I genuinely thought that Miuccia Prada’s passion for stylishly ripping off stuff was limited to clothes, but I must admit I was wrong.
Described as “feminine and excessive” to WWD by José Manuel Albesa, chief brand officer of Prada's scent licensee Puig, Prada’s new scent, to be released in September, is indeed called "Candy".
While its name could be a reference to the sickeningly sweet mixture of Lao benzoin, a balsamic resin mainly used for incences and fragrances, and caramel, "Candy" is also the title of Terry Southern and Mason Hoffenberg’s erotic novel, a modern version of Voltaire’s Candide.
The fragrance characterised by a fuchsia package will be sold in an Art Deco-inspired bottle with an illustration of a blonde woman, maybe a reference to Candy’s heroine, portrayed in Christian Marquand's 1968 film by Ewa Aulin.
Yet I think the main connection with the fragrance and Terry Southern and Mason Hoffenberg’s erotic novel is the recently released advertising image showing French actress Lea Seydoux with a bottle of Prada's "Candy".
The image calls to mind the cover of the Italian version of Southern and Hoffenberg’s novel, published by Longanesi (while the colour of the lollipop on its cover - a reference to the fact that Candy fell victim of The Brigade Mondaine as soon as it was published, so Olympia Press editor Maurice Girodias reprinted it again under the title Lollipop - bizzarrely evokes the colour chosen for the scent packaging).
I'm pretty pleased that apart from an interest in film costumes and cinema, Miuccia also shares with me the same obsession I have for early erotic novels by Olympia Press.
That said, dear Miuccia, "Candy" is not out yet and it already smells like a rip-off, if you had only asked I could have dug out rare (and probably unseen...) illustrations by artist Manfredo Acerbo for the poster of the Italian version of the film. Next time, just ask...
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