The legendary perfumer Edmond Roudnitska created
Diorama, his earliest work for Dior, (and the second perfume for the House of Dior) in 1949- spicy fruity chypre. That began the start of their wonderful friendship.
Diorissimo was created in 1956, a new signature, an ode to spring and to Christian Dior’s favorite “fetish” flower… muguet (lily of the valley). It is forever known as the perfume of May 1st, May Day. It is said that Mr. Dior so loved lily of the valley that he would slip a sprig in the hem of each dress. Sadly, one year after its creation by Edmond Roudnitska Christian Dior passed away in 1957, it is believed that his coffin with thousands of lily of the valley bouquets. In 1967, Edmond Roudnitska composed the most iconic men’s fragrance of the 20th century,
Eau Sauvage, a realistic citrus cologne with a synthetic ingredient called hedione, that smelled of jasmine and was rumored to contain pheromones that attract women. It set a new standard for what men should smell like, elegant and sophisticated.
Diorella, also by Edmond Roudnistka was launched in 1972, considered one of the perfumer’s favorites, was different than most Dior perfumes for women, a fruity, musky floral that uses mint and basil that lends it a “not for women only” vibe.
Dior launched the “scentsational” men’s fragrance
Farenheit in 1988. Warm and cool all at once, with notes of leather, nutmeg and cedar, it smelled vaguely of violets setting up the game-changing Dior Homme which would be released in 2005.
A perfume that women love so much, Dior named a line of lipsticks for it and emulated its tall blue bottle with a silver stopper,
Dior Addict debuted in 2002. Dior addict is a luscious orange blossom, jasmine and vanilla creation by who would become the future inhouse perfumer for Guerlain, Thierry Wasser. Its bold name veered from the norm, and implies dependance and compulsion.
2004 brought
Dior Poison, with its memorable name. Would women buy a perfume that hinted at the forbidden? The ad campaign, with its deep purples and viperous greens hinted at the jus inside-:” Poison Is my Potion.” A ground breaking tuberose, it is often imitated but never duplicated, Dior Poison empowered women to smell differently than the standard fresh clean scents of the time.
Flowers for men? In 2005,
Dior Homme, composed by Jaquez Polge used iris in a masculine fragrance, a flower that was considered to be “for women.” So that it was easier for men to accept, leather, lavender and vetiver were the backdrop for its heart of orris.
On the cusp of a new century,
J’Adore (a play on Dior and I Love it) was launched in 1999-a tribute to Christina Dior’s love of flowers. Its commercial success was instantaneous. Composed by master perfumer Calice Becker, Dior J’Adore is a pillar fragrance for the brand that paved the way and set the standard for all other fruity florals, a category that would become one of the most popular in women’s perfumes for more than twenty years. Dior J’Adore is one of the top sellers of the Dior line, and it is instantly recognized by its gold ringed bottle.
Since 2006, Christian Dior Perfumes brought perfume making and composing in-house, with French perfumer Francois Demachy creating all the fragrances for men and women, a position he holds today. Mr. Demachy carries out the tradition of launching scent with style and innovation, yet with a nod to the past. Fine ingredients and the highest standard of luxury continue to be the hallmarks of Dior.
In 2015, the house of DIOR revamped and modernized the great classic Eau Savage with the introduction of SAUVAGE by DIOR. It is the most successful masculine release to date. With notes of bergamot, Sichuan pepper and geranium, it brought a fresh, clean scent to a younger demographic that feels contemporary and is easy to wear, whether you are savage or not. Johnny Depp represented the fragrance and even with its controversial commercials where he roams the desert, sales continue to skyrocket
The face of Jennifer Lawrence is now synonymous with
Dior Joy, which debuted in 2018. Exuberant, playful and youthful, JOY by DIOR was composed to capture the interplay of light- the warm caress of citrus, like liquid sun on soft musky skin, and the serenity of woods. Sparkling, unpretentious and uplifting, Dior Joy was created for a new generation of Dior perfume wearers.
