the designer’s new scent a standout is the bottle. Taking a cue from Venice’s artisanal approach to craftsmanship, Armani set out to create a Murano glass flacon that was a work of art in its own right. 

He tapped the famed atelier Salviati for the job, allowing the company more than a year to develop the technique needed to get the exact color and shape requested. Then came the actual production process. A team of 10 artisans, each with a specific function, executed a series of exacting steps to make each piece. It’s an impressive feat of precise timing and expertise, yet even in the hands of these highly skilled glassmakers, it sometimes took up to five days to complete just one perfect flacon. 

Photo: Courtesy of Giorgio Armani Parfums

The pleasantly heavy glass bottle features a unique blush-colored “teardrop” suspended inside and a gleaming crystal stopper; a fine layer of 24-karat gold leaf decorates the bottom. As for the actual fragrance, it’s the same juice as Sì Eau de Parfum Intense—a spicy mix of black currant nectar, bergamot, and neroli absolute combined with freesia, mandarin, and a hint of vanilla—that will be available in the U.S. for the first time with the launch.
A total of 75 numbered bottles of Sì Murano Edition will be released in October—representing the launch of Armani’s label in 1975. 
But collectors, take note: Only three delicate flacons will be for sale stateside. Get your name on the waitlist now.

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