If you know anything about the history of Hubert de Givenchy, you’ll know he was daring. Unconventional and audacious in his designs, he breathed life into the 1950s fashion scene. Innovation had always been a key point for Hubert, his first show consisting of separates, which a woman could mix and match: a new and inventive idea at the time. This gave a freedom to women, at a time when houses only designed full looks.
And he continued this innovation throughout his life, from creating the first ‘Llittle Black Dress’ – as worn by his muse Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s – to creating the first fragrance with a ‘face’ for its ad campaign. In 1958 – at a time when perfumes didn’t have ‘faces’ – he created a revolution by asking his friend Audrey Hepburn to be the star of the advertising campaign for L’Interdit: the very first time that a movie star had appeared in a perfume advertisement.
The 1958 advert featuring Audrey HepburnL’Inderdit enjoyed huge succes. Perhaps it was the avant-garde advertising that featured an internationally acclaimed actress, or perhaps it was the addictive aldehydic juice. Now, in 2018, comes a re-working of the original, iconic scent. The new L’Interdit is a tribute to freedom, a new fearless classic.
This contemporary imagining of L’Interdit is a clashing of colours, black and white. The elegance of white flowers; bright orange blossom, addictive jasmine and creamy tuberose, paired with an ‘Intense Black underground’ accord made up of smoky vetiver, earthy patchouli and a sensual ambroxan.
As the late designer’s last project before he passed away in March this year, each box is printed with his signature.
The new campaign chose the talented and unique Rooney Mara, as the face. An audacious echo of Audrey in both looks and flair, she is the perfect embodiment of all that L’Interdit expresses.
Givenchy L’Interdit £51 for 35ml eau de parfum
At Boots
By Carson Parkin-Fairley
