High-fashion ads shot by celebrity directors usually amount to little more than pretentious, narrative-starved ad-sturbation. Prada, though, often delivers something more, something refreshing for the category—a cool sense of style mixed with (gasp) an actual sense of humor.
We saw this last year in Roman Polanski's wonderfully witty short Prada film with Ben Kingsley and Helena Bonham Carter—a piece that was captivating, with a wink, while still embodying the brand's elegance.
Now, we have a new Prada short film, for a fragrance this time, Candy L'Eau, directed by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola. Clocking in at precisely the same length as the Polanski piece—three minutes and 31 seconds—the film delightfully pays homage to French New Wave love triangles (à la Truffaut's Jules et Jim and Godard's Bande à part) and stars French actress and model Léa Seydoux as a beauty pursued by a couple of fashionable gents who happen to be best friends.
The filmmaking is exquisite, which perfectly suits the brand's aesthetic. And the story is charming and self-deprecating, with no fewer than three explicit brand plugs—one for each of its mini acts.
It's all in French, with English subtitles, but it should play well everywhere—even, despite Seydoux's obvious disdain for the place, in South America.
CREDITS
Client: Prada
Product: Candy L'Eau
Directors: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola