One of the most interesting pieces displayed at the Deutsche Kinemathek Museum für Film und Fernsehen is a leather make-up train case owned by Marlene Dietrich. The museum has a beautiful selection of personal objects of the German diva (clothes included), but this case has always attracted my attention. I’ve visited the museum several times, but there’s always been one enigma: a lipstick from Marlene’s case I couldn’t identify (you can see it in the picture above, behind the hair brush, on the right). Until last summer, when I finally was able to read the writing on the bottom of the case.

It’s a lipstick by House of Gourielli in the shade Rose Topaz. The metal case is lovely – it’s decorated by two hands clasped – but the story behind the brand is even better. It was named after Prince Artchil Gourielli-Tchkonia, second husband to Helena Rubinstein, for whom she created a beauty line which included men’s skincare and haircare (sold from the Grey Room of Rubinstein’s beauty salon), women’s skincare, make-up and perfumes.