Consistently evolving, experimenting, and expanding his career, 27-year-old Chalamet epitomises the spirit of Bleu de Chanel. A boundary-pushing visionary whose work is at once both a reflection of youth and timeless distinction, he looks beyond the norms and sees what may not even be visible. As his first collaboration with Chanel and first time as an official ambassador of any fashion or beauty label, Bleu de Chanel is a perfect fit. Defying preconceptions of men’s fragrances, the collaboration shows a new chapter for Chanel — as well as for Chalamet.
An advertising campaign shot by Mario Sorrenti will be released in June, followed by a fall release of the campaign film, directed by Martin Scorsese.
In an exclusive interview, Timothée Chalamet tells Wonderland about Bleu de Chanel, micro-manifestations, and how scents can tell stories…
How do you feel when you wear Bleu de Chanel?
When you put on Bleu de Chanel, you’re emphasising a distinct experience, or maybe a certain look, occasion, or date. For me, personally, there’s a specific intention behind fragrance. I’m not someone who wears a scent all the time. When I do, it becomes emblematic of a moment, and later there’s a nostalgia for that moment and it becomes something more meaningful.
The ethos of Bleu de Chanel is firmly rooted in the state of becoming someone who does not limit themselves to the ordinary boundaries life sets and looks beyond what is visible to evolve. Does this resonate with your own path or ideology?
To me, the idea of becoming revolves around a continued aspiration to be self-possessed. There’s a power to living as your most authentic, best self and manifesting what you want in and out of your life or even for a particular afternoon — a micro-manifestation.
When it comes to your career, are you someone who leans into that fear and surrenders?
If something doesn’t evoke fear, it’s not challenging enough for you to do.
What is the connective tissue between all the diverse characters you set out to play?
Hopefully there is some relatability with all of them. Yet I don’t think my roles as a cannibal in Bones and All or as a madman chocolatier in Wonka are necessarily relatable. But I believe there is something grounded in all the characters I play.
Where do you typically tend to find inspiration?
I’m trying to be more open-ended about it. Traditionally it came from music. But now it can be anything. The benefit of the experience of getting a little bit older and more mature is you can gather inspiration and ideas from experience and the people you look up to around you. When you’re younger, you’re looking at the media markers and what is commodified, presented, or given to you as what is meant to be excellent. As you age, you want to find more personalised, bona fide sources to draw from.
Bleu de Chanel, not unlike yourself, relates to a man deeply connected with himself and the world. The scent plays with many dualities—juxtaposing shadow and light, dusk and dawn, and woody notes with fresh undertones. What does Bleu de Chanel represent to you?
What I like about Bleu de Chanel specifically is that, not unlike movies and storytelling in general, the scent and the narrative behind it are open for interpretation. It comes down to subtle assertiveness and the unique interpretation of the person who is wearing it and how the fragrance ultimately makes them feel. That’s all that’s important — it doesn’t matter what I think.
