Guerlain perfumer Delphine Jelk composed Shalimar L’Essence to honor Frida Kahlo
15 December 2025
This year is Shalimar centennial. The house collaborated with Franco-Brazilian artist Janaïna Milheiro to produce a new version of the perfume's iconic pedestal flacon, which was first created by Raymond Guerlain and made by Baccarat, in honor of the occasion.
The artwork, which was inspired by Shalimar devotee Frida Kahlo, is full of feathers and flowers that pay homage to the artist's love of self-adornment and the vibrant colors of her Mexico City home, Casa Azul.
Only 66 of these pieces contain 1.5 liters of a modern take on the iconic fragrance. Guerlain perfumer Delphine Jelk created Shalimar L'Essence to pay homage to the original while intensifying the vanilla for a contemporary twist. "I wanted to give Shalimar a new, almost rock-and-roll edge while keeping its soul," Jelk explains.
A museum now houses Kahlo's bottle of Shalimar. This one—a fragrance, a sculpture, an investment, and a tale that took a century to create—may also succeed.
Read at the link below an article about Frida and perfumes.
