HAVING starred in some of the biggest films in Hollywood, from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, it is only right that Margot Robbie’s next step is becoming the face of Chanel N°5.
Since March 2018, the Australian actress has continually evolved not only on-screen but also in her role as brand ambassador, now reaching the pinnacle by being named as the new face of the undoubtably iconic perfume.
Margot Robbie for Chanel. GLASS Exclusive
With N°5’s place in history being one founded by a woman and since always represented as a marker of femininity, the new partnership between Robbie and the scent seems apt with as she is pushing to champion female voices and stories.
Margot Robbie for Chanel. GLASS Exclusive
Launching with a new campaign directed by Luca Guadagnino, the film, titled See You at 5, is shot in California and sees Robbie joined by fellow-native actor Jacob Elordi. Playing her love interest, the narrative presents both sides of the thrilling excitement of a first date, going from preparation to the journey there – illustrating the unknown and the beauty of the naivety that surrounds those moments prior to meeting.
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi for Chanel
Speaking on the appointment, GLASS has an exclusive insight from Margot Robbie for Chanel.
What is the personal significance of you being the face of N°5?
I just never thought I’d be in the position I’m in with my career, with my life, to be associated with a brand like Chanel. And not just Chanel itself, but to now be the face of N°5. I just never saw this coming, I guess. There’s such an incredible lineage of women who’ve come before me from Catherine Deneuve to Carole Bouquet, from Marion Cotillard to Nicole Kidman… I mean, what incredible company to be in!
What do you find the most distinctive, the most inspiring about Gabrielle Chanel?
I think what Gabrielle Chanel was doing over 100 years ago is easy to take for granted. But at the time it was pretty radical. I mean, even the design of the bottle at the time was completely different to what everyone else was doing. All the other perfume bottles were very ornate. And all the fragrances were a particular type of flower. But Gabrielle Chanel said, “I want to make a perfume that smells like a woman”. I think that was a pretty radical message to be putting out there. What she was doing was pretty rebellious at the time: changing the silhouette of what women would wear, showing a female body in a different way through her designs. She was giving a different version of femininity, giving a different version of what a woman could smell like or look like that. But I think more than that, the fact that a woman was doing all this at the time speaks volumes. Gabrielle Chanel was one of the first women to redefine what was considered feminine. So, when people say she’s a trailblazer, it’s true.
Ushering in a new era of N°5, the fragrance continues to remain a signature for another decade.
by Imogen Clark