Shalini was created by famed perfumer Maurice Roucel (Gucci Envy, Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist, Bond 9 New Harlem, Le Labo Labdanum 18, Hermes 24 Faubourg and a whole lot more) for Indian born designer Shalini Kumar.
Perfume Smellin’ Things says Shalini is “a study in transparency and lightness,” and I think it balances its tuberose-musk-sandalwood trilogy to near perfection, “gliding down the road like a Bentley, crammed under the hood with power and precision but way past any need to prove it.”
There are two bottles for Shalini: one is the full-on 2.2 ounce Lalique crystal bottle with a blown-glass stylized butterfly wing as the topper that sells for $900.00 at present. The other is a simple, squared 0.34 ounce bottle with a more functional aesthetic. Photos below are of the smaller, functional bottle:
Yeah, I know, I’m sorry I didn’t get the larger bottle, but I just wanted the perfume, not some Lalique extravaganza that I’d just wind up knocking over and breaking. Because I would, you know . . . knock it over and break it. That’s so me.
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More like “Shalini is a study of No. 5′s classic bottle…”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy they finally decided to release a more economically friendly bottle (yay for small bottles, can I get a here here?), but come on…
I’m realizing that Maurice Roucel is a go to guy for guilty and other pleasures. The perfumes you mention (24, Fauborg; Envy; Tocade) and some others, high and low brow (Ispahan, Yves Rocher; Iris Silver Mist). Have not yet tried Dans Tes Bras, so cannot comment there…but then, there are a LOT I cannot comment on. The mustachioed one has extraordinary depth on his vita.
I hear you on why that bottle over the other one. You have, of course, made me even more curious about the juice inside than I was before. Thanks (she tossed off, wondering how in the world she would ever get all the good perfumes in the world properly experienced and appreciated…).
I am a little daunted by the Roucel oeuvre. It’s kind of crazy how many perfumes the man has actually been responsible for creating . . . and really good ones, too!
Re: properly experienced and appreciated — I’m starting to equate the perfume industry with Hollywood. There are so many new releases plus a huge back catalog of product that it’s impossible to get to them all. You just dive into what you can, appreciate the classics when you have the time, enjoy the popcorn blockbusters, pat yourself on the back for supporting the little art projects, etc.
As far as Shalini goes, I think you might actually like it. You’ll have to let me know if you get around to “experiencing and appreciating” it.
Just wanted to say these are really beautiful photographs of this fragrance bottle!
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoy them and I appreciate that you took the time to leave a comment.
The bottle and packaging are nice to begin with, so it wasn’t too difficult to take decent photos.