What Timothée Chalamet at Chanel signals about men’s beauty

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Chanel has named Timothée Chalamet as the new face of its top-selling men’s fragrance Bleu, in a move that underlines an ongoing shift away from traditional notions of masculinity across the beauty industry.

Speculation by industry insiders and fans had been swirling online since early April when the 27-year-old actor was spotted filming in New York with director Martin Scorsese, who has a longstanding advertising contract with the French luxury house. 

While many other actors have built a personal brand on their staunch masculinity, Chalamet has embraced what might have traditionally been perceived as feminine, both in his choice of roles on screen and in his style on the red carpet. When he attended the 2019 Golden Globes, he wore an embellished Louis Vuitton harness, while others donned traditional tuxedos. At the 2022 Venice Film Festival, he turned heads with a backless red halter top by Haider Ackermann.

Timothée Chalamet and Martin Scorsese on the set for Chanel Bleu in New York.

Photo: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Chalamet’s rebellion against the traditional masculine ideal is representative of a worldwide shift. Male celebrities and influencers are talking more about beauty and grooming, with some of the biggest names — Manny Gutierrez, James Charles and Patrick Starrr, to name a few — focusing on makeup. Influencer Hyram Yarbro launched his skincare brand, Selfless by Hyram, off the back of his success on YouTube (4.55 million subscribers) and TikTok (6.1 million followers). Gender-neutral grooming and makeup brands such as Horace and Fluide are gaining traction, while more famous men, including Jared Leto and Harry Styles — also known for gender-fluid dressing — are coming to market with their own beauty offerings. 

The appointment of Chalamet could help to drive growth in a competitive market. The global men’s fragrance market is expected to grow to $19.6 billion by 2025, from $14.2 billion in 2020, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. Men’s fragrance has grown “significantly” post-lockdown, driven by increased volume and negligible impact from price hikes, particularly in the premium category, says Aishwarya Rajpara, a senior research beauty analyst at Euromonitor. 

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Bleu has been without a face since January 2022 when French actor Gaspard Ulliel — its former longtime ambassador — died following a skiing accident. During this time, some of its competitors have thrived. Sauvage, the men’s fragrance by Dior, has seen continued success since its launch in 2015 and it became the world’s top-selling fragrance in 2022, according to the LVMH-owned brand. Men are also buying into niche fragrance brands, including Le Labo and Byredo, many of which don’t assign gender to their products or marketing, says Selfridges beauty buying manager Emeline Ancelot. 

Ancelot notes an increase in male customers booking appointments at Selfridges’s beauty concierge, which offers one-to-one appointments with in-store specialists and personal shoppers. Demand is particularly high for its beauty bag makeover offering, where consumers can receive impartial advice on products and recommendations tailored to their needs, she explains. “We expect to see further demand for this service from our male shoppers.”