By Matheus Hooks
More epic than ever, Dua Lipa personifies the libre woman, who has an urgent need for freedom now.
Promotional photos Yves Saint Laurent Beauté
The newest and thrilling LIBRE campaign starring songwriter and Yves Saint Laurent ambassador, Dua Lipa, is directed for the first time by a woman, the renowned Nigerian-British director, Jenn Nkiru. For her, LIBRE is not just a fragrance, it is a feeling, an invitation to be bold, challenge norms, and live freely. According to Jenn, "I connected with the new campaign—a celebration of freedom and femininity. Life and existence are about the pursuit of FREEDOM, about living to the fullest. I wanted to bottle all that energy of the fragrance and pour it into the film."
How has the experience of representing YSL's LIBRE been?
"It's an incredible experience to represent a fragrance like LIBRE. I feel so connected to it because it's fearless and represents positive values that truly resonate with women all around the world. It truly inspires me to expand upon this idea of burning freedom, and I would love for every woman to truly embody it every day," says Dua Lipa.
For Yves Saint Laurent Beauté, Jenn Nkiru and Dua Lipa delivered the most epic campaign ever for LIBRE, with Dua Lipa singing a cover of the iconic song "Freedom!" by George Michael, turning it into an anthem of freedom for LIBRE women around the world. The LIBRE woman, portrayed by Dua Lipa, is a woman who dances to her own rhythm and lives each moment to the fullest.
What does being LIBRE mean to you?
"We walk for our freedom; we fight for our freedom. We feel the need to live, in the most authentic and true way possible. I live my freedom by being myself, by staying true to who I am, as a person and as an artist," says Dua.
In the new film, Dua Lipa is captured amidst natural and urban landscapes, in a series of stunning images that combine freedom with the power of natural elements: sun, sky, sand, and water. The campaign film begins at the top of a lighthouse, bathed in the golden light of the morning, as an eagle perfectly lands on Dua Lipa's arm. In the following sequence, the protagonist of the ad is seen dancing in the midst of the city, under the tropical rain as if no one is watching, and then walking completely alone and free on the beach, with her feet in the waves of the ocean, surrendering to the natural elements of the earth.
This time with brown hair, standing in front of the giant letters spelling out L-I-B-R-E ablaze against the night sky, and at the height of her freedom, Dua stands still in front of the flames and releases a powerful and fierce scream, a roar of freedom shattering any last piece of restraint. Expressing the desire to live LIBRE now because freedom does not wait.
Embracing the new motto of LIBRE, "Freedom doesn't wait," what is your definition of the campaign concept?
"The concept truly represents the inner fire of the LIBRE woman, her insatiable thirst for freedom, and her incandescent soul. The truth is, there is no one way to be free, but each one of us can and should find our own path without compromise or fear. Always unapologetic for being ourselves."
The LIBRE line features the Eau de Parfum version launched in 2020, representing the desire for freedom, the Eau de Parfum Intense released in 2021, which expresses the roar of freedom, and the latest release, the Eau de Toilette, inviting you to live a filter-free freedom.
FREEDOM DOESN'T WAIT. NEITHER SHOULD YOU.
Where to find:
Instagram: @yslbeauty
