Exclusive: Riley Keough is the Face of Norell New York
American fashion designer Norman Norell rose to fame in the 1960s when his simple and elegant designs made him the go-to designer for celebrities like Lauren Bacall and Marilyn Monroe. In 1968, Norell debuted Norell New York, the first American designer fragrance and today, the original scent has been updated and relaunched with a new face: Riley Keough.
Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, is fronting the striking campaign for the remastered fragrance. Shot by Michael Avedon, grandson of the legendary photographer Richard Avedon, Keough sports a vintage Norell gown. “It was different than anything I have ever done before,” says Keough on being a part of the campaign. “I’ve never actually worn a dress that glamorous. It was really fun.” Avedon was equally excited to be a part of the campaign and work with Keough, telling Yahoo Beauty, "Working with Riley was an absolute pleasure. She had a wonderfully eloquent impulse for the camera. It’s a true honor to revive the brilliant Norman Norell.
To get ready for the campaign, Keough dove deep into the Norell archives to get a sense of his aesthetic and style at the time. “I get obsessed with people from the past, and am fascinated by how they lived their lives,” she says. “I went on a Wikipedia trail while researching Norell, and developed an enormous interest in him and his work — so I feel very honored to be able to be a part the reinvention of a timeless American classic fragrance like this.”
Keough and Avedon were the perfect pairing for this project, both coming from families with deep creative roots. "We wanted to unite Norell’s strong brand heritage with an elegance that is resolutely modern. Riley Keough and Michael Avedon speak to a new generation of influencers, both born from enduring legacies and both in command of unique talents,” says Doug Lloyd, creative director of Lloyd & Co who produced the campaign. “By contrasting the classic silhouette with a bold image of today, the past and the present in this image are one.”
The fragrance, created by perfumer Celine Barel who is behind scents from Jo Malone and Lancôme, is sweet and floral, with over 200 jasmine petals in each bottle and a base of Orris Butter, vanilla and musk that leaves behind a warm, sensual finish. While the scent has been modernized, there is no doubt it will become a classic.
Related:
Kendall Jenner’s First Fragrance Campaign is Here
