“A panther never changes its spots”, says British actress Vanessa Kirby. Freshly inaugurated as house ambassador, Kirby makes her first incursion to the Cartier jungle to rep the maison’s La Panthère fragrance. In a minute-long short film directed by Nathalie Canguilhem, the starlet produces a transformative performance alongside the high jeweller’s emblematic animal, the panther. The film blurs the lines between natural and supernatural, charging the natural qualities of the La Panthère fragrance line.
Cartier’s ecosphere has always favoured the panther, so Kirby’s anthropomorphic induction into the universe is felicitous. Beloved for its spirited liberation and tameless spirit, the panther’s legacy in the high jeweller house has always been tethered to fierce femininity. First personified by its creator and muse, Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s Artistic Director of High Jewellery; the feline motif of brazen fearlessness has lived on through other female greats, from Daisy Fellowes and Monica Bellucci to Blackpink’s Jisoo and now, Vanessa Kirby.
Kirby, who earned Academy Award, BAFTA, Emmy, and Golden Globe nominations for her roles in Pieces of a Woman, and Netflix’s The Crown, has always been vocal about her philanthropic values. To Kirby, the La Panthère spirit of liberation comes naturally, as she trailblazes the course with her own energy of determination.
Cartier La Panthère reframes liberation, imbuing mythical notes of the chypre family and vibrant gardenia to bloom a medley recalling fresh wilderness, where florals and felines fraternise. Packaged in equally anthropomorphic vessels featuring the feline, the resultant floral-feline effect is an olfactory tribute to Mathilde Laurent, the maison’s Perfumer, who desired an alluring and magnetic scent underscoring the strength of independence and instinct.
The La Panthère fragrances collection consists of an Eau de Toilette, an Eau de Parfum and a Parfum, in either 50ml or 75ml.
Catch the short film starring Vanessa Kirby below.