BE YOUR OWN BOSS

Jamie Dornan tells us his grooming secrets and what it’s like to be the face of Hugo Boss

WHEN YOU PLAY a role like Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey, you risk having an albatross around your neck for the rest of your acting career. Jamie Dornan went for it anyway ‒ for the entire Fifty Shades film trilogy, no less.

It’s paid off handsomely. Dornan raised his profile significantly, and has returned to the silver screen several times since, most recently as Will Scarlet in Robin Hood late last year and Paul Conroy in A Private War. The father of two has also become the new face of Hugo Boss’s latest fragrance for men ‒ The Scent Private Accord.

How would you define a Hugo Boss man?

He’s sophisticated, confident, and masculine. These are qualities I strive towards, and I can’t be prouder to represent the brand.

Were you already acquainted with the brand before becoming the face of The Scent Private Accord?

I actually have had a long history with Hugo Boss. It started in 2003 when I first did a campaign for the brand, back when I was modelling. In all, I must have done around four campaigns for Hugo Boss in those early years, so my current work with the brand feels like a good continuation of that. How do you keep yourself well-groomed with all the demands of work and family life? It’s an important part of investing in yourself and your image after all, isn’t it?

I have to keep it really simple. There’s honestly not much time for a lot, what with my job and my two kids (laughs). But I do believe that grooming, especially a good scent, can lift your confidence immediately. In fact, fragrances are something that I’ve always worn from a pretty early age ‒ since I was around 18.

“I DO BELIEVE THAT GROOMING, ESPECIALLY A GOOD SCENT, CAN LIFT YOUR CONFIDENCE IMMEDIATELY”

What can you tell us about The Scent Private Accord? It has pretty strong notes and I love it. There is ginger, cacao and this exotic ingredient called maninka fruit from Africa.

You would think that it might be a tad heavy as an everyday scent with all these rich and woody notes, but it’s distinctive without being intrusive or overpowering. To me, it’s great for any occasion.

And what does your wife think about the scent?

Oh, she loves it. Amelia [Warner, Dornan’s wife] is really into fragrances and she knows exactly what she likes or doesn’t like. We’ve gone through quite a few, and I can tell that she appreciates this one. Besides ginger, what are some of your favourite scent notes. Do they evoke feelings or memories for you, as the olfactory experts say they should? Honestly, I love the scent of the ocean. I grew up by the sea. And there are moments when I’m thousands of miles away from where I used to live and there will be the scent of the ocean wafting in the air that takes me right home. Numerous brands try to replicate that scent and try to bottle it. They’re good, but nothing beats being by the beach in real life and taking a big whiff of the ocean.

Got to have some beach time. Before we go, do you have any tip on how to apply a fragrance?

I can’t stand it if I’m behind or sitting next to someone who has put too much fragrance on. So my tip is definitely, “Less is more powerful.” (laughs) AM

The Scent Private Accord by Hugo Boss is available at depa ment stores and licensed distributors