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EMPRESS BY MALMAISON®️
Empress by Malmaison - From Château to Home
Discover Empress by Malmaison®, our own collection inspired by the beauty, botanical history and enduring French style of Empress Joséphine Bonaparte and Château de Malmaison.
Created by Malmaison, EMPRESS brings together Australian-crafted soy candles, botanical linen tea towels, greeting cards, stationery and selected lifestyle pieces with a shared appreciation for flowers, fragrance, French design and objects that bring a little beauty to everyday life.
At the heart of the collection is Joséphine's extraordinary love of plants and the botanical world she cultivated at Château de Malmaison near Paris. Her passion for rare species, roses and botanical art helped make Malmaison a celebrated meeting place for horticulture, art and French style.
Selected EMPRESS designs feature the celebrated botanical work of Pierre-Joseph Redouté, whose exquisite rose illustrations remain closely associated with Joséphine and the artistic world of Malmaison.
Explore the Empress Candle Range, Empress Linen Tea Towel Range and Empress Stationery Range, each created to bring a little of that story from château to home.
Discover the Empress by Malmaison Collection
Empress Soy Candles
Fragrance is one of the simplest ways to change the atmosphere of a room.
The Empress Candle Range brings the French-inspired world of Malmaison into the home through beautifully presented soy-blend candles designed and crafted in Australia.
Fragrances such as French Pear, Golden Rose, Lavender & Pink Pepper and Peony Blush draw on fruits, flowers and aromatic notes that sit naturally within the botanical spirit of the collection.
Selected core EMPRESS candles are hand-poured using a soy wax blend and cotton wick, with reusable glass vessels and gift-boxed presentation.
Light one in the living room as evening settles in, beside the bath at the end of the day or on a console before guests arrive. EMPRESS candles are designed to be enjoyed as part of the home rather than saved away for a special occasion.
Explore the complete Empress Candle Range or discover more from Malmaison's widerCandles & Candle Holders collection.
Redouté Linen Tea Towels
The EMPRESS linen collection brings botanical art into one of the most familiar rooms in the home.
Selected Redouté linen tea towels feature beautifully reproduced botanical rose illustrations on natural linen, transforming a practical kitchen textile into something decorative enough to leave on display.
Made from 100% natural linen, selected EMPRESS Redouté tea towels are designed, printed and handcrafted with care in Australia.
The linen retains the natural texture and character of the fibre, while the botanical artwork creates an elegant connection between the working kitchen and the gardens, flowers and artistic heritage associated with Château de Malmaison.
Use them as traditional tea towels, hang one from a favourite hook or rail, drape one over a bread basket or simply enjoy the illustration as part of the kitchen.
Some customers have even chosen to frame their favourite Redouté tea towels as botanical artwork.
Explore the Empress Linen Tea Towel Range or browse Malmaison's wider Tea Towels and Kitchen Linen collections.
Redouté Botanical Totes
The botanical story also extends beyond the kitchen.
Selected EMPRESS totes feature Pierre-Joseph Redouté rose imagery, bringing the delicacy of historic botanical illustration to a useful everyday bag.
The current Centifolia Roses tote is made from recycled cotton and designed, printed and handcrafted with care in Australia.
Generously proportioned for shopping, books, markets and everyday errands, it brings together practicality and botanical beauty in a way that feels particularly true to Malmaison.
Empress Stationery
A handwritten card remains one of the simplest and most personal ways to mark an occasion.
The Empress Stationery Range includes greeting cards, gift cards, gift tags, envelope seals and selected paper pieces inspired by Redouté botanicals, Château de Malmaison, Paris and French expressions.
From roses and peonies to Joyeux Anniversaire, Merci and Amour, the collection brings a French sensibility to birthdays, celebrations, thank-you notes and gifts.
Selected cards are printed on premium cardstock or Italian cotton paper, with designs created to feel as considered as the message written inside them.
Pair EMPRESS stationery with a gift from Malmaison or keep a small selection on hand for the occasions that deserve something more personal than a message on a screen.
Inspired by Empress Joséphine & Château de Malmaison
The story behind EMPRESS begins with the woman whose home inspired the Malmaison name.
Joséphine Bonaparte purchased Château de Malmaison in 1799. Together with Napoleon Bonaparte, she transformed the property into an intimate residence known for its elegant interiors, gatherings and remarkable gardens.
Botany became one of Joséphine's great passions.
