‘Paradigme’ is the new men’s fragrance from Prada

It challenges tradition and poses a radical question: what if there were another way?

Paradigme is an invitation to rethink how contemporary masculinity is understood. The name, an augmented anagram of “Prada”, continues the legacy begun with Paradoxe: a gesture of resistance against immobility, a vindication of movement, experimentation and individuality. Strength is revealed as delicacy, and success is the freedom to create your own paradigm. In the words of the House, it is “a new way of thinking, of doing, of being”.

Far from prefabricated formulas, Prada Paradigme is the result of a collaborative effort between three key figures in perfumery: Marie Salamagne, Bruno Jovanovic, and Nicolas Bonneville. The trio approaches creation from an unusual perspective, as instead of building the fragrance as a classic olfactory pyramid—top, middle and base notes—they decide to turn it upside down. Prada calls it an “inverted pyramid”, a radical gesture that reimagines the architecture of perfumery.

‘Reversing the conventions of composition to create an “inverted pyramid” allowed the fragrance to unfold in a unique way, with the base notes emerging first and gradually revealing the heart and top notes. This inversion creates a truly captivating and unexpected experience,’ explains Nicolas.

As the inverted pyramid unfolds, at the amber-tinged base, Peru balsam, benzoin resin and guaiac wood bring a smoky, resinous texture that is at once vigorous, luminous and addictive. This innate and intoxicating sensuality contrasts with the heart of the fragrance, which creates a surprising dialogue with a duo of geranium extracts, an aromatic green with energising freshness and an iconic code of masculine fragrances, now reinvented with floral and rosy facets. Finally, this pulsating heart, alive with vibrant vegetal energy, meets a heart of Calabrian bergamot and airy musks.

The fragrance is as important as the bottle that contains it. That is why Paradigme takes the form of an architectural design with bevelled lines and slanted triangles that evoke the essence of Prada. The glass, tinted in a gradient green, opens up to hidden depths, while the jet-black cap establishes a link with the Paradoxe family.