Ricardo Tisci’s first fragrance for Burberry culminates in a momentous homage to the house’s founder and the very code that it lives by.
“Creating a fragrance is such a personal and intimate process,” said Riccardo Tisci, Burberry’s Chief Creative Officer regarding Hero, his first fragrance for the British luxury juggernaut. And sure enough, Tisci spared no expense in the campaign for the fragrancem as he took a bold and rather unorthodox approach: Instead of playing into the more general idea of masculinity, Tisci opted to emphasize a different view, and in doing so, he paid homage to the house’s founder, Mr. Thomas Burberry himself.
The reason for the horse being the icon for the brand is based on a deep thought process, where instead of boasting about masculinity, Burberry himself had chosen the horse as he thought that the noble animal as both powerful and also very romantic. It’s known now that Burberry had always embraced the idea of balance, that strength doesn’t have to be destructive or showy; he believes that strength can be subtle, and he believes that emotions can easily empower others to achieve great things. This is then translated into the brand’s very own logo, the horse, which, to Burberry, possesses all the qualities he believes in.
Burberry’s Hero pays homage to this idea in both the fragrance itself and its campaign. Award-winning actor Adam Driver was chosen for the campaign because he had already embodied the spirit of the fragrance. In short, he embraces freedom of expression and the beauty of contradiction. He is at once strong, yet subtle; powerful, yet compassionate; athletic, but at the very same time, creative.
The campaign for Hero challenges the conventions of masculinity. Bringing together a horse and a man to create a modern day myth, the imagery is striking yet subtle. The beige horse depicted proves to be the perfect backdrop for Driver’s athleticism while exploring Tisci’s codes of duality. It also gives off the strength and power of those found within the animal kingdom.
The subtle message left in the campaign is the power of a man leaping into the unknown, overcoming overwhelming struggles and transforming into something entirely new, yet entirely himself—a true homage to the brand’s origins and founding indeed.
The fragrance is bright, thanks to the spark of bergamot; invigorating, thanks to the juniper and black pepper; and vibrant, with warm cedarwood from Virginia, Atlas, and Himalaya pulsating at the core of it all. It’s a perfect balance, a duality between strength and sensibility, and one that represents the timelessness of Burberry while giving it a sense of modernity, as explained by Aurélien Guichard, perfumer at Burberry.
The bottle containing Hero is strong and modern, reflecting the fragrance within with its angular shape that is an abstract reinterpretation of a horse’s hoof, with the curved Burberry logo engraved on it, as well as the embossed TB monogram in reference to the brand’s founder.
The fragrance is available in 150 and 50ml bottles which has been lightly infused with the scent of the Burberry Hero Eau de Toilette. Be the first to experience Burberry Hero Pop Up Store at Pondok Indah Mall 1 Atrium Ground Floor from November 29 to December 5, 2021, and also at Pacific Place Christmas Atrium Ground Floor from December 6 – 26, 2021.
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