From Marion Cotillard dancing on the moon for Chanel No. 5 and Charlize Theron bathing in a pool of gold for Dior’s J’Adore, to Adam Driver emerging from the sea as a Burberry Hero smouldering centaur, fragrance campaigns dream up some of the most otherworldly fantasies we can only hope to be transported to with a spritz or two of the elixirs on show.
The latest cinematic trip comes courtesy of the new Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia, $134 for 30ml, a eau de parfum with a joy-fuelled floral signature that calls out to the wild and free spirit in all of us. And who better than Miley Cyrus to front this #FloraFantasy campaign, says Alessandro Michele: “Fragrances are explorations and flowers, in particular, represent a world of infinite possibilities. Just as you can delight in drawing out different notes from a bouquet—in this case, the Gardenia, whose scent is unusual, sensual and intense—for the campaign, I had fun building a surreal and enchanting world around Miley Cyrus, creating a playful contrast between this artist with a rock ‘n’ roll spirit and a flowery universe”.
“The fantasy is being who you are. None of us are made with one ingredient. We all have different notes in each of us, some subtle, and some bold—just like the Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia Eau de Parfum”, says Cyrus, who channels three out of her many facets in this colourful short film directed and shot by artist Petra Collins. Think eclectic rockstar with her now-iconic shaggy blonde mullet, and retro-glam dog mom frolicking around her candy pink house tending to her garden in full bloom, before turning into an electric guitar-wielding anime princess, all to the ‘90s pop-rock soundtrack of Delicious by Shampoo. “It was such an honour to be chosen by Alessandro. He is truly a genius and I am grateful to be working with someone who really understands who I am, and saw the connection between myself and this incredible campaign. I love how he approaches the beautiful sort of “clashing” between worlds, and embracing the uniqueness everything can bring to the table. He knows how to draw out the best in people, art, and of course fragrance to really create something new and authentic in the world,” she adds.
Housed in a lacquered pink bottle with a new elongated silhouette, the Gucci Flora Gorgeous Garden also features a new distinctive Flora pattern reimagined in Michele’s vision. Inside, the bold botanical elixir is built around the White Gardenia, a full-bodied floral that has long been admired for its velvety, zesty and rich green undertones. This is then fused with Jasmine Grandiflorum Absolute for an exotic, fresh touch; a juicy pear blossom accord, and a pinch of brown sugar accord that leaves a soft, sumptuous sweetness in its sillage. “The fragrance really reminds me of my grandmother—she always smelled like fresh flowers, so this perfume brings me back to her and all of our amazing memories together”, muses Cyrus.
Outside of music, film and this Gucci campaign, the singer-songwriter has also been keeping busy with the non-profit organisation she founded, The Happy Hippie Foundation: “I started the Happy Hippie Foundation at the end of 2014, and we launched publicly in 2015. I had been working with youth experiencing homelessness through an organisation in Los Angeles, called My Friend’s Place, and learning about all the connections between homeless youth and LGBTQ youth. I was personally so affected by the death of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender youth who died by suicide after not feeling accepted. I wanted to be a part of making sure that never happened again—of helping young people feel supported and loved however they identified. That’s why I started Happy Hippie—to be a platform for young people to be supported, show their support, and be free to be who they really are and know that there are others out there supporting them in their journey. I’m so proud of the projects we’ve funded with Happy Hippie—projects that directly benefit LGBTQ youth, homeless youth, and other vulnerable populations. Our vision is to help create a more just, equal and accepting world for all, and while we have a long way to go, I’m hopeful that we will continue progress towards this goal together.
“My family instilled in me from a young age the importance of giving back, being involved in the community and treating everyone with respect. But I really made activism my own when I started the Happy Hippie Foundation. We have an incredible community that rallies together to speak out and fight injustice. It’s so important to me to use the platform I have to create a positive change. It’s been an honor to be part of some historic moments—whether participating in March for Our Lives, Black Lives Matter protests or the Women’s March—all moments of activism that have addressed some of the biggest issues of our time”.
