Lalique Magazine 2026_ENG

Air de Lalique

Inspiration and Breath It is present in our first gestures, connecting us to life from the moment we are born. To translate the movement of air, Marc Larminaux, Artistic and Creative Director of Lalique, let him self be guided by inspiration. His pencil traced threads and lines, strokes and curves: “Everything always begins with a drawing,” he explains. “Each undulation is distinct, designed with precision to create a har monious whole.” Sketched lines become invisible waves that make a veil dance, folds on fabric are stirred by a discreet breeze, all brought to life by the artisans of Lalique through motifs engraved into the crys talline mass. The irregular lines are not accidents but character: the essence of air itself, “ever present, yet intangible.” “We sought to make the invisible visible,” adds Marc Larminaux. The Haute Couture of Crystal The Alizé vases, named after the gentle trade winds, embody the balance between technical mastery and sensual form. Light dresses these volumes as if the crystal were a couture fabric, rem iniscent of Fortuny pleats or Madame Grès’s sculptural drapery. The artisans’ savoir-faire lies at the heart of this illusion. After the blowing process came the cold-work techniques: sandblast ing, satin finishing, and meticulous repolishing. At least eight steps are required before “light makes the satin-finished crystal vibrate, exalting the impression of movement,” as the Lalique ar tisans explain. Between matt and gloss, opacity and transparen cy, motion flows – the eye lingers, captivated. Air, once invisible, becomes a tangible source of wonder. Available in four sizes, from intimate to monumental (weighing up to 15 kilos), the Alizé vases come in clear or coral-patinated crystal. The coral hue, a new addition to the Lalique palette, en hances the radiance of air: “At sunset, the sky filters out the blues of daylight, leaving only the fire of reds and oranges,” says Marc Larminaux. A velvety, soothing tone that evokes both the Mediterranean summer and the golden serenity of a late Rothko canvas. The Gold of Time Produced in limited editions, the Alizé vases glow with 22-carat rose gold leaf applied by hand to preserve transparency through a subtle “brushed” effect. Two hundred and forty leaves for the monumental vase, four days’ work for the large Alizé , 21 days of varnish drying – 16 operations in total, each demanding expert precision. These figures remind us of the essence of true luxury: time – given, dedicated, and spent without counting. Alongside the vases comes the Alizé bowl, a wide basin delicately balanced on three sculptural feet integrated into the design, a feat of equilibrium achieved through Lalique’s unrivalled know how. Placed on a table, it becomes a miniature pool of light, a theatre where sunlight performs its daily dance.

Manufacturing process of the Alizé vase, mouth-blown in the hot glass workshop at the Lalique manufacture.

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