Guerlain's Cherry Blossom Millésime 2025 - Sound Design

At Penrose Audio, we embarked on a new project to create a soundscape inspired by Guerlain's Cherry Blossom Millésime 2025, a fragrance celebrating the Japanese tradition of 'Hanami' and the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms. This limited-edition scent features a harmonious blend of bergamot and green tea in the top notes, with lilac, cherry blossom, and jasmine at its heart, and a base of white musk. The fragrance is presented in the iconic Bee Bottle, transformed into a living canvas by South Korean painter Taein Song, adorned with blooming sakuras.

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Guerlain's Cherry Blossom Millésime 2025 pays homage to the 'Hanami' tradition, where people gather to appreciate the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms. This fragrance captures the essence of spring with its delicate floral notes and artistic bottle design. Our goal was to reflect this poetic and transient beauty through a meticulously crafted soundscape.

To reflect the fragrance's essence, we selected a combination of evolving string textures, ethereal chime elements, and unique string articulations:

Evolving String Textures: Utilizing the Ólafur Arnalds Chamber Evolutions library, we crafted dynamic string arrangements that evolve over time, providing a foundation of warmth and depth. This library features a chamber string section recorded performing 'evolutions,' or slowly evolving long notes with intricate textures, ideal for conveying the gentle unfolding of cherry blossoms.

Ethereal Chime Elements: Incorporating delicate chime sounds added a layer of magic and lightness, echoing the shimmering quality of sunlight filtering through cherry blossoms. These elements were carefully balanced to enhance the visual imagery without overwhelming it.​

Unique String Articulations: We employed less common string techniques, such as flautando (bowing near the fingerboard to produce a soft, flute-like sound) and con sordino (using a mute to create a subdued tone), to craft smooth transitions and subtle nuances, reinforcing the fragrance's delicate character.

The sound elements were meticulously synchronized with the visual components of the promotional video. For instance, as the camera panned over the bottle's artwork, the sounds swelled gently, highlighting the intricate cherry blossom designs. The evolving string textures mirrored the unfolding petals, while the chime elements punctuated moments of visual emphasis, creating a cohesive and immersive experience.​

We loved every minute of crafting this magical soundscape inspired by Guerlain's Cherry Blossom Millésime 2025! Capturing its delicate beauty through sound was both inspiring and rewarding. The result? An immersive sensory experience that not only complements the visuals but resonates emotionally with listeners—exactly what Penrose Audio strives for.

If you enjoyed this creative exploration, we'd love for you to check out more of our projects. Dive into our portfolio to discover other unique sound adventures we've designed for luxury, fashion, and beauty as well as animation projects.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!