Charlie Heaton, widely known for his role in the hit series “Stranger Things“, is stepping into a new realm.
Heaton has been announced as the global ambassador for Paco Rabanne’s newly introduced Phantom Parfum, a fragrance designed to evoke a sense of mystery and allure.
As a teenager, Heaton was introduced to Paco Rabanne through their iconic One Million fragrance, an experience he fondly remembers. “It is like a full circle, because they kind of introduced me to perfume“, Heaton reflects. Now, years later, he finds himself at the center of the Phantom Parfum campaign, a journey that has seen him dive deeper into the brand’s rich history and aesthetic vision.
Heaton was drawn to Paco Rabanne’s vision for the Phantom Parfum campaign, particularly its focus on an enigmatic and dark character. He recalls being inspired by the brand’s previous spot for Fame, Phantom’s feminine fragrance counterpart, starring Elle Fanning. Heaton’s collaboration with Paco Rabanne, he says, is rooted in “creating that vision and idea“.
The campaign shoot, which had elements reminiscent of a music video, was a thrilling experience for Heaton. Classic David Bowie tunes set the backdrop for the shoot, as the actor, also a musician in real life, embodied a mysterious, sexy character. “We were blasting ‘Let’s Dance’ for the whole filming of the campaign“, Heaton reveals.
Heaton’s approach to the campaign was a blend of his personal style and the brand’s vision. Vincent Thilloy, chief brands officer of Paco Rabanne, highlights the importance of this intersection, stating, “Here, we also have this Parisian touch, which is very important for us“.
Jérôme Leloup, vice president of Paco Rabanne Beauty, describes Phantom Parfum as a relaunch of the original Phantom. The choice of Charlie Heaton, he explains, was a natural one, as the brand sought to appeal to the Gen Z demographic. Heaton, with his sophisticated rock attitude and aspirational appeal to his generation, fit the bill perfectly.
Leloup lauds Heaton as “a very interesting, complex character, who portrays very well the kind of men we are interested in portraying today – a bit more complex, sensitive, very magnetic“. The aim was to showcase a seductive, modern masculinity and Heaton‘s portrayal did just that.
Phantom Parfum itself is an evolution of its predecessor, featuring a black matte finish on its robot-like, refillable bottle and a new scent profile. Combining French lavender, black vanilla bean from Madagascar, and Haitian vetiver, the perfume exudes a timeless, sexy, and empowering aura.
“We were really trying to come up with something that is timeless“, Leloup shares, dubbing the scent their “new hero product“.
The Phantom Parfum, set to pre-launch in July, is anticipated to catapult Paco Rabanne into the top 10 men’s fragrances worldwide by 2025. This achievement would make it the only brand with three franchises in the top 10 globally, joining the likes of One Million and Invictus.
As Paco Rabanne prepares for the launch, it’s evident that the brand is committed to sustaining its impressive growth trajectory. Thilloy declares that 2023 “will be a tremendous year” for Paco Rabanne. The upcoming launch of Phantom Parfum with Charlie Heaton fronting the campaign, indeed, promises a dynamic shift in the brand’s narrative and a significant impact on the global fragrance market.
Leloup shares that the brand has been mindful of the US consumer in the creation of Phantom Parfum, cognizant of the rising desire for luxury that has grown since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The new fragrance is poised to meet this demand, and, along with the Fame Parfum for women set to release in July, will further consolidate Paco Rabanne’s ranking among top fragrance brands.
Paco Rabanne’s fragrance business has seen substantial growth recently, with a significant increase in ranking globally. In 2022, the brand earned a place among the top five fragrance brands worldwide. In Europe, it ranks third, trailing only Chanel and Dior and in Latin America, Paco Rabanne places second. These accomplishments are largely attributed to the successful launch of the Fame fragrance last year, which performed exceptionally well and allowed the brand to climb nine ranks in the US.
With the launch of Phantom Parfum, Paco Rabanne is set to continue this upward trajectory. The brand’s commitment to introducing more premium iterations of its scents is a strategic response to consumers’ increasing appetite for high-end luxury. “That did phenomenally for us“, Leloup admits, acknowledging the successful pivot towards luxury.
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