WHAT’S UP IN
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S In the space of four days, Prada released three linked short films to advertise their new fragrance ‘Prada Candy L’eau’. The films were created by acclaimed Indie director Wes Anderson who collaborated with Roman Coppola for the project. Prada featured rising star Lea Seydoux who embodied the character Candy, a beautiful and cheeky Parisian girl caught at the tip of a love triangle.
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Prada has taken fragrance advertisements and fashion films to a whole new level with the launch of Prada Candy Leau. ‘The film doesn’t take itself too seriously, which cannot be said for most fashion films. Instead, with it’s breezy, almost offhand, well paced storytelling — at once retro and of-the-moment — the film taps into a basic human preoccupation with romance, rendered with humour, wit and visual flair.’ suleman Anaya. (2013) Prada’s recognisable sparkle oozes out of the short film with an elegant ambience. The type face which introduces the commercial is Prada’s recognisable serif font which is used on all of their advertising and products. The set styling throughout the film is elegant and luxurious, from small french cafes to high ceilinged apartments. The panelled walls, chandelliers and elegant lamps draw influence from the 60’s and have a retro gimmick edge to them which is instantly recognizable as a Wes Anderson quirk. Mixing the old and the new and creating a new world of mocking fun makes the film enetertaining and light hearted.
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The art deco bottle draws influences from 1920’s design with it’s mix of round soft edges and flamboyant yet seductive colour scheme. The golds, deep pinks and reds used create an air of oppulance and link to parisian luxury which fo course is what the brand is known for. The use of symettry can be seen within each scene, subtly noticable throguhout each set. The short film connects to the consumer as Prada have recreated the perfume as a real person. By taking all of the elements Prada wish the perfume to have and broadcasting them onto someone as light hearted, beautiful and mischievous as Lea Seydoux, the perfume is instantly humanised and easier to connect to. Audience members are given the idea that if they too wear candy, they too will be as desirable and sensational as Lea. Lea’s blunt hair do draws influence from the likes of Bettie Page. The styling draws influence from the 60’s with blunt cuts, sharp suits and pastel colours. The short film adopts a playful and flirtatious tone. With the focus at the beginning of the film being whether Candy will choose Gene or Julius to be her suitor or whether her independent nature will strive through and she will go solo. However as the audience reach the end of the film, they see that the trio have settled into a content yet slightly dysfunctional three part relationship.
FRENCH LOVE TRIANGLES NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD.
Fig. 5 Paying homage to the recognisable love triangle, Prada seems to have drawn specific influence from 1962 film Jules and Jim. Set in the carefree days before WW1, two friends fall for the impulsive and beautiful Catherine. The playful nature of the trio seems to be brought through in Prada’s Candy Leau advertisement. In terms of the design of the film, there is a clear link to 60’s styling paired with 20’s deco. The panelled walls of the apartment are that to be mirrored in an old manor house, similarly to the furniture which all has the same luxurious style to it. Candy’s hair is styled in a way which both represents modern sensuality and vintage class. Her short, blunt fringe is a modern take on the classic Bettie Page do’. Her elegant, voluminous waves could be inspired by Bridgette Bardot’s look. Candy’s clothing choice mirrors her personality perfectly. Her pastel dresses and perfectly painted nails show her sweet, innocent side which is all about being the modest yet sexy female that she is. However that is contrasted by her red heels which have connotations of danger, courage and sensuality.
This pairing accurately backs up Coppola’s claim of Candy being ‘the ideal woman’. She is flirtatious, feminine, witty and fun with a hint of daringness and longing for adventure. The use of styling is also evident with Julius and Gene, both sporting supremely fitted suits and tousled hair. Gene wears a white shirt and tie and a lighter suit. The use of lighter colours is used to represent Gene’s goodness, he is represented as the ‘safe option’ whereas Julius wears a dark suit with a black turtle neck representing the more daring option for Candy. It is gene who was originally with Candy before Julius interrupted which further backs up the statement that Julius is the intruder in the relationship and causes all of the trouble. In the second instalment of the short film, we see the trio dancing in a high ceilinged Parisian apartment on Candy’s birthday. Behind Julius is a red light shining through his legs and behind Gene is a white light. This could be said to represent the good and bad in both characters and also represent the ‘devil on my shoulder’ phenomenon.
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Overall the fragrance commercial works excellently. It gives a refreshing spin on what fragrance adverts usually look like and raise the bar for other brands to compete with. The film is not pretentious and slow moving like many fashion films, it is fun, witty and captivating with a wink. The audience are transformed to a place where elegance and class are mandatory and they leave the film with a new sense of charisma that oozes out of Candy’s character and onto the audience. We want to buy the fragrance to live a life that is similar to hers, full of surprises, fun and ridiculously good looking love triangles.
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WE ALL WANT SOME
CANDY
REFERENCES Images
Bibliography
Fig 1: Candy at hairdressers. Available at: http://creolbrothers.cover.dk/blog/prada-candy-leau-directed-wes-anderson-and-roman-coppola/
http://www.popsugar.om/beauty/Prada-Candy-Commercial-Wes-Anderson-28915125
Fig 2: Candy with cake. Available at: http:// theinspirationroom.com/daily/2013/prada-candy-leau/ Fig 3: Prada Candy leau advert. Available at: http://www.parfumdepub.com/cn/publicite-Prada-Candy-L-Eau-3085.html Fig 4: Candy eating cake. Available at: http://www.beautyandthedirt.com/batd-tv/anderson-coppola-prada-candy-leau-teaser/ Fig 5: Trio about town. Available at: http:// insta20.com/Post/prada-candy/ Fig 6: Julius chasing Candy. available at: http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2013/prada-candy-leau/ Fig 7: Trio dancing. Available at: https:// www.youtube. Text suleman Anaya. (2013). Prada sweet candy . Available: http://www.businessoffashion. com/2013/04/pradas-sweet-candy.html. Last accessed 23rd March 2015.
Alexandra Boldy Fragrance Analysis N0576032
-http://www.cafleurebon.com/perfume-review-prada-candy-2011-by-daniela-andrier-the-beauty-of-benzoin/ http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-prada-148181 http://nofilmschool.com/2013/04/wes-anderson-roman-coppola-make-short-film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opF8rKZ37c http://www.slashfilm.com/watch-wes-anderson-and-roman-coppolas-three-minute-fragrance-ad-prada-candy-leau/ http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2013/ prada-candy-leau/ http://www.theperfumeshop.com/fcp/product/ womens-perfumes/prada/candy%20l’eau/3181 http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/article/ TMG9945738/Lea-Seydoux-spills-on-filmingher-Prada-Candy-LEau-film.html http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2013/03/ fashion-film-the-first-prada-candy-ad-directed-by-wes-anderson/ http://www.anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/2627/exclusive-wes-anderson-and-roman-coppolas-prada-candy-lea