Page 36 - Sharp November 2024

was the address of Paco Rabanne’s Centre 57, a bohemian reprieve dedicated to all things up-and-coming. Located on the glittering Boulevard de la Villette in Paris, Centre 57 stood in stark contrast to the synthesizer-soaked airwaves of 1983. Musicians such as MC Solaar, JoeyStarr, and Kool Shen hosted events and dances.
Rabanne proudly represents this period, whether that’s through interviews or limited collaborations (including the recent Club 57 capsule with Spotify). In the 1960s, Paco Rabanne was one of the first designers to include music in his fashion shows. Today, Rabanne infuses music into perfumes and products to honour his legacy.
“Million Gold encapsulates the new vision for Maison Rabanne as a whole. It is bold and super premium,” says perfumer Christophe Raynaud. His collaborator, Quentin Bisch, agrees. “Million Gold is more than a fragrance; it is a bold statement that rewrites the vision of modern masculinity,” says Bisch, citing the blend of woody and flowery notes. Rabanne’s vision goes beyond the bottle, Bisch adds.
As an ambassador, Sumney understands this. To him, beauty is more than aesthetics. “For me, it’s connected to emotional health and emotional vulnerability. I try to channel those two things. When I’m in a good place with them, it shows physically,” he explains. “When you are making an effort to be good to yourself, and to be good to other people, it actually fixes your face. It’s channelling a light that
comes from either the natural world or from the universe — you are that connected.”
Sumney describes something ineffable, but instantly recognizable. “When I feel the most empowered, nothing gets in the way of me being my truest self,” Sumney says. “Which is how I felt when we shot this ad. I felt like I was being welcomed, and encouraged, to just be myself.”
It’s fitting, then, that Sumney’s mantra is “tell the truth” — in his art, emotions, and day-to-day life. Beauty and fashion are no exception. “What we put on our bodies is directly connected to how free we are or aren’t,” says Sumney.
In that vein, Sumney takes inspiration from those with “an iconic, consistent look.” While his personal style icons range from Marge Simpson to André 3000, Sumney says Grace Jones is his favourite in the industry. “I love telling people that Grace Jones is my mom and seeing how far I can get with that,” he laughs.
Daring but playful, creatively luxurious — these traits define Million Gold and Moses Sumney alike. To capture these qualities in a single, spritz-able concoction is akin to alchemy. As perfumer Christophe Raynaud puts it: “Million calls for excellence!” In Sumney, the fragrance finds a worthy partner.
Rabanne Million Gold Eau de Parfum Intense is now available online and in stores.
GUIDE
36 GUIDE • NOVEMBER 2024
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