Florence Pugh is stepping into a new role with Max Mara, becoming the face of the Italian fashion house’s first-ever fragrance, Le Parfum.
Known for her acclaimed film performances and increasingly influential fashion presence, Pugh joins the brand as it celebrates its 75th anniversary. The partnership introduces a new chapter for Max Mara, translating the house’s signature philosophy of understated elegance from clothing into fragrance.
Le Parfum is designed as an olfactory expression of the Max Mara woman: sophisticated, self-assured, and effortlessly polished. The musky-floral eau de parfum draws inspiration from one of the house’s most recognizable signatures—its iconic outerwear.
For decades, Max Mara has built its identity around timeless coats and refined, functional silhouettes. From the original 101801 coat to the instantly recognizable Teddy Bear and the more recent Ready Coat, outerwear has remained central to the house’s aesthetic. Le Parfum takes that same idea of protection, warmth, and sophistication and translates it into scent.
“Max Mara has always been about more than clothing,” says Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, Max Mara Fashion Group’s global brand ambassador. According to Maramotti, fragrance offers the house an opportunity to explore a more intimate side of its identity and create another way of expressing its vision of femininity.
At the heart of Le Parfum is a sophisticated blend of sandalwood, cedarwood, tuberose, benzoin, and lemon primofiore essence. Created by perfumers Marie Salamagne and Fabrice Pellegrin, the composition is intended to feel enveloping without becoming overwhelming—essentially functioning as an invisible layer that stays close to the skin.
The concept echoes the sensation of slipping into a beautifully tailored Max Mara coat. Rather than simply adding fragrance, Le Parfum is meant to surround its wearer with a sense of warmth and confidence.
The formula also places an emphasis on natural-origin ingredients, with nearly 100 percent of its composition sourced from regions including Grasse, Guatemala, and Italy.
The bottle carries the same restrained elegance. Its clean glass silhouette is finished with a camel-colored tie detail, a subtle reference to Max Mara’s legendary camel coats. A gold button-inspired detail on the cap provides another connection to the house’s fashion heritage.
The result is a fragrance bottle that feels unmistakably Max Mara without relying on excessive branding. Every detail reinforces the same quiet luxury that has defined the Italian house for generations.
For Pugh, the fragrance is closely tied to the emotional experience it creates.
“I feel calm, warm, and instantly more confident—like I’m standing a little taller without even thinking about it,” the actress says of wearing Le Parfum.
That feeling of confidence is central to the fragrance’s identity. Its long-lasting sillage develops gradually with the warmth of the skin, allowing the composition to evolve throughout the day rather than making an immediate, overpowering entrance.
Pugh describes the sensation as one of being prepared for whatever comes next: composed, present, and confident without needing to announce it.
It is an especially fitting collaboration for the actress, whose own style has increasingly embraced the balance between classic sophistication and individuality. Her partnership with Max Mara adds a beauty dimension to a fashion relationship that feels naturally aligned with her evolving public image.
The launch also represents an important milestone for Max Mara. While the house has long been synonymous with luxury fashion, Le Parfum expands its universe into fragrance for the first time, offering consumers another way to experience its aesthetic.
Rather than attempting to create a loud or overtly glamorous signature scent, Max Mara has stayed true to its DNA. Le Parfum is warm, refined, intimate, and designed to linger close to the skin.
With Florence Pugh as its ambassador, the fragrance finds a fitting face for this new chapter. Her combination of strength, modern femininity, and understated glamour mirrors the qualities Max Mara has sought to capture in its first perfume.
Le Parfum ultimately extends the idea behind the house’s most iconic coats: luxury does not always need to be conspicuous. Sometimes, the most powerful statement is simply the feeling of being completely comfortable in your own skin.
