In 1853, specially commissioned for the marriage of Eugénie de Montijo and Napoleon III, Pierre-François-Pascal created the Eau de Cologne Impériale and its Bee Bottle. Empress Eugénie fell under its spell and the other European courts were quick to follow suit. Thanks to this creation, Maison Guerlain even gained the title of official supplier to the Imperial Court. And so, the Guerlain perfume bottle with its 69-bee design entered the history books.

The legendary Bee Bottle lends itself easily to all kinds of customization. For its 160th anniversary in 2013, nine legends of the art world rendered homage to its iconic design. Each one-liter decorative bottle presented itself as a blank canvas, forming an immaculate urban installation, waiting to be brought to life by JonOne’s explosion of color. Drawing on all the richness of his artistic practice and personal history, JonOne invented his own language of color to evoke the perfumes Shalimar (blue), La Petite Robe Noire (pink), and Rose Barbare (orange).

As if by osmosis, contents and recipient become one and the intangible takes form. Made in the artist’s studio in Paris, each bottle is unique, a true marvel of abstraction and energy individually created and signed by JonOne.