Dior focuses on savoir faire with documentary look at J’adore fragrance

Dior has released a 20-minute online film showcasing the creation of its J’adore perfume.

“Le Parfum – The Film”, as it’s called, documents everything from the sourcing of the scent’s raw materials to the blowing of its glass bottle. To do so it travels from Paris to Murano via Provence and India.

All the while, the Parfumeur Créateur of the Maison Dior, François Demachy, carries the story – albeit in French (a three-minute subtitled version lives on jadore.com).

The write-up reads: “This wayfaring film demonstrates that the birth of a perfume is due as much to the talent of its creator, as to the quality of its raw materials.”

It continues: “Timeless images show the expert techniques of those who cultivate and harvest. Astonishing moments reveal the know-how of those who obtain essences and absolutes from the rarest flowers. This beautiful escapade takes us into the splendour of regal, generous and respected nature.”

Claude Martinez, president and CEO of Parfums Christian Dior, told WWD: “For us, the wish was to [have people] really rediscover the art of perfume and creative passion that animates all the creators working around a fragrance. In a world where fragrances seem to be more and more marketed, more and more ephemeral, I think it’s important to have generations and future generations rediscover that perfume is a true savoir faire. It is a métier of art, a métier of artisans and it’s not recipes from a computer. But it’s voyages, it’s people who grow flowers, it’s people who mix them after, glassmakers.”

The documentary is complemented by a 60-second spot narrated by J’adore face, Charlize Theron. Released on TV in the US on Saturday, it has already received nearly five million views on YouTube.

According to WWD, it is slated to roll out on TV globally through December, as well as in cinemas in France and China. The Jadore.com microsite also hosts more information about the flowers, the creators and the bottle.

Watch both the 60-second and 20-minute version of the film, below:

 

Louis Vuitton invites viewers on a journey through the Louvre in debut TV ad

 

Louis Vuitton headed to the Louvre in Paris to film its first ever television ad, L’Invitation au Voyage.

Directed by photography duo, Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, the cinematic spot sees model Arizona Muse discreetly working her way through different rooms in the museum, surrounded by its famous paintings including the Mona Lisa. With a key spotted around her neck from the beginning, her quest is to unlock a secret that’s been hidden inside a legendary LV travel trunk for more than 150 years.

“For centuries, the most wonderful intrigues have been woven in the Louvre, a haven of culture and history. An intrepid young woman enters this universal temple and unwinds the skein of time,” reads the write-up.

A hot-air balloon whisks her away above the Cour Carrée (the courtyard of the museum) with the letter containing the secret in her hand, all the while the man that’s been following her throughout looks on from the ground.

The film launched exclusively on Facebook yesterday, before appearing on TV screens worldwide last night. The multimedia campaign will also comprise print and digital ads, and appear in cinemas from next week. A longer two-and-a-half-minute director’s cut of the film is shown on the Louis Vuitton website.

H&M releases Lana Del Rey campaign film

In case you haven’t yet seen it, here’s Lana Del Rey’s music video for H&M’s autumn/winter 2012/13 fashion campaign. Directed by Johan Renck, it features the US popstar covering Bobby Vinton’s 1963 hit, Blue Velvet.

It appears in a full two-minute version online, as well as in 30-second spots for television.

 

There’s also a behind-the-scenes video, here.

Digital snippets: Diane von Furstenberg, Kate Moss, Kenneth Cole, Burberry Body, Harrods, Google

Some more great stories from around the web surrounding all things fashion and digital over the past week:

 

• Diane von Furstenberg releases autumn/winter 2011/12 campaign video, Journey of the Dress (as above) [The Cut]

• See behind-the-scenes on Kate Moss and Terry Richardson’s forthcoming TV campaign for Mango [YouTube]

• Kenneth Cole courts controversy with new website calling for consumer opinion on abortion, gun control and gay rights [Mashable]

• Burberry Body fragrance launches with sampling drive via Facebook [Telegraph.co.uk]

• Harrods to launch online magazine and new mobile site [Retail Week]

• Google unveils catalogue iPad app with initial 50 brands [Refinery29]

 

New Matalan ad orbits perfect spring day

This is a lovely video from UK discount retailer Matalan for spring/summer 2011.

Part of the store’s new ‘Feel Good Fashion’ brand campaign, it sees a series of models interacting with each other as well as their future selves as the camera continuously rotates on the same picnic scene.

With the title Forever Spring, the aim of the 60-second TV spot was to encapsulate the perfect everlasting spring day.

It was created by BBH and directed by Scott Lyon. Richard McGrann of BBH said: “We set out to make a fashion film that not only stands out, but gives the audience something new to spot each time they view it.”

The campaign is also running in print, while a second TV ad is due in the summer.

The soundtrack Plage by Crystal Fighters can be downloaded for free at Matalan.co.uk.