The opening scene for Mugler’s latest Angel Elixir teaser video opens as if we’ve entered into the Hunter Schafer Multiverse. A Mugler sign transforms right into a runway to unveil Schafer—draped in a body-skimming Mugler bodysuit, after all—waltzing down the runway to Charlie XCX’s “Dreamer” before she begins a seemingly infinite run. Only thing is, this isn’t a dream. Schafer is every little bit of a Mugler girl—figuratively and quite literally. It’s why the legendary French house handpicked the actress to walk in its Spring/Summer 21 show back in 2021. The thing she’s running to? Oh, just her latest title under Thierry Mugler’s empire: the face of Mugler’s Angel Elixir perfume.
The soul of Mugler’s iconic Angel perfume has been revived several times because it debuted in 1992, but no previous iterations are as deeply seductive and deliciously light as its 2023 counterpart. Angel Elixir is an olfactory marriage of opposing energies, or as Schafer puts it,” contrasting properties fusing together to make a bouquet,” housed in a dark blue vial that leans nocturnal with notes which can be anything but.
At the highest of the pyramid is a creamy, exhilarating floral medley of orange blossom, white flower, and ylang-ylang. Though the center of this scent is nice, a tinge of sandalwood and pink pepper cut through the softness to deliver a spicy, sensual hook that leaves a trail as you head down your individual runway. “In the long run, it fuses and creates its own magic. It’s a ravishing fusion,” she adds.
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Ahead, Schafer on Mugler’s latest era, Angel Elixir’s magic, and more.
Angel Elixir is nice but additionally fiery. What ignites your fire?
Fire can mean a variety of things. But after I take into consideration fire, I take into consideration what makes me feel confident and powerful. I believe of feeling synchronized between how I feel inside and the way I’m presenting myself outward, and that I’m in a position to move without second-guessing myself. That appears like assembling look, putting the Angel Elixir fragrance on, doing my hair and makeup, and all of that. It’s putting on whatever armor I would like to be sure I’m good to exit on the earth unrestrained—that’s what makes me feel fiery.
What do you’re keen on most in regards to the world of Mugler?
Mugler just has an incredible fashion history, so I’ve been a fan of the home’s work for years. I grew up watching the hour-long runway shows on YouTube, and just marveling on the mastery of couture and the silhouettes and the performance. Mugler is just really extraordinary and special. When Casey [Cadwallader, creative director of Mugler] got here along, what he was doing with the home really caught my eye. Whilst far as casting goes, they take a singular and exciting approach that you just don’t see a variety of other fashion houses taking without delay. Simply to be an element of the Mugler legacy in any way is actually cool.
What do you’re keen on most about perfume?
It’s been an enormous learning experience for me actually, so far as understanding scent and fragrance on a deeper level and all its complexities. Fragrance is a extremely powerful tool since you’re able to provide yourself that extra boost of confidence or transport yourself into one other place. I’ve been talking so much in regards to the power of scent and if you happen to’re walking around somewhere and catch a whiff of something, hastily that conjures a vivid flashback from once you were in preschool or something. I don’t know, there’s nothing else quite like fragrance and its power to move you to a spot or time. And so to give you the chance to make use of that purposefully as a tool to assist make you are feeling higher and more assembled and more beautiful and powerful, or whatever you would like to be putting out into the world, is actually special.
Where does Angel Elixir take you?
I do feel just like the industrial does a fairly amazing job of visually representing where the fragrance might take you or the world that Angel Elixir lives in. It takes me to this massive space setting and the nebula clouds. Angel Elixir will not be a chilly or isolating space, it’s one which I believe we’d all vibe in and give you the chance to breathe and feel warm in.
Angel Angel Elixir
The tagline is: The Angel you don’t expect. Who’s an unexpected angel in your life?
My unexpected angels are definitely my sisters, especially as I’ve gotten older. We were little demons in one another’s lives growing up. But as we’ve gotten older, we’ve come to understand one another so much more and give you the chance to assist one another out, and really be something harking back to good friends to one another. I don’t know if I’d’ve expected that earlier on, due to how incessantly we fought and bickered over the stupidest things. At this point, they really do feel like angels.
How would you describe this scent to someone blind buying?
What I actually like in regards to the scent is that it has these feminine elements which can be matched by barely more masculine elements. These contrasting scents fuse and make this yummy in-between with a more woody base after which vanilla tones and brilliant white florals, after which harder, more metallic spicier moments.
What makes Hunter say “yes” to a project or opportunity?
Being a fan beforehand helps so much, which I can thankfully say has been the case for a lot of the things I’ve done at this point. That’s a significant motivator for me wanting to work together, because you actually do form a relationship with the brand and the folks that work there. So I believe being a fan and being genuinely focused on the aesthetic, the world, or enthusiastic about what they’re doing, just real enthusiasm, helps so much. I directed my first music video [for red’s “hornylovesickmess”] last 12 months. I need to maintain doing that, keep entering into directing and hopefully get a bit of higher at it as I proceed to [pursue] it. Next, I hope to get a studio soon so I can really delve back into my visual arts practice as well.
A lot has modified since Angel debuted in 1992, over 30 years go. How do you envision the sweetness industry moving forward, say one other 30 years from now?
It’s been cool witnessing the changes which have happened. Even prior to now five years, I feel like everybody has broaden their view of what they will find beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, and broadening their world. I hope that track continues because I believe it’s yielded some really beautiful works and projects from different people and types. I hope that’s what continues to occur, reinvention.
Beauty Commerce Editor
Nerisha is the sweetness commerce editor at ELLE.com, covering all things beauty (and fashion and music). She has a penchant for sneakers and nude lip glosses, and spends way an excessive amount of time re-watching 90s sitcoms.
