For 75 years, the panther has been a signature of the House of Cartier. La Panthère, as the storied brand calls it, symbolises strength, elegance and unwavering determination. The origin of La Pathère goes back to 1948, where the brand’s founder, Louis Cartier, affectionately called Jeanne Toussaint “La Pathère” because of her indomitable spirit. Fast forward to 2023, British actress Vanessa Kirby is chosen as the face of Cartier’s Panthère collection: watches, jewellery and fragrances. Kirby, a top pick for numerous high fashion brands, perfectly embodies the essence of the panther with her fierce and protective personality. This draws parallels to the iconic motif that has come to define Cartier.
The inaugural campaign with Kirby sees the brand paying homage to its iconic animal motif by taking a journey back to its origins in a lush tropical forest. Kirby, the protagonist dressed in Cartier red, emerges from this verdant, secluded realm, guided solely by instinct, and undergoes a metamorphosis into her alter ego — a feline creature that mirrors her personality, embodying both her predatory and protective traits.
For this collection of perfumes, Cartier’s in-house perfumer Mathilde Laurent aims to bring “the chypre family back into the spotlight with a new flora-feline accord: the union of a historic chypre, a mythical animal musk and a fresh, vibrant gardenia”. As for the notes, it is a blend of apricot and osmanthus.
“It is such an honour to become an ambassador and embody the wild feminine spirit behind the iconic scent of a Panthère,” Kirby said when the partnership was revealed last December. “To be aligned with a house that has a real appreciation for — and commitment to — philanthropy, women’s empowerment, conservation and arts and culture, powered by the extraordinary team at Cartier, is truly inspiring. They have become a family to me, and I am honoured to be on this journey with them.”
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