When I first saw this palette (or rather, all 6 of them, each named for a Guerlain boutique in Paris) I didn't think much of it. It's a pretty cut-out pattern, but nothing spectacular or all that interesting. After doing some investigation, however, I discovered that Guerlain had collaborated with Paris-based designer India Mahdavi, and that she had put a rather unique spin on a typical makeup case. According to this interview, she wanted to create an object that "had weight, both visually and physically," and the cut-out design was actually a mashrabiya, to capture the idea that one could "observe without being seen." It's nice to find out than rather just a pretty pattern, the cut-out had a a traditional Middle-Eastern architectural concept behind it. And now that I know all this, I'm beginning to think this palette may be museum-worthy!
(image from sephora.com)