Miu Miu released its very first fragrance this month, and in traditional cool-girl style, the eponymous eau de parfum eschews what one might expect from the deeply feminine brand, playing strongly on green and crisp outdoorsy accords. At the forefront of the fragrance’s campaign is Nymphomaniac and Prada alum Stacy Martin. The model turned actress turned model again can be seen clutching the retro-inspired bottle in the first round of ads for the fragrance, while wearing an equally nostalgia-inspired look. On the heels of the launch, the Cut spoke with Stacy about “groundiness,” her skin-care routine, and what she learned from working with makeup artist Pat McGrath.
What’s your first scent memory?
I have a few smells that I remember always knowing, and that’s the smell of butter melting in the frying pan, and the smell of grass when the lawn is mowed.
What does Miu Miu smell like to you?
It smells like lily of the valley — quite floral-y. One of the things I actually really like about it is that it’s also quite earthy. You can still smell the groundiness of it, which I really like. Groundiness — that’s not a word. Earthiness, that’s what I mean.
If the fragrance were a place, what would it be?
You know those huge mountains in the Alps that look so beautiful and perfect, but actually they’re so immense and raw at the same time? It would probably be something like those.
You’ve worked with Pat McGrath on multiple Miu Miu campaigns. What’s the best beauty advice she’s given you?
She is one of the most incredible makeup artists and human beings I’ve ever encountered. She’s such a force of nature and she really adapts to your face. She never just does the makeup. She always looks at your face, looks at your features, and looks at how to deal with your color, shape, and skin. One thing she always tells me is: “Don’t do too much, you don’t need to do anything. Never go in the sun.”
You once said you were happy to be done with modeling. What brought you back?
The brand itself, Miu Miu, and what Miuccia Prada does is quite similar to how I see my work in the sense that she really supports female artists on different levels. She always works with really great up-and-coming actresses. For Miu Miu she curates these shorts directed by women. That was something I was really interested in. It was a dialogue I hadn’t really experienced before when I was modeling at university. I guess it’s in the same capacity as Charlotte Gainsbourg doing Louis Vuitton or Vanessa Paradis doing Chanel. I was always quite curious to see how they collaborate and how I can collaborate with Miu Miu, rather than it being just a straightforward, two-dimensional thing.
What’s your skin-care routine like?
I love Crealine by Bioderma. I’ve always used it. It’s not too chemical, it’s just clean, pure, and simple to use. I try not to overcomplicate things. I moisturize, I have Crealine, and a French toner. I try not to fuss over my skin too much because that’s when it breaks out and panics.
This interview has been edited and condensed.