IRL is better, MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS appoints Fred & Farid to lead communications for the launch of its first New York boutique

Marc-Antoine Barrois, Parisian couture and haute perfumery maison, radical and sincere, defined by a physical relationship to luxury, has always known that true luxury cannot be captured; it must be lived. In that spirit, the Maison has entrusted Fred & Farid with the communications for the opening of its New York boutique: a campaign that pushes back against the noise of social media to bring people back to what matters, presence, reality, and the lived experience of the Maison.

Conceived as an anti–social media activation, the campaign borrows the language of platforms only to invite audiences to step away from them, making IRL (In Real Life) the ultimate luxury experience. Rather than relying on the usual playbook for retail launches, Fred & Farid has imagined a series of minimalist statements deployed as social posts and targeted guerrilla interventions across New York: direct, measured messages designed to interrupt the scroll, reposition IRL as the new object of desire, and ultimately anchor that desire to a precise address: Marc-ANTOINE BARROIS, 120 Wooster Street, New York.

Building on this approach, the IRL is Better campaign rolled out across New York throughout April 2026, combining street-level activation with digital amplification.

From April 1 to 30, more than 30 strategic locations were activated across SoHo through a wild posting campaign, with a minimum of four posters per site. A repeated, almost obsessive presence designed to embed the message into the urban landscape and create gradual familiarity.

A private opening event brought the launch to life, extending the experience into a more intimate setting, in close proximity to the Maison’s community.

In the streets, the campaign took on a performative dimension: for one week, a violinist played at the base of the posters, capturing attention and turning exposure into a lived moment. At his feet, an open suitcase held IRL is Better postcards, handed out to passersby as tangible fragments of the campaign.

This logic of embodiment extended to every detail: custom sweatshirts and keychains were created for the teams, allowing the message to circulate beyond traditional media.

Marc-Antoine Barrois, Founder & Creative Director

“New York is a city that moves at full speed. That is precisely why I wanted our boutique to exist at a different rhythm. Perfume is an art of closeness: it reveals itself on skin, in the air, in the spaces we choose to move through. This opening is an invitation to experience the Maison differently, to let reality do what no screen ever can.”

Frédéric Raillard, Founder & Chairman, Fred & Farid

“Social media has taught brands to chase audiences. We chose something else: presence. The idea was to create a small amount of friction,just enough to make you look up. In luxury today, attention isn’t captured. It’s earned.”

With a decade of experience in Haute Couture working alongside Dominique Sirop and Jean-Paul Gaultier, Marc-Antoine Barrois established his own Couture House – an independant venue where he crafts expectional bespoke garments, unleashing his creative talent. Since 2016, his creative world has also embrassed Haute Perfumery, collaborating with his friend, perfumer Quentin Bisch. Together, they shared a free spirit and radical creativity. In 2016, Marc-Antoine Barrois launched his first fragrance B683 ​
​ – an ode to childhood and asteroid from the Little Prince noted and distributed at Colette in Paris. Three years later, he unveiled Ganymède and invented a never-before-smelled accord : leather mineral, which became iconic and earned multiple industry awards. This was followed by ENCELADE, Ganymède Extrait, and the Maison’s first floral fragrance TILIA, the scent of happiness and an endless summer. In 2025, the duo Marc-Antoine and Quentin Bisch are taking on a new challenge, encapsulating optimism in a fresh and captivating fragrance ALDEBARAN, which premiered at the Design Salon in Milan, as part of a unique artistic and immersive installation. This installation was subsequently awarded the prize for best installation at Milan Design Week/ Fuorisalone. 2025 also saw the launch of a line of elegant, timeless white shirts. Imbued with poetry and utopia, Marc-Antoine Barrois’ singular creations are true to his signature: exceptional, sincere and respectful.