Lily James reveals unique acting method as she poses in stunning new campaign

The actress, who is the face of new perfume My Burberry Black in her first global campaign for the prestigious British brand, spoke of her unique technique and how it helped her on Downton Abbey.

The star – who poses topless in the stunning campaign images – said: “Every character I do I wear a different fragrance. It started because I went on a holiday and I wore a scent as a teenager and then I came back, and whenever I sprayed that perfume I felt like I was back on holiday.

“Also when I was shooting Downton Abbey, each year when I went back I would spray the perfume I was like, ‘Oh, Lady Rose is back!’.”

Lily, 27, also explained how she used the scent-based method to help while on-stage as Juliet in London’s Garrick Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

She added: “I try to use very different fragrances dependent on the character. In Romeo and Juliet I wore the My Burberry Eau De Toilette scent because it’s sort of light and floral and spring-like. It suited Juliet. And Romeo liked it, score!”

The stunning actress, who rose to international fame as Lady Rose in hit ITV period drama Downton Abbey, has also said she is “excited” to be following in the footsteps of other Burberry models such as Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

She gushed: “It’s incredible. I really look up to them, they are such beautiful human beings, but also amazing women, and they’re all really cool, like real people; real women. I just feel really proud and excited to be a part of that family.”

Lily has also become known as quite the fashion star, never letting herself down with her variety of beautiful red-carpet ensembles.

However, the War & Peace actress does not think she has a particular defining style, and also favours simple outfits.

“My all-time outfit is probably wearing a Burberry trench – I have an amazing blue silk lightweight one – over a simple outfit. Anything really, whether it’s a little dress or jeans and a t-shirt,” she revealed.

“My special occasion outfit is probably dungarees. I’ve got a new red silk [pair of] dungarees that you can wear out. It’s nice for me to be dressed up but still wearing dungarees!”

As the ambassador for Burberry’s heady new scent, for which she was shot by famed fashion photographer Mario Testino under the direction of the fashion house’s chief creative and chief executive officer Christopher Bailey, Lily is passionate about the perfume and its many layers.

“My favourite note in the fragrance is this kind of, amber, jasmine feel,” the star said.

“It makes it feel very sensual, and there’s a lightness and a darkness to the fragrance; it’s really appealing. It feels intense and stormy.”

Lily appears naked but for a pair of briefs in the campaign image, with a black trench coat bearing the iconic heritage Burberry print in the lining draped around her.

She explained the reasoning behind the campaign and how it relates to the scent, adding: “It’s sort of designed to be like wearing a black trench naked on the skin. It’s very sensual.

“The perfumer described the scent as an English garden after a storm. You have those smells, they’re really potent – jasmine, peach and rose.”