She cultivated rare plants in the greenhouses and gardens of Malmaison, building relationships with botanists, nursery growers and naturalists and acquiring specimens from across Europe and further afield.
Around 200 plants were cultivated in France for the first time at Malmaison, while Joséphine's collection included more than 250 varieties of rose.
The château became more than a beautiful residence. It was a place where art, horticulture, science and the pleasure of collecting came together.
That combination of beauty, curiosity and everyday living provides the inspiration for EMPRESS by Malmaison.
Joséphine, Roses & Pierre-Joseph Redouté
Few artistic names are as closely connected with Joséphine's botanical legacy as Pierre-Joseph Redouté.
Celebrated for the extraordinary precision and delicacy of his botanical illustrations, Redouté was appointed flower painter to the Empress in 1805.
At Joséphine's request, he produced botanical illustrations recording remarkable plants associated with Malmaison, including plates for Le Jardin de Malmaison. Joséphine also encouraged his celebrated work devoted to roses.
His paintings combine scientific observation with extraordinary grace. Flowers appear against simple backgrounds, allowing every curve of a petal, leaf and stem to become the focus.
That simplicity makes Redouté's work feel remarkably timeless.
Selected EMPRESS linen and stationery designs draw on this botanical tradition, allowing historic floral imagery to become part of contemporary everyday objects.
From Botanical History to the Modern Malmaison Home
EMPRESS is not intended to recreate an imperial interior.
Instead, the collection takes selected ideas from the world of Joséphine and Malmaison - her love of flowers, fragrance, botanical collecting, beautiful domestic objects and the pleasure of creating an individual home - and brings them into a more relaxed contemporary setting.
A Redouté tea towel can hang in a working kitchen. A rose-scented candle can be lit on an ordinary evening. A botanical card can accompany a birthday gift. A favourite tote can travel to the market each weekend.
The connection is not about formality.
It is about surrounding ourselves with useful things that also give pleasure.
That philosophy has always sat at the heart of Malmaison.
Designed by Malmaison
EMPRESS is Malmaison's own French-inspired collection, created from our longstanding appreciation for French interiors, entertaining, botanical art and the history of Château de Malmaison.
Malmaison has been curating French and French-inspired homewares since 2003. Over those years, we have continually returned to the idea that French style is at its most appealing when it feels lived in rather than overly arranged.
EMPRESS grew from that philosophy.
Many pieces within the collection are designed by Malmaison and printed, hand-poured or handcrafted in Australia, depending on the individual product.
The collection therefore brings together French inspiration and Australian making, interpreted through Malmaison's own point of view.
Flowers, Fragrance & the Art of Living Beautifully
Botanical imagery is one of the threads that connects the EMPRESS collection.
Roses appear in Redouté linen and stationery. Floral and fruit notes shape candle fragrances. French words and Parisian references appear across paper goods.
Together they create a collection that feels collected rather than perfectly matched.
That is intentional.
A home develops its character over time through the pieces we choose, the things we use and the memories attached to them.
EMPRESS is designed to become part of those everyday layers.
EMPRESS for Gifting
EMPRESS pieces make particularly thoughtful gifts for anyone who loves France, flowers, botanical art, candles, beautiful kitchens or handwritten stationery.
A soy candle is an easy choice for birthdays, housewarmings, Mother's Day, hosts and thank-you occasions.
Redouté linen tea towels and botanical totes suit gardeners, home cooks, Francophiles and anyone drawn to classic botanical illustration.
Greeting cards, tags and envelope seals allow the presentation itself to become part of the gift.
For a more substantial gift, combine several EMPRESS pieces with French glassware, a favourite tea, linen or another piece from the wider Malmaison collection.
The aim is not simply beautiful presentation. It is to choose something that will continue to be used and enjoyed after the occasion has passed.
Why Choose Empress by Malmaison?
EMPRESS is personal to Malmaison.
It brings together the French château that inspired our name, the botanical passions of Empress Joséphine, the artistry of Redouté and more than two decades of Malmaison's own approach to French-inspired living.
Rather than following a passing interiors trend, the collection draws on themes that have always been part of the Malmaison world - France, flowers, fragrance, natural materials, beautiful gifting and everyday objects worth keeping.
The collection is also continually evolving.
Candles, linen, botanical totes and stationery may change as new designs are created and favourite pieces return, while the central EMPRESS story remains the same.
From Château de Malmaison to the modern Australian home, EMPRESS celebrates the pleasure of living with things that have beauty, meaning and a story behind them.
