Luxury fashion brand Chanel announced their new face of Coco Mademoiselle fragrances is 20-year old Whitney Peak, actress, influencer, and fashionista. It’s the first time a Black woman has been chosen to represent any of the fashion house’s fragrances, so yeah, this is a big deal.
As its physical representation of the ideal customer, the Ugandan-Canadian actress is opening up a whole new era for Chanel. And the whole world will know it. She’s featured in commercials, print advertising, promotional videos, and like her predecessor Keira Knightly, she’ll be seen gracing a billboard or two.
Peak made the announcement via her IG page saying, “I kept thinking I dreamt this up. Grinning from ear to ear. So proud to be the new coco. Never in my life would I have ever thought this would be my reality.”
Styled as a day in the life vignette, Peak’s ‘coming out’ video included a collection of scenic shots: a car ride with friends, a night club engrossed in blue light, a house party ending at a pool, and of course, lots of headshots of “her face.” Watching this video, it’s clear why the international brand chose her for the job.
This month, Peak joined a select group of ambassadors who were handpicked by Chanel to accompany them to Paris Fashion Week. The group was introduced to the international community at lavish shows, dinners, and events surrounding the fall winter 2023/24 show.
Whitney Peak is described as “the embodiment of today’s youth,” by the Head of Global Creative Resources for Chanel Fragrance, Beauty, Watches and Jewelry, Thomas du Pré de Saint Maur over Zoom with L’Officiel. He added that her “curiosity, confidence, appetite for experiences and lack of preconceptions echo the temperament of the young Coco Chanel.”
This isn’t the first time Chanel has worked with Whitney Peak. Last year she became their first woman of color brand ambassador and a creative inspiration for their 2022 handbag collection, appearing in the brands’ day-in-the-life video campaign with charming voice over.
“She is the incarnation of Coco Mademoiselle’s original personality,” states the official press release. “A young woman who moves towards her destiny to become who she truly wants to be.”
Peak had already begun making a name for herself even before being scooped up by Chanel. She got her big break in the TV series reboot of cult classic “Gossip Girl.” Peak also starred in “Hocus Pocus 2,” and Netflix’s “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” and “Molly Game.”
“The best advice I’ve ever heard was ‘it’s not about you,’” says Peak in a Harper’s Bazaar Singapore interview.
That may be true. But in the best way, right now is all about Whitney Peak.
