Though they’re produced under licence by the Spanish perfume giant Puig, 'L’Homme Prada' and 'La Femme Prada' bear all the hallmarks of Miuccia Prada’s eponymous brand. Conceived and designed as mirror images of each other, they come in matching bottles – the men’s in grey glass with a silver cap and silvered interior; the women’s in clear glass with a gold cap and reflective gold inside.
The perfumes themselves were formulated by Daniela Andrier of the Swiss fragrance house Givaudan, who has worked on most of Prada’s other fragrances. For 'L’Homme Prada' she has adapted the classic (and currently ubiquitous) men’s fougère style of perfume, which includes lavender, oakmoss and coumarin to give an impression of forest – or literally ‘ferny’ – freshness, and added neroli, geranium, patchouli and, two ingredients more often associated with feminine perfumery, iris and amber. This gives it a hint of sweetness that balances the slightly astringent smell of lavender, and also gives the perfume extra staying-power.
'La Femme Prada', for its part, revels in its femininity. Based around the fresh yet sensuous scent of frangipani, with touches of tuberose, vanilla, beeswax and ylang-ylang, it offers an instant contrast to 'L’Homme', but here, again, Andrier has cleverly introduced a ‘shadow’ note from men’s perfumery: vetiver, which gives 'La Femme' a dry but lasting finish.
Of course no major perfume launch these days would be complete without its advertising campaign, and Prada scores high marks for its attention to detail. Photographed by Steven Meisel, four young actors – Dane DeHaan, Ansel Elgort, Mia Goth and Mia Wasikowska – ‘play’ the Prada man and woman, reflecting Miuccia Prada’s belief that ‘there isn’t a single icon representing the dream of a woman or a man. It is actually the opposite, that these people represent the reality, the differences and so on.’
The women’s bottle is created in clear glass with a gold cap and reflective gold interior. Pictured right: actress Mia Goth plays ’Prada woman’ in the advertising campaign. Photography: Steven Meisel
The men’s bottle comes in grey glass with a silver cap and interior. Pictured right: ’Prada man’ is played by Dane DeHaan. Photography: Steven Meisel
’L’Homme Prada’ has adopted the classic men’s fougère style of perfume, which includes lavender, oakmoss and coumarin (pictured left); while ’La Femme Prada’ revolves around the fresh yet sensuous scent of frangipani, with touches of tuberose, vanilla, beeswax and ylang-ylang (right)
INFORMATION
'L’Homme Prada', £69 for 100ml eau de toilette; 'La Femme Prada', £99 for 100ml eau de parfum. Exclusive to Selfridges until 5 September. For more information, visit the Prada website
Photography courtesy Prada
-
Must-visit cinemas with award-worthy designCreativity leaps the screen at these design-led cinemas, from Busan Cinema Centre’s record-flying roof to The Gem Cinema Jaipur’s art deco allure
-
The modernist home of musician Imogen Holst gets Grade II listingThe daughter of the composer Gustav Holst lived here from 1964 until her death, during which time the home served a locus for her own composition work, which included assisting Benjamin Britten
-
This fun and free-spirited photography exhibition offers a chromatic view on the world‘Chromotherapia’ at Villa Medici in Rome, explores how we view colour as a way of therapy, and how it has shaped photography over the last century (until 9 June 2025)
