English Version | A multi-sensory experience

There is no paradox in the duo that stars in one of the hottest launches in the world  of perfumery: the pairing of Prada and Emma Watson fits like a glove.

© Prada
© Prada

“I have always been a paradox. Prada Paradoxe gave me permission." Who says so is Emma Watson, actress and ambassador of Prada's new eau de parfum. Challenging conventions and questioning beauty archetypes are already well-known codes of the Italian luxury house, but in cosmetics, we are witnessing the epitome of its counter-current narrative. Strength, freedom, and self-confidence are purposes that come together with a multidimensional identity, a role that Watson wears to perfection: "I am never the same, but I am always myself." A paradox, yes, but one that Prada is committed to exalting, in an ode to women who are not afraid to embrace vigor as well as femininity. That's the message we see reflected in this new release, starting with the film that introduced it to the world.

Emma Watson is not only the face of the Paradoxe fragrance. The actress was present at various stages of its design, taking on a pioneering role in her career as director of the launch campaign. The film represents, for Watson, "the next generation that will build something new," and does so by calling upon various art forms, such as poetry, dance, painting, and even technology. "Many people don't know that I became an actor because I won a poetry contest when I was eight. I'm really about words – that’s my love language," confesses the actress, who is also the author of the poem that echoes in this collaboration with Prada.

One of the central elements of the campaign, as well as the new perfume, is sustainability. The ocean and the forest are landscapes that Emma Watson chose to highlight as a reminder of the impact of what we buy. Creating a refillable fragrance was therefore essential for both parties. "I'll never buy another new fragrance bottle ever again," she assures. This environmental concern is also reflected in the list of ingredients, such as bioconverted amber, extracted from sugar cane, or neroli oil from Morocco. These, combined with musk, vanilla infusion, and Calabrian bergamot heart, evoke a subtle but unique fragrance, as paradoxical as the concept that gave birth to it. The new Prada Paradoxe promises to become, more than an icon, a classic fragrance of the brand. With a twist, of course, or it wouldn't be a Prada launch.

Translated from the original on "The Velvet Touch" issue of Vogue Portugal, published December 2022.Full stories and credits on the print issue.