Calvin Klein has just announced that it signed actress Rooney Mara to be the face of its new women’s fragrance, DOWNTOWN CALVIN KLEIN, which will debut this July and presumably smell like all-caps.
The print ad (above) was photographed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. He typically does remarkable work, but Calvin Klein is owned by a public company so don’t hold him accountable for whatever stench of blandness you’re picking up on.
There’s also a television spot, directed by real-life filmmaker David Fincher, who also directed Mara in her breakout role for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. (This is their second ad collaboration: Fincher shot the actress for a commercial promoting Epic RED camera, beloved by movie people, as a fashion photography game changer.) As the press release explains, “set in New York City, the short film portrays the multi-faceted life of a globally recognizable actress who always remains true to herself.” So relatable — here, let me get my wallet out.
Also from the press release:
“DOWNTOWN Calvin Klein is a fragrance for women that live by their own rules,” said Catherine Walsh, the SVP of American Fragrances at Coty Prestige, a woman who definitely knows a thing or two about living by her own rules. I’m being snide, but I have no tolerance for this jabber: Buying Calvin Klein perfume because you saw a Rooney Mara commercial only makes you a maverick on opposite day. And that’s fine! Buy perfume, buy ALL THE PERFUME and spray it all over your body and walk around all day smiling to yourself because you smell like a true-to-herself globally recognizable actress living a multifaceted life. Just ugh, all the LIES. I can’t.
“This campaign captures a woman with an original ‘downtown’ mindset – she leads a lifestyle that is authentic and defies expectations. We were thrilled to work with Rooney Mara for this campaign; her individuality and formidable talent resonate with the incredible legacy of women who have been captured in Calvin Klein advertising over the years.”
Other actors who have modeled for Calvin Klein include Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson, Andie MacDowell (it sure seems like I missed out by not being alive in 1983), Alexander Skarsgard, Zoe Saldana and Diane Kruger.
