When I meet Hunter Schafer in a penthouse suite at The Equinox Hotel, she’s wearing a black long-sleeve top adorned with ruffles. Her hair is pulled back into a sleek bun, and her waist is cinched with a black corset layered over the shirt. She completes the ensemble with black, sheer, spiral Mugler leggings–a piece emblematic to the brand–and black heels. Based on her wardrobe alone, you wouldn’t be able to tell that she no longer lives in New York City. But regardless of her attire, the statuesque Schafer emits a warm, inviting energy. We cross the room to sit on the sofa in front of a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. I notice that the sun has moved behind her head, giving the actress a halo effect that is perfectly suited to what we’re here to discuss.
Schafer is now the face of Mugler Angel Elixir, the brand’s latest fragrance release. It’s a new iteration of the original Angel eau de parfum, which debuted in 1992 and launched an entirely new fragrance category. “I think the brand has a really special take on power and femininity,” says Schafer when asked why she decided to take on this role. “Even when it comes down to the notes of the scent, there’s a woody base but it’s matched with a more feminine vanilla note. There are spicy notes that get matched with a bright white floral, [creating] a softer vibe. I feel like that’s how I’ve had to navigate or think about my womanhood in a way.”
While Schafer didn’t use fragrance growing up, she was always around it. She remembers watching her mother get ready for church or dinner and the role scent played in that process. “She would come out of the bathroom all dressed up and smelling more elevated,” says Schafer. “And that was the transformation I witnessed at home. It was one of my first experiences with fragrance.” As she got older, Schafer would receive compliments on her scent when she used a certain shampoo or body lotion, and that’s when she realized that it was something that people noticed. It then became a power she wanted to harness. “Sometimes I like to think about getting ready for the day as putting on armor,” Schafer explains. “I feel like it’s a similar feeling as when I put a pair of heels on–I move differently. Fragrance is another extension of that; it’s another layer that you wear proudly.”
Co-created by Mugler’s creative director Casey Cadwallader, the Angel Elixir campaign plays with the same idea of transformation. Schafer saw her role in the campaign as a more heightened version of herself, rather than an entirely different character. “The world I’m in is very otherworldly so it was fun as far as imagining what the world of Angel Elixir looks like,” says Schafer. “And that’s where the scent comes in handy. I was able to visualize the world and the experience through smelling the fragrance.”
Schafer, known for her role as Jules on HBO Max’s Euphoria, has several projects on the horizon. In addition to her role in the upcoming horror film Cuckoo, Schafer will appear in Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming picture as well as the next chapter of the Hunger Games Franchise, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.When I asked her if she’s ever used fragrance to prepare for an acting role, Schafer said she hasn't started yet. “I have a friend who is playing two characters at once right now and we went fragrance shopping together,” she tells me. “She picked out two different fragrances for each of the characters she’s playing so she can use it as a mental tool to switch [between the two]. Scent is such a powerful tool even in acting. I can’t wait to try it.”