Cover Tom Holland stars in the Prada Paradigme fragrance campaign
Tom Holland stars in the Prada Paradigme fragrance campaign
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Prada’s new masculine fragrance opens with base notes first, inverting traditional perfume architecture
Since 1913, Prada has built its reputation on questioning conventions and inviting creative experimentation to open new perspectives. The house's latest venture continues this legacy of intellectual curiosity.
Prada Paradigme arrives as a masculine eau de parfum that dares to ask: what if there were another way to approach fragrance entirely? Rather than following established formulas, this new scent explores uncharted territory in masculine perfumery.
An augmented anagram of “Prada”, the name Paradigme continues the signature initiated by Paradoxe, serving as “an invitation to resist the constraints of conformity and embark upon an adventure of finespun shifts exploring multiple ways of expressing one’s identity”. The fragrance celebrates individual expression over conventional expectations.
It also represents the culmination of a collaboration between three perfumers renowned for their craftsmanship: Marie Salamagne, Bruno Jovanovic, and Nicolas Bonneville. Born out of dynamic conversations and experimentations, their work redefines masculine perfumery through unexpected compositions that challenge traditional structures. The result is an Ambery Woody signature that encapsulates what the brand describes as “a characteristically Prada tension”--complex in its simplicity, bold in its restraint.
Where conventional fragrances follow a pyramid structure opening with top notes, followed by heart and base, Paradigme deliberately inverts this architecture. In a symbolic echo of the iconic Prada triangle, the composition traces itself from the bottom up in what the creators term a “reverse pyramid”. This unconventional approach creates an unexpected yet highly sophisticated fragrance that rethinks traditional creation methods.
“Inverting the conventions of composition to create a ‘reverse pyramid’ allowed the fragrance to unfold uniquely, with base notes emerging first and gradually revealing heart and top notes. This inversion creates a truly captivating and unexpected experience,” explains Bonneville. The Ambery Woody signature opens with Peru Balm, Benzoin resin and Guaiac wood at the base, bringing smoky, resinous textures that are simultaneously vigorous, luminous, and addictive. This innate sensuality creates dialogue with the fragrance heart’s duo of geranium extracts–a green aromatic of energising freshness that represents an iconic code of masculine fragrances, now reinvented with floral, rosy facets. Finally, this pulsing heart encounters uplifting Calabrian bergamot and airy musks, bringing unparalleled brilliance that prolongs the sense of vibration.
“Paradigme is an irresistibly harmonious experience of tension, through which the senses navigate endlessly, between softness and freshness, strength and delicacy, power and subtlety,” notes Salamagne.
Above Rather than following established formulas, Prada’s new scent explores uncharted territory in masculine perfumery
Rather than following established formulas, Prada’s new scent explores uncharted territory in masculine perfumery
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The bottle design captures the unmistakable minimalism of the Prada signature whilst inviting curiosity through its architectural silhouette and absolute refinement. Playing with contrasts, it explores the juxtaposition between the sleek and the tactile to create an object of elegance and statement of modernity. The tilt of the triangle and beveled lines create an architectural gesture, whilst the gradient of green glass reveals hidden depths. Crowned with the same distinctive jet-black cap as its Paradoxe counterpart, the Paradigme bottle forms a tangible link between the two iconic fragrance families. The outer box recalls the aesthetic codes of Prada Paradoxe, appearing in the brand’s signature Saffiano leather cross-hatching, heat-stamped in silver.
“When conceiving the Paradigme bottle, we drew upon the Prada fragrance archives, then looked for ways to reimagine the design through a contemporary lens. The green colour feels unexpected; the beveled edge of the inverted triangle emerges as a tactile and surprising detail. In this way, it is characteristically Prada, being both undeniably sophisticated, but with a touch of eccentricity,” says Coralie Salem, creative director at Prada Beauty.
Above Tom Holland, actor and entrepreneur, embodies the spirit of Prada Paradigme as the campaign face
Tom Holland, actor and entrepreneur, embodies the spirit of Prada Paradigme as the campaign face
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Tom Holland, actor and entrepreneur, embodies the spirit of Prada Paradigme as the campaign face. Since beginning his career at age 12 on London’s West End stage, Holland has built an extensive filmography, earning widespread critical acclaim, most notably for his performance as Spider-Man, a role he has inhabited since 2016. His influence extends beyond the screen, encompassing entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavours, including his family-founded charity, The Brother’s Trust. Humble yet electric, Holland encapsulates the Paradigme man, exuding quiet confidence that remains unafraid of showing vulnerability and understated determination that never needs to shout to succeed.
The campaign celebrates motion, experimentation, growth and finding the way to one’s authentic narrative, as Holland appears through the lens of acclaimed director Thomas Vinterberg. A graduate of the National Danish Film School who first gained recognition with his Oscar-nominated short film Sidste Omgang, Vinterberg achieved further acclaim with The Celebration, The Hunt and the Oscar-winning Another Round. Having spearheaded the avant-garde filmmaking movement Dogme 95, Vinterberg is known for striking aesthetics and challenging portrayals of contemporary identity. One particularly poignant scene features Holland watching a childhood video of himself dancing–a concept Holland himself brought to the director, weaving his personal history into the campaign fabric.
Above The refillable format significantly reduces packaging waste compared to purchasing multiple smaller bottles
The refillable format significantly reduces packaging waste compared to purchasing multiple smaller bottles
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Sustainability remains fundamental to the Paradigme proposition. The refillable format significantly reduces packaging waste compared to purchasing multiple smaller bottles. The fragrance bottles contain recycled glass and are fully recyclable, whilst the boxes are FSC MIX certified. Key ingredients including Bourbon Geranium, Peru balsam, Guaiac wood, and Calabrian Bergamot are sustainably sourced. Holland continues the refillability mission established by actress Emma Watson in 2022, showcasing the bottle’s refillable design through an engaging video that inspires mindful choices.
Prada Paradigme is available in 10ml, 50ml, and 100ml sizes, plus the 150ml refill version. In a world of fragrance conventions, it poses a simple yet profound question: what if there’s another way?
Andrea Saadan is the Senior Digital Editor of Tatler Singapore. She oversees all digital content for the website and currently leads the Beauty and Lifestyle verticals. As a child, she had always enjoyed reading and writing but it was only after she joined her college newspaper, The Spectrum, in Buffalo, New York, that she considered a career in journalism. Her love for all things beauty started from the age of two—when she was caught playing with (and damaging) her mother’s YSL lipstick. On top of her day job, she is also an unpaid beauty consultant for friends and family. Besides make-up, her obsessions include the wizarding world of Harry Potter, podcasts, ice-cream, her walking pad and watching endless re-runs of The Office (US).
