Come for the ride. We sit down with quintessential London girl, Burberry muse and all-round fashion icon Cara Delevingne to talk about what her home city means to her and why the campaign for Burberry’s newest scent, Her, has a special place in her heart.
“It’s hard to define a Londoner, which is what I like,” says the born and bred British model and actor, admired by many for her free-spirited personality and determination to stand up for what she believes in. “Londoner’s aren’t afraid to push the boundaries and ask questions.” A strong advocate for female empowerment and women’s rights, Delevingne was the obvious choice to be the embodiment of Burberry's new scent, Her: a fragrance as “feminine” as it is “musty." To Delevingne, Her “represents what femininity is – strength, natural, sweet, but not too sweet.” Having worked with the brand's creative director Riccardo Tisci in the past, Delevingne admires Tisci for his ability to empower women through his designs: “He creates extremely strong clothes for women, clothes that I’ve always felt very powerful in.”
For Delevingne, working in such a demanding industry is not without consequences. “I used to work every day. I didn't really know how to say no … I was just so exhausted,” she explains, and elaborates on how being more selective with her work enabled her to not lose sight of what she loves most. “Being able to pick and choose, and really go for the projects that I’m a part of, whether it’s creatively or really believe in with my whole heart.” The Her campaign film gives us a glimpse into the unique sense of self and genuine flair that Delevingne is so well known for, she tells us “It’s lovely to be able to work in an industry where people also respect what your creative choices are, and Burberry has always been like that with me.”
A woman of many talents, we even get a taste of Delevingne’s singing voice in the campaign. She sings a sweet ode to the city of London, giving an air of nostalgia and affection towards her home city: Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner that I think of her wherever I go. A true Londoner at heart, she admits “I can’t be away from London too long and not come back, I miss it so much.” Despite all the years spent growing up in the city, Delevingne still manages to lose herself in this vast and vibrant melting pot, “my favourite thing is to get lost in London and turn off ... switch off my phone and just walk.” One thing is for sure; this Brit does not take her city for granted, Delevingne understands the importance of taking some time out to be present and enjoy what is in front of you, “London will take you for a ride if you get on it,” she says.
