Max Mara’s First-Ever Perfume Is Basically an Invisible Coat—Just Ask Florence Pugh (Exclusive)
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Not to be That Guy, but fall is coming. I know it sounds preposterous; I'm sweating in shorts and a t-shirt as I type this. But the sun's going down earlier and the nights are chillier, prompting me to spend my free time scrolling for new coats and jackets that'll warm me up well into winter. A brand I yearn for every season is Max Mara, known for its luxurious approach to classic silhouettes. But starting September 1, I can get that same tailored and plush feel no matter what I'm wearing, just by spritzing on the brand's first-ever fragrance , Le Parfum .
Inspired by the structured and sophisticated Max Mara clothing designs, Le Parfum drew heavily from the brand's iconic wardrobe of coats, specifically the 101801 Coat . It pulls from the brand's ethos of timelessness, focusing less on trends and more on the classics, like how a good coat polishes your outfit. Even the bottle itself is meant to resemble one of Max Mara's coats. And who better to front the campaign than actor Florence Pugh, whose style blends feminine and masculine to exactly embody the fragrance's vibe of being an "invisible coat."
Mario Sorrenti
"It's that quiet layer of confidence you put on before stepping into the world—the thing no one else sees, but everyone somehow feels," Florence tells Cosmo of the fragrance.
She's no stranger to the brand or its chic coats (she's wearing one in the campaign imagery above). "They are like statements of who you are, silently communicated through posture and presence," she says. "There is an elegance in that simplicity, a strength that doesn't need validation from anyone else. What I find powerful is that nothing is imposed."
Le Parfum's a fairly simple scent—it's not loaded with a zillion notes that just blend into one—but that doesn't mean it isn't impactful. At the top, there's a smooth, musky tuberose that adds a softness to the scent. Then, as it starts to dry, there's a cozy vanilla that wraps you up like a blanket (or a warm wool coat). It's not a foodie gourmand that you want to take a bite out of; instead, it's a fluffy warmth, almost like cashmere. The woody base of sandalwood and cedarwood follows this nicely, creating a balanced autumnal scent I can already imagine dousing all of my clothes in.
Mario Sorrenti
For Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, Max Mara Fashion Group's global brand ambassador, Le Parfum is like "the moment when you fasten the belt of your coat before stepping out," she tells Cosmo . "It's a simple gesture, but also a decisive one. It is the moment when you gather yourself and feel ready to face the day."
Florence has a big rest of 2026 ahead. She'll star in two of the biggest films of the year, with Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part 3, both of which are out December 18. Being the face of this campaign, though, was all about empowerment for her. "I hope to give women confidence—to show that they can feel empowered, not by force or showing off, but through the quiet, inner glow of their own self-assurance," she says. "I want to show that confidence doesn't have to be forced or proven. It can be subtle, instinctive, deeply personal. It's about knowing who you are, trusting yourself, and feeling comfortable enough to let that show naturally."
Karwai Tang - Getty Images
"When you're ready, you'll know" is the tagline for the campaign, which means a lot to Florence too. "When you're ready, you don't need approval, you don't need to explain yourself—you just know," she says. "And that kind of readiness can be incredibly grounding in a world that's constantly asking women to do more, be more."
For her, being ready is about showing up fully as herself everywhere she goes, whether that's on set, choosing roles, or in her personal life. "It's admitting vulnerability while holding space for my own power," she says. "Some days that's easier than others, but being ready feels like being aligned with yourself, no matter what."
It's also about trusting yourself, she says, which is also the biggest advice she has for young people on feeling confident. "Listen to your instincts, embrace what makes you different, and don't let anyone define who you should be," she says. "Confidence comes from being fully yourself, unapologetically."
Max Mara Le Parfum is available September 1.
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Beth Gilletteis the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair, makeup, nail, and fragrance stories.
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