Thomas du Pré de Saint Maur on giving Chanel N°5 a California makeover

As London’s fickle weather flirts between sunshine and clouds during Fashion Week, we meet Thomas du Pré de Saint Maur over Zoom. The man behind CHANEL’s latest olfactory odyssey greets us with a warm smile, his eyes twinkling with the kind of mischief you’d expect from someone who’s just managed to wangle themselves Margot Robbie as a N°5 girl. That’s why were here to chat today — their new N°5 campaign, See You at 5. I tell Thomas that I think it’s their coolest and most contemporary yet, and he wholeheartedly agrees. 

In fact, Thomas’ excitement is palpable as he describes the film, which is directed by none other than Luca Guadagnino, and stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Set against the sun-drenched backdrop of Big Sur, California, it’s a tale of missed connections and self-assured femininity that pushes the boundaries of traditional perfume advertising. “N°5 isn’t about fame,” he muses. “It’s about being strong because you’re at your best, whatever your age or background.” 

Whether Thomas is discussing Guadagnino’s meticulous framing or the decision to shoot on 35mm film, his enthusiasm is contagious. It’s evident that for him, creating a perfume campaign is less about selling a product and more about telling a story — one spritz at a time.

Amber Rawlings: Obviously I’ve seen the campaign. I love it — it’s very cool. It feels young and fresh and contemporary. What made Margot Robbie the ideal person to front it? 

Thomas du Pré de Saint Maur: I’ve wanted to work with Margot for a while. We haven’t been friends for that long but I think she has that quality of being open to what the world can offer her. There’s this kind of serenity. When you meet her, you feel that she’s quite available. And I’ve always believed that, you know, when we talk about Chanel N°5 and that woman, it’s about the journey of accomplishment. This idea of a woman that’s driven by what counts for her and knowing what makes sense. [Margot is] like that, I think. And she’s strong and she’s focused. Some people become so focused that they don’t see the world, but Margot has a great balance. I love her as an actress, too. 

Amber: You touched on it there, but the N°5 woman is such a cultural institution. What does it mean to you? What does it symbolise? 

Thomas: It’s interesting. I like you said that the movie is cool, because I think the challenge with N°5 is because of the track record. These incredible talents have elevated the N°5 woman and put her on a pedestal — it’s about keeping that while making sure that the people see the woman more than the star. N°5 isn’t about fame and it’s not about being strong because you succeeded. It’s about being strong because you’re at your best, whatever your age or social group or background. The challenge is finding somebody that can embody this idea of, if you’re available to yourself and your desire, life can be so much greater and richer. I think that’s what our message is and you can see that in the movie. At the end of the day, [Robbie’s character] is way less stressed than [Elordi’s character]. But it’s subtle. In a way it’s a feminist movie. 

Amber: There you called it a feminist movie, others might see it as a tale of star-crossed lovers… What was the creative direction for you? 

Thomas: It kind of depends how you see life. You might see life as a never-ending journey of unseen opportunities. Yes, there is something in how she goes to him and he goes to her, but in the meantime she’s taken life for what it is. She enjoys the whole thing. And that’s reflected in the narrative visually. There’s scenes where they actually cross paths, and she’s following these curved lines, whereas he’s just going straight. She’s playing that bit more and he’s a bit more anxious. Okay, they’re both very stupid to have not understood each other, but life goes on.

Amber: How was it working with Luca Guadagnino? He’s obviously huge right now. It’s mad for his name to be on this. 

Thomas: Yeah, it is. It’s interesting because, on one hand, [all directors] want to do a N°5. It’s a little fantasy that a lot of directors have. I’m not saying it’s easy to convince them, but we’ve had an incredible track record of directors involved. Working with [Guadagnino] is interesting because he’s a super pro. Some directors work more instinctively, but the way [Guadagnino] prepares his frame is incredible. The vision he has for the construction of the image, the construction of every single frame. 

Amber: I think I see Luca Guadagnino as someone that excels in making something sensual rather than sexual?

Thomas: Yeah, we discussed that a lot — about the presence of libido in the commercial. The world we live in, there’s no more off frame. Everything is in the frame and we show everything. But [Luca] shoots with a larger idea in mind. Something he really insisted about – something I wasn’t so in favour of at the beginning – was shooting on 35mm, which can be a nightmare. Every ten minutes, you’re reloading the camera. And it’s much more complicated to edit. But it also brings a life and a sensuality and a grain – a soul to the image – which is incredible. 

Amber: You mentioned earlier how Jacob Elordi’s character really sits in contention with the qualities of Margot’s character. Did you always have your eye on him for the role?

Thomas: I had an eye on him the whole time [laughs]. He’s so good looking and sexy. And he’s a really cool person. And he isn’t spoiled yet. You can really interact with him and he’s really seeking your point of view. We discussed a lot about what level of confidence he should have. There was a period where the N°5 women had a much stronger sense of domination — you’d think of them being super strong, or “wearing the trousers”. And we wanted that feeling but we also wanted her to be more serene. I didn’t want a caricature. We live in a world that creates so much antagonism, but we wanted to bring that sense of measure. 

Amber: It’s very nuanced. Do you think you’re still paying homage to the other iterations of the N°5 woman? 

Thomas: Of course. If you asked me what my favourite N°5 film is, it would be hard to say. I do love the Catherine Deneuve ones where she’s speaking straight to camera. There’s a sense of modernity to those that’s actually quite extraordinary. And there’s Monuments by Ridley Scott. For me, it’s important to refresh and rewrite, but you can’t forget where you came from. 

Amber: I guess perfume adverts could be seen as a kind of “old school” thing. How do you anticipate that changing in such an increasingly digital landscape? Where, perhaps, there isn’t such an appreciation for these beautiful pieces of art. 

Thomas: It’s true that there’s something pedestrian in the way we talk about stories now — there’s less room for fantasy and imagination. There’s so much new media and it’s very oversaturated. Good narratives need space. When you see a movie at the cinema, you understand it in a totally different way because it’s the focus of your attention. I think my first answer would be that I’m trying in everything we do to not give up. For me, it’s about an ambition to the audience. I hate when I hear people say that we should just do this quick and dirty because people won’t get it. If you start to believe that, then it’s an issue for humanity. We have to be ambitious and make something with an impact. The emotional vibration of things has slightly changed. Before, you could build on something and take it slow, but now there’s more of a need for this “eatable” moment. You need a surprise. I think that’s where Jacob Elordi came into it. People would say, you’re doing a N°5 commercial, you don’t need a supporting actor. But [Elordi] brings this emotional hook and sense of surprise.

Amber: How do you see the N°5 girl evolving in the future? 

Thomas: I think it would be very pretentious to say that I know. It really depends how the definition of confidence evolves. I would like whoever that person is to have a strong relationship with themselves. I want them to understand that power and influence doesn’t  necessarily mean domination. It’s about being true to yourself — then you become magnetic and memorable. And I will always try to portray something that everyone can relate to, because that’s what N°5 is. It’s luxurious, but it’s also one of the most popular and universal fragrances. 

Amber: Are you nervous for this campaign to come out? 

Thomas: Not at all. Impatient. It’s cool because we didn’t even shoot this that long ago. We shot in March, right before the Academy Awards. It’s been quite a short pregnancy. Sometimes it’s like, come on guys, can’t you just get it out? You want to move on. But I’m happy with this one — I love it so much. I find it super sexy and polished and I just want people to see it. I want to see it at the cinema and listen to people’s reactions when they first watch it. I want to hear them go, oh my god, Jacob Elordi!