MANIFESTO

#62

NEW MODERN REALISM

THE WILD SCENT

2023.04.03

LA PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER

 

The tale for the fragrance La Panthère shows the elegance and the strength of character that define the panther, symbol of Cartier, and Vanessa Kirby, new face of the French Maison. 

Untamed and wild, the panther, with its stealthy and elegant manner, is the undisputed symbol of Cartier, representing the strongest side of femininity. It first appeared in the French Maison in 1914, through an illustration that depicted a woman and a black panther at her feet, adorned with a jeweled collar. The image suggests a new, free, powerful and refined female figure, coming very close to the character of the feline with which she shares the fiercest and most sinuous side. The panther assumes a fundamental role in the world of luxury, becoming the true representation of Cartier, emphasizing its determined and wild spirit. Jeanne Toussaint is the first woman chosen by Louis Cartier to symbolize the feline’s character, nicknaming her “La Panthère”; today Vanessa Kirby follows in her footsteps, becoming the French Maison’s new ambassador. The British actress proceeds on her own path with determination, a free spirit who, like the panther, feels the need for independence and to remain herself everywhere. Kirby, as the new face of the La Panthère fragrance, takes part in a tale where the panther and Cartier move between abstraction and figuration, between the real and the supernatural.

Vanessa Kirby for La Panthère parfum.

“The panther never changes its coat.” 

– Vanessa Kirby

The narrative takes place in the heart of the tropical rainforest, where the panther is the figure in charge of the system, walking through the lush vegetation with its head held high, without fear or awe. Similarly, Vanessa Kirby, who appears immersed in this hidden territory guided only by her instincts, also transforms into her alter ego, the feline: a reflection of her predatory and protective personality at the same time. The actress describes the panther as the most ferocious, independent and vulnerable animal, referring to the latter as the deeper side of the character, which remains hidden from the prying eyes of strangers. In the story, the animal represents the wild environment, emphasizing the strong relationship with nature and opening a long and durable dialogue with the figure of the woman, who is in perfect harmony with the space around her. Kirby perceives the complexity and purity of the jungle, capable of stimulating her to release her most intimate and real part: the natural beauty of the female figure appears in the images, accompanied by a determined, mysterious gaze and elegant, sinuous movements. The wild personality is found in the olfactory power of the fragrance, conceived in 2014 to give life to an unprecedented encounter between a historical chypre, a legendary animal musk and a very fresh gardenia. The narrative gives the audience a close look at the Maison Cartier symbol, exploring its unmistakable temperament through a female character, the panther’s alter ego, to emphasize its class and majesty.

Vanessa Kirby for La Panthère parfum.

“Every woman includes in herself a feline instinct and every flower keeps in its heart animal essences’ notes.”

– Mathilde Laurent, Maison’s Parfumeur

La Panthère parfum.
The Eternal Connection

2023.12.05

The exhibition at Armani/Silos, entitled Aldo Fallai for Giorgio Armani, 1977 – 2021, celebrates an artistic connection of almost thirty years between Giorgio Armani and Aldo Fallai. The collaboration began with a feature for “L’Uomo Vogue” in 1977, evolving into a professional relationship that lasted a quarter of a century.

Endless sculptural emotionality

2023.12.05

The first glimpse of Ron Mueck’s monumental works is bound to linger: the artist’s sculptures – disturbing and visceral as much as they are emotional and empathetic – are an inexhaustible physical experience.

news

Between Thinking and Making

2023.11.22

Visual Thinking & Image Making is the first retrospective monograph on Ezra Petronio’s career and celebrates the full breadth of his creative vision, traversing the evolution of fashion in its image making.

PAUL KOOIKER

FASHION

2023.11.21

Art Paper Edition publishes a 10-chapter story called Fashion, where Paul Kooiker’s eye tries to articulate his personal horizon on contemporary fashion.

BROOKLYN MUSEUM

A VIBRANT AESTHETIC

2023.11.20

COPY MACHINE MANIFESTOS: ARTISTS WHO MAKE ZINES 

 

The exhibition presented by the Brooklyn Museum in New York transports the viewer into the artistic-creative world of fanzines, a little-known but unquestionably vibrant and dynamic practice, rich in social and cultural significance.