Prada Beauty’s creative director is an actress and activist who embodies complicated feminine identity.
Emma Watson is one of the most well-known figures in pop culture today thanks to her role in Harry Potter, and with her new roles as director and spokesperson for the Prada Beauty campaign, she marks the beginning of a new era for both the actress and the company, which is entering the beauty industry with L’Oréal as a licensee of upcoming fragrances and cosmetics.The short film for the Prada Paradoxe perfume launch explores the diverse female potential and poses issues like, “Why should I be framed in a definite way?” Who better than an actress who played a young witch in training could represent this shift in perspective in the female narrative from object in front of the camera to subject behind it? “How does it feel to be a living paradox” illuminates the paradox of being a woman, in continuous transformation, and celebrates indefinability as a form of empowerment.Emma Watson was immediately enthralled by the beautiful paradox at the heart of the new fragrance, especially in light of her pandemic-born passion for directing: “One thing that struck me a lot when I was sent the notion of the scent is that Prada deals with storylines from scratch. And I said out loud, “Oh my God, it’s me.” I feel that way. I feel like I’m constantly fighting the current. The actress is the embodiment of contemporary femininity for the brand, and her persona blends with that of the perfume to promote a feminine model in line with the values of the new generations. She has a sophisticated, rebellious, and deeply intellectual attitude, but she is always true to herself.
After the conclusion of the Harry Potter franchise, Emma, who had grown up on the Warner Bros. set playing a role from the age of 10 to 21, went on to become a full-time star in important productions. Although the sporadic adoration of the Potter Heads throng idolizing the wizard in even more weird ways gave birth to her anxiety of not being able to get rid of the character, her character grew along with her and will continue to be her “lifetime favorite fiction character.” Today, we can affirm that she succeeded completely, not least because, as she stated in an interview with Time Magazine in 2009, the development of the little sorceress has nothing in common with a picaresque novel of literature.
With Columbus, there was a very funny side: Hermione was a tiny Lady who was smart and haughty. Then, as I was about to enter adolescence, Alfonso brought out the girl-power aspect in her. Later, in the role of a little girl who was defenseless and insecure, Mike Newell revealed his sensitive side.
The actress continues to conduct study in all of her performances, and Hermione’s change on film illustrated the intricacy of a developing female identity: The meanings of Emma’s “being a Young Woman” as she is portrayed by Emma include Hermione Granger’s childhood wisdom from the early Harry Potter movies, Nicki and Sam’s imitation of envy in Sophia Coppola’s “Bling Ring,” Sam’s FOMO from “We Are Infinite,” and the woman who finds fulfillment in motherhood in Greta Gerwig’s 2018 film “Little Women.”She has become even more well-known in the acting community, where she is still making progress, thanks to her work with Laura Dorn and Meryl Streep. The moment Emma publicly declares herself a feminist at the UN, following her speech for the launch of the #HeforShe campaign that highlights the role of men in promoting gender equality as a Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women, receiving a standing ovation and a one-on-one interview with Malala, the deep understanding of the feminine and its representation becomes concrete. Emma’s supporter is now an environmental and gender equality activist, honorary researcher at Oberlin College.
The relationship between Watson and fashion is a fresh start for her career and a growing separation from Hermione. The journey of her image’s renewal has just begun. She sat front row at Schiaparelli FW22’s runway show in Paris wearing a blazer with enormous lapels, skinny jeans, and Dr. Martens alongside Hunter Schafer. At Prada’s campaign, she dons iconic logo earrings, a pixi cut, and a line of graphic eyeliner. Her dedication to sustainability earned her positions as Alberta Ferretti’s collaborator on an eco-friendly collection in 2011 and director of Kering’s Sustainability Committee in 2020. She also continues styling with Laura Sophie Cox, an image curator who shares her commitment to sustainable fashion research.
With the Paradoxe concept, Prada has created an olfactory scenario with sensual notes provided by natural ingredients such as AmbrofixTM, primarily used for men’s fragrances, and SerenolideTM, designed by the perfume noses that built together with Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons the identity of the fragrance. Sustainability is a value that once again unites Emma and Prada.
We are entering a new Hermione Era if even the character who accompanied the childhood of countless millennials is changing their appearance. In this era, girls who looked up to Hermione today want to be free to live their intellect without worrying about being thought of as wise, ready to fight for collective rights while also keeping up with modern trends and being fashionable. Watson has long served as a symbol of feminine potential since, as we all know, the time-turn was a metaphor for that potential.
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