Prada Beauty has named Zendaya the new global ambassador for Prada Paradoxe, bringing the actor into the fragrance line through a partnership shaped by individuality, complexity and personal evolution. Zendaya had already worn Paradoxe as a personal favourite before the brand approached her, which gave the appointment a direct connection to her own fragrance choices.
NEWS
Zendaya describes scent as part of how people express themselves and navigate everyday life. She connects Paradoxe with strength and vulnerability, qualities that can exist together without forcing a person into a fixed definition. The actor says the partnership felt like a natural extension of that outlook and of her existing relationship with the fragrance.
Prada Beauty introduces Zendaya in the role alongside Prada Paradoxe Sweet Chemistry Eau de Parfum. The new fruity floral fragrance explores sweetness through a composition built around blackcurrant syrup, orange blossom absolute and a neroli milk accord. Blackcurrant syrup gives the scent its sharper opening, while orange blossom absolute brings brightness. The neroli milk accord adds a softer quality to the formula.
Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins directs the new campaign, titled Moonlight. The project begins the next phase of Prada Paradoxe with Zendaya as its central figure and Sweet Chemistry as the latest addition to the fragrance line.
View this post on Instagram
The appointment also reflects Zendaya’s position within film and television. She has won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her performance in Euphoria, becoming the youngest actor to win the category twice. The role also earned her a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award in 2023.
Her film credits include the Spider-Man trilogy, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers. Her 2026 schedule began with Kristoffer Borgli’s Drama. She returns to cinemas this summer in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the fourth film in the Spider-Man series. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey also counts among her major releases of the year.
Prada Beauty links this range of work with the central idea behind Paradoxe. The fragrance line focuses on women who resist simple categories and continue to define themselves through change. The brand sees Zendaya’s versatility, authenticity and creative ambition as natural qualities for that concept. The company also points to her wit, directness and ability to connect with several generations.
Rosa Carriço, global president of Prada Beauty, describes Zendaya as an ideal partner for the fragrance line’s next phase. She cites the actor’s authenticity, empathy and ability to reflect the present moment. Carriço also connects Zendaya with Prada’s view of femininity as something that continues to develop and resist fixed definitions.
