Austin Butler, the charismatic star of Elvis, Baz Luhrmann‘s blockbuster biopic, has been tapped as the global ambassador for YSL Beauty‘s new men’s fragrance – MYSLF. Butler joins other famous faces, including Dua Lipa, Lenny Kravitz, Lil Nas X and Lila Moss, who have fronted campaigns for the storied brand over the past few years.
The first new men’s juice from the L’Oréal Luxe stalwart in five years, MYSLF is a sophisticated woody floral spiked with bergamot, orange blossom and patchouli. The chic, black rectangular bottle is made from recycled glass and is also recyclable to cue in with today’s emphasis on sustainability.
Like Timothee Chalamet, the recently appointed ambassador for Bleu de Chanel, Chanel‘s top-selling men’s fragrance, Butler stars in two major films with end-of-year releases, The Bikeriders and Dune: Part Two, to maximise the award-winning actor’s visibility in the run-up to Christmas.
In a statement, Stephan Bezy, International General Manager for YSL Beauty, revealed why Butler was chosen for the role – “Both as an artist and as a human being, he embodies the values expressed by our brand through MYSLF, a modern interpretation of what it means to be a man. Embracing his many facets. Owning up to his individuality, generously, unapologetically.”
Butler is also the right age to appeal to the two demographics YSL Beauty is looking to target with MYSLF. At 31, he straddles the line between older Gen Zers and younger Millennials. According to Mintel, the leading market researcher, younger males aged 18 to 34 are one of the main fragrance user groups and over-indexed in regular use across the major fragrance types.
Fragrance use in China is also growing rapidly and the Chinese perfume market is expected to reach US$4.3 billion by 2025, according to iMedia Consulting. Young Chinese consumers of both sexes are fueling demand for both niche fragrances and best-selling juices from the major multinationals.
MYSLF debuted in the US this week and will roll out globally over the next few months. The print campaign was lensed by New York-based photographer, Gray Sorrenti, who has worked with many leading fashion brands including Calvin Klein and Loewe.
The video campaign was shot by Julia Ducournau, the French film director who won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021 – only the second woman to win the award.
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