Lush Inspiration

A mosaic of rivers, forests, savannas, swamps and forests, teeming with life. Gorillas, elephants, monkeys, and flamingos alongside snakes parrots, leopards, lions, tigers, lizards and buffalo all call this lush green jungle home. Flora, fauna this abundant beauty grows freely and replenishes the life around itself. We look in wonder, our breath taken away but this beauty, thankfully now we don’t take, we don’t destroy. The lions sleep peacefully tonight. We know better, but we still admire, we still hold this lush landscape up; ripe for inspiration. Find out more in Lush Inspiration.

In the biggest forest in the world, The Congo Basin, find approximately 10, 000 species of tropical plants with a huge 30% unique to the region. Endangered wildlife, including forest elephants, chimpanzees, bonobos, and lowland and mountain gorillas inhabit the lush forests. 400 other species of mammals, 1,000 species of birds and 700 species of fish can also be found here. Understanding better now than ever, most of us would not hunt or steal from these areas with their delicate wildlife balance; that doesn’t mean we still are not obsessed.

Lalique the glass brand started by René Lalique, was noted for his work in the then-new Art Deco style. His grounding followed from his father, as a jeweller initially, but then grew to be the most famous glass artist, one that took the work of hot-blown sand to new levels.

Early works very much echoed nature, drawing inspiration from Antiquity and Japanese themes, as well as the natural world.

This season sees as a celebration of the man but also the far-flung jungle comes to life for Spring Summer 2023. An echo of the brand’s history; a celebration via crystal of the world of the jungle.

Firstly, the oldest and possibly the most misunderstood animal in the world, one whose skin is desired, craved even. The company pays tribute to the crocodile in a new scent enclosed in a glass flacon with an amazing etched reptile-like ‘crocodile skin’ glass.

The legendary collaboration with one of the great perfume makers, François Coty, René Lalique crafted many exquisite perfume bottles. In 1992 Marie-Claude, the granddaughter of René Lalique, created the brand’s first-ever perfume. This journey, from making iconic bottles to filling them, exploded into the world.

The latest elixir entitled Empreinte Animale from the crystal collection, with its reptile crystal covering with a golden sheen and embedded as a stopper a cut glass emerald green oblong.

As for the juice find, the rainforest celebrated. A misty morning full of flowers and fauna fruit and leaves. Crossing this ‘forest’ means walking through many a layer.

Initially be swamped with luscious Rose, heady Jasmine and powdery rooty Iris that play alongside a gentle breeze of spicy Clove. Before reaching its heart where fruits come join the journey. Crisp green Blackcurrant leaf, suede-like juicy Pear nectar and luscious Blackberry. The sustenance to keep moving through the fauna.

The scent finally lands as could only be expected on softest warming Sandalwood, creamy Vanilla and musks that linger of salty-sweet skin, as the dawn temperature rises amongst the greenery. Delicious!

The further the journey, the more is revealed, from this glass dedication of the most bewildering of creatures, the crocodile, one who has lived on our planet far longer than us and is now immortalised in crystal.

Before revolutionizing the art of glass, René Lalique’s roots lay as we mentioned in jewellery and reinventing what we would consider a new style breaking moulds with his work. So included in the new SS23 Empreinte Animale Crystal Collection is a new jewellery collection in keeping with the brand’s very DNA.

Find geometric textured zebra-print crystals intertwined with metal giant links that alternate between smooth sides with satin finished in the centre and repolished on the outside, sides are sculpted with captivating zebra stripes with a satin finish and repolished in
relief. A play of textures, sensitive to the touch; bring the feel of the zebra as close to your skin without any animal harmed.

Available as rings pendants full necklaces and bracelets, in a variety of colours melding gold silver with white and black.

Also included in this bestial theatre, are scarves and homewares. Find a giant clear with a black patina Zebra vase (available also in clear with texture) and a rather magnificent green toucan sculptured in crystal.

Alongside this are other vases and bowls with a Crocodile decoration or leaf and grasses encasing within the crystal.

These objects, perfect replica textures of animal motifs, forever entombed in crystal, never to be harmed.

Finally, should you want to feel the softest silk and utilise it to explore your very own jungle? Lalique again reaches back to move forward into a new modernity with this limited edition collection.

René Lalique created silk scarves as early as a hundred years ago, and their designs were often inspired by the plant and animal world. Zurich artist Ginny Litscher has now joined forces with Lalique to transform precious fabrics and radiant colours into beautiful motifs.

Lalique Group has signed an agreement to take over the traditional
Zurich silk label Fabric Frontline, with new items starting in S/S23.

Lastly, the light goes down in your jungle. The sun sank in the sky leaving a golden amber sunset. Replicate this with A vase made of amber-toned crystal, in a deep orange. Its tiger stripe motifs encase the scented candle, allowing emersion into the lush surroundings without ever having to leave home.

A delicate balance in a world of flora and fauna, this jungle may well be more dreamlike than real, more our imagination than factual, one filled with exotic birds, wondrous mammals, and amazing reptiles, where feathers, furs and scales are tamed. Here wonderfully tamed by crystal captured forever, whilst leaving the wildlife to run free forever.

To find out more and see the ‘jungle’ visit Lalique.com here

If you enjoyed reading then why not read Art-State of Mind Here

.Cent Magazine London, Be inspired; Get Involved

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