Guerlain Premiere

As I posted here, on November 18th, an exclusive party was held at the 68 Champs to unveil the most recent round of renovations to the flagship boutique. I have for you today some official photos which Guerlain/LVMH has authorized for release to the public, a virtual mini-tour of the newly-transformed store.

I hope to have some more exclusive, behind-the-scenes photos for you in the coming days, but this will give you a sense of the new direction LVMH has charted for the house of Guerlain. As one insider put it, and as the photos clearly reveal, this is a distinct departure from the spirit of Guerlain’s past. The boutique now spans all 6 floors of the historic building, and I am told that in addition to the Guerlain spa, there is now a restaurant. Needless to say, no expense was spared in repositioning the property.

The new store is without a doubt gorgeous and supremely luxurious – but at what ultimate cost? I for one cannot help but wish that the euros were being poured instead into Guerlain fragrances. At a minimum, I certainly wish that the house’s best seller, La Petite Robe Noire, had more to offer. But I am sure this comes as no surprise to the many perfumistas scouring the internet and second-hand shops for a drop of Guerlain’s most beloved creations of the past, and filling boards and blogs with laments of the current state of perfumery.