A BRITISH AFFAIR

Josh Whitehouse reprises his role as Mr Burberry for the new campaign

HE ROMANCED A mysterious beautiful lady on the rooftops and hotel rooms of London in the incredible Mr Burberry fragrance campaign (it’s still one of our favourites) back in 2016. Now, musician and actor

Josh Whitehouse returns as Mr Burberry for its new Indigo summer perfume, traipsing the English countryside. While the new campaign is not as sensual as the first one, it still retains a certain British flair. We speak to Whitehouse about it.

How did the collaboration with Burberry begin?

It’s still a bit of a mystery to me. All I know is, I had a meeting with my agents and as I walked through the door they had just finished a call with Burberry who expressed interest in working with me. I’d always been a big fan of the Burberry brand and its fragrances so it was really exciting for me to even be considered. Not long after that I received an offer to be the face of the Mr Burberry campaign. When I got the call, I jumped for joy and said “Yes!” When things like this happen I tend to take a moment to count myself lucky then I go with it and do the very best I can.

Tell us about the Mr Burberry Indigo EDT campaign. What was it like to work with Alasdair McLellan?

The campaign focuses on taking a break from the city, being adventurous, going on a road trip and having some time to reflect. The campaign was filmed at one of Mr Burberry’s favourite British coastlines down in Margate. Alasdair was great to work with, I found him really easy-going and reassuring. He uses a lot of really cool camera techniques, it’s inspiring.

He works at an incredible pace and his team surrounding him are all amazing ‒ it’s fascinating to watch, which made it great to be a part of.

Tell us about your grooming regime.

I exfoliate and moisturise to avoid dry skin. I comb my hair and shake my head vigorously to style my hair (laughs). I use a deodorant you can barely smell ‒ or at least just smells clean and then I use a single spray of Mr Burberry Indigo. That’s about it for me, it’s almost non-existent to be honest.

Who do you think is the Burberry man?

The Burberry man is an individual who encompasses the style and elegance of British fashion; someone who values the importance of tradition but is not resistant to innovation.

If you had the chance to create a fragrance with Burberry, how would it smell like?

Smoky like a bonfire, zesty like the mandarin, creamy like vanilla and oaky like a tree. White spirit and freshly extinguished matchsticks. Blackberry and dark chocolate undertones with a cola finish and a ginger bread snap.

What’s the best smell to wake up to in the morning? The faded fragrance of a loved one. AM