If there ever were a brand I’d love to see back on top of the fragrance game, it would be Dior. Recent years have seen a marked decline in quality at the house. By a decline in quality, I’m talking specifically about their fragrance arm and what I perceive to be a need for more creativity in their releases. They’ve slipped down the fragrance pecking order well below the likes of Chanel and Guerlain. And since Francis Kurkdjian took over as the in-house perfumer, the brand has been spinning its wheels.
What’s Kurkdjian given us so far? Well, a few re-releases in the higher-end collection (Eau Noire, Cologne Blanche & Bois d’Argent), a shampoo-like J’Adore flanker, and very little else. And, I wouldn’t call those perfumes Kurkdjian redid as part of the La Collection Privée new. Eau Noire is now a watered-down shell of its former self. So, if you disregard these re-releases, it’s virtually nothing. There’s a new version of New Look on the market at the time of writing. I’m yet to try it. Initial reviews aren’t good, though. The only other fragrance I can think of is Dioriviera (the one actual original release), a nice freshie but hardly the sort of thing I’d be shelling out big bucks for.
Francis Kurkdjian took the reins in 2021. That’s an eternity in this day and age in the perfume game. There’s probably been 5000+ new fragrances in that time, but no new men’s or women’s pillars from Dior. Doesn’t he want to make a mark and imprint his signature on the brand? Perhaps it’s good that they’re taking their time with the new pillar releases. Might they wow us with something extraordinary? I used to look forward to the days of something new from the house. But now I go in with such low expectations that I’m no longer disappointed when I smell something banal.
I’m confident Dior can do it if they want. The track record is there. They’ve given us some classics over the years. One example is the diesel-fueled Fahrenheit from the 80s. I still have a bottle (circa 2010 vintage) and seem in the minority, but I like the current formulation. Others, like 2005’s Dior Homme, changed the face of masculine perfumery. And the line came with some fabulous flankers, not least the 2008 version of Dior Homme Sport. I’ve bought backups of these perfumes over the years, but I wouldn’t consider buying any Dior Homme fragrances in their current state.
On the women’s side, the brand gave us one of the most memorable scents of all time in Poison. And, it, in turn, spawned many flankers. In the early 90s, Dune ruled. It is still in reasonable shape in its current formulation, I think. In the late 90s, the dewy, fruity, floral freshness of J’Adore became a hit. Going back in time, how could we forget the innovative Edmond Roudnitska and his classics, Diorissimo and Diorella?
Their higher-end collection used to be one of the standard bearers with perfumes such as Leather Oud, the original Eau Noire, Mitzah, Vetiver, and my favorite, Ambre Nuit, a match for the likes of Chanel, Hermes, and Guerlain. However, its dilution into a vague, watery mix of fruity florals that smell like something that should be much cheaper is saddening. As mentioned above, I’ve yet to try their latest New Look. Its amalgam of incense and aldehydes sounds interesting on paper, but the proof will be in the pudding.
So, Monsieur Kurkdjian and Dior, it’s time for something new and innovative – a new look, as it were, to put it into Dior terms. Part of the issue is that the cash registers at the Dior beauty counters are ticking over just fine, as most people seem to love Sauvage and Joy. So, why should the brand change it up? It’s a business, and the brand’s bottom line is thriving by playing it safe. But surely the success of those hits can be used as a springboard to give us perfume freaks something more interesting to sink our teeth and noses into. I won’t be holding my breath, though.
Do you enjoy any of Dior’s latest perfumes? I think the last thing I purchased from Dior was over six years ago! Are there any brands you hope can pull themselves out of the doldrums and release something engaging/more creative in 2024?
All the pictures are my own.