Helpful Notes & FAQs
What is Empress by Malmaison?
Empress by Malmaison® is Malmaison's own French-inspired lifestyle collection.
The range includes selected soy candles, botanical linen tea towels, totes, greeting cards, gift tags and stationery inspired by Empress Joséphine Bonaparte, Château de Malmaison, botanical art and French living.
What inspired the EMPRESS collection?
EMPRESS is inspired principally by Empress Joséphine Bonaparte and Château de Malmaison, together with Joséphine's passion for botany, roses, beautiful interiors and the work of botanical artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté.
The collection interprets those influences through contemporary candles, linen, stationery and lifestyle pieces.
Who was Empress Joséphine?
Joséphine Bonaparte was the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and became Empress of the French in 1804.
She was also a passionate collector with a particular interest in botany and horticulture. At Château de Malmaison she cultivated rare plants, developed an important collection of roses and supported botanists and botanical artists including Pierre-Joseph Redouté.
What is Château de Malmaison?
Château de Malmaison is the historic residence near Paris purchased by Joséphine Bonaparte in 1799.
It became the private home of Napoleon and Joséphine and, from 1800 to 1802, also served alongside the Tuileries as a seat of the French government.
Today Château de Malmaison is a national museum dedicated to the history of the property and its famous occupants.
Who was Pierre-Joseph Redouté?
Pierre-Joseph Redouté was one of the most celebrated botanical illustrators of his era.
He was appointed flower painter to Empress Joséphine in 1805 and created important botanical works associated with her patronage, including illustrations of plants connected with Malmaison and his celebrated studies of roses.
Why are roses important to EMPRESS?
Roses were particularly important to Joséphine.
Her collection at Malmaison included more than 250 varieties, and her patronage helped encourage Pierre-Joseph Redouté's celebrated botanical work on roses.
Selected EMPRESS linen and stationery pieces use Redouté rose imagery as a connection to this botanical history.
What products are available in the EMPRESS range?
The EMPRESS collection currently includes selected soy candles, linen tea towels, botanical totes, greeting cards, gift tags, envelope seals and stationery.
Individual products, fragrances and designs change according to availability and as Malmaison develops the range.
Where are EMPRESS products made?
Production varies according to the individual EMPRESS piece.
Many products are created in Australia. Selected candles are designed and crafted in Australia, while selected Redouté linen tea towels and totes are designed, printed and handcrafted in Australia.
Refer to the individual product page for the exact materials and production details of the piece you are considering.
Are Empress by Malmaison candles made in Australia?
Yes. The current EMPRESS soy candles are designed and crafted in Melbourne, Australia.
Selected core candles are hand-poured using a soy wax blend and cotton wick and are presented in EMPRESS gift boxes.
Always check the individual candle for its exact wax composition, fragrance, size and burn time.
What EMPRESS candle fragrances are available?
The EMPRESS candle collection may include fragrances such as French Pear, Golden Rose, Lavender & Pink Pepper and Peony Blush.
Fragrances and sizes can change as the collection evolves, so the current Empress Candle Range is the best guide to what is available.
What are EMPRESS linen tea towels made from?
Selected EMPRESS Redouté tea towels are made from 100% natural linen.
They are designed, printed and handcrafted with care in Australia and feature botanical imagery inspired by the artistic world associated with Empress Joséphine and Château de Malmaison.
Can I frame an EMPRESS Redouté tea towel?
Yes. Although the Redouté linen pieces are designed to function as tea towels, their large botanical imagery also allows them to be enjoyed decoratively.
Malmaison customers have used selected designs as framed botanical art as well as practical kitchen linen.
What stationery is included in the EMPRESS collection?
The Empress Stationery Range includes selected greeting cards, gift cards, gift tags, envelope seals and other paper pieces.
Designs range from Redouté botanical illustrations and Château de Malmaison imagery to French expressions, Parisian references and seasonal occasions.
Does EMPRESS make a good gift?
Yes. EMPRESS candles, botanical linen, totes and stationery are particularly suited to birthdays, Mother's Day, housewarmings, hosts, thank-you gifts and Francophiles.
The collection is also easy to pair with other Malmaison pieces such as French glassware, table linen, tea, candles and home accessories.
Where can I buy Empress by Malmaison?
EMPRESS by Malmaison is available through Malmaison, with current designs and availability shown in the online collection.
Because the collection continues to evolve, individual pieces may be limited, seasonal, sold out or replaced by new designs over time.
