Back after a slightly longer than usual hiatus. I’m not giving up completely yet, at least for now.
I was planning to run this SQ around the (re)launch time, October 1st, but, you know, life happens. alityke’s post Diororiginals Diorella & Dune reminded me about that launch. I am sure that all of my current readers have seen this information already, but just in case, and so as not to assume and send even a single one of you chasing this news: a relatively new Dior Perfume Creative Director, Francis Kurkdjian, “restored” 13 classic Dior perfumes. I used quotation marks because even in a recreation project, they had to follow all the modern IFRA regulations. So, it’s not even expected that these recreated perfumes will be identical to their original formulations. But at least the idea was to make them as close as possible to how they were when originally released.
The collection consists of Diorella, Diorissimo, Dolce Vita, Forever and ever, Eau fraîche, Dioressence, Diorama, Diorling, Higher, Higher Energy, Jules, Dune and Dune pour Homme.
Saturday Question #305:
Are You Curious About Dioriginals?
Have you tried any of them already? Do you plan to? Is any of the recreated bunch among your current favorites, and are you considering buying this new version?
My Answer
Yes.
Would that have been funny had I stopped just there? But of course, I have things to say.
First, I’m actually very appreciative of the idea itself: I always thought that perfume houses should re-release their previously famous and beloved perfumes. Preferably in the original formulation – something like “a collector edition, for research” where the consumer acknowledges that they are buying those perfumes with ingredients that can, G-d forbid, cause a skin rash or induce a headache if applied, and promises not to use them if they find themselves to be allergic (OK, minus animal-harming ingredients – unlike when it comes to medication, I will live without perfumes or skincare if it means sparing lab animals). So, I’m happy that MFK decided to follow Estee Lauder‘s lead and re-release these iconic perfumes.
I am not sure whether this collection will be available anywhere nearby to try in a store, and currently no decanter sites offer samples. But as soon as that changes, I will try them. If I can find them at a store, I’ll try all of them. If I have to buy samples, I’ll probably go only for those that I previously knew and liked – Diorella (definitely!), Diorissimo, Diorling and Dioressence. I might be tempted to try Diorama, which I don’t think I’ve ever tried, and Dolce Vita, which I tried when it was first released and didn’t like, but it might be interesting to revisit it now.
I want to try these as soon as possible because, if I like any of them, I think there will be just a short period of time to get them before they are “re-imagined” again to save a couple of cents for investors.
How about you?
Oh yes I would love to smell these and, like you, Diorella and Diorissimo would be top of my list …. how I have missed the deep emeraldness of Diorissmo – the recent versions are watery, generic lily of the valley fragrances. I once had Diorama and Dior Dior, and now can’t remember which was which, so it would be good to sniff Diorama again to refresh my memory.
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I was surprised they didn’t do Dior Dior. As a child, I liked it the least of the three my mother had – Diorella, Miss Dior and Dior Dior, and I would have loved to be able to smell it now. But I’ll take what I can.
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They’re on my list to try for sure. I’m hoping for the brand to release a discovery set, but I think that’s wishful thinking. I’m interested in trying them all, but Jules and Diorella are the ones I’m most interested in sampling first.
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Had they released a discovery set or even a set of miniatures, I would have bought it unsniffed.
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WELCOME BACK Undina! I’ve been worried. So glad you’re back.
Was lucky enough to try nine of the 13 recreations last week with Scotty and some other friends. It was so interesting having two hard core perfumistas with three very low key fragrance lovers.
I bought Diorling and Dioressence on the spot. Diorella is on the list to buy when I’m cashed up again and they didn’t have Diorama yet.
The only two we found very far from the originals we’ve known and loved were Dune and Eau Fraiche. They are lovely but far removed from their past selves. I’m wondering if some air in the bottle will mellow them out, time will tell.
Interestingly Forever and Ever has already sold out in our store. I had it very early on but it was never a favourite. Someone whose nose I admire greatly told me how much she loved it, so I will give it a go next time I see it.
Portia xx
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This is a high endorsement from you! If I can’t try it before then, Diorella will be my Christmas gift for myself this year.
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I love Dune, have an older bottle, would be curious to see what the new one smells like. I would certainly sniff them all if I had access, I don’t have a lot of experience with the classic Diors. But living in Pittsburgh, can’t think of when I will have a chance, and I’m done chasing samples.
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Dune was a signature scent of one of my friends for many years. I liked it on her, but it absolutely didn’t work for me. I’ll revisit it now (and will suggest her husband to look into getting it for her).
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Yes, I’m very curious! I agree with your list. I wish they had included the original Miss Dior, which I also love. I’ve read good reviews of Dune and Dolce Vita.
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I was thinking about it: they shot themselves in the foot when they took Miss Dior name for Miss Dior Cherie. Since they already have Miss Dior Originalle, there wasn’t much space left without acknowledging that they “stole” that name for nothing else but marketing reasons.
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I don’t know much about this but I will definitely try them if I can find them. Dior lost it for me years ago when they murdered Miss Dior and turned it into a syrupy fruit salad. I loved Francis Kurkjdian’s stuff, at least in the early years, so I’m curious to see how they have reinterpreted these. Such a shame we can’t recreate the originals, verbatim.
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I also stopped following Dior closely after the story with Miss Dior. The irony is that I didn’t like MFK long time before that, and I never liked his perfumes for his own line. But I thought that his work for other brands was great. So, now I’m willing to give all these new old perfumes a chance.
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You feel about MFK like I feel about Tom Ford! Will these only be sold at Dior boutiques or will someplace like Neimans have them, do you think/?
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I missed out on the originals so it’s a blank slate for me, but I’m glad to see the positive reception of many of the reissues.
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It will be interesting to hear your take since it won’t be tainted by any memories or previous experiences.
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No, I don’t like what Kurkdjian has done with Dior Privees and I doubt that I would like any of his other work.
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I haven’t tried those (I think), so I’ll give these a try. But I understand from where you come.
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I can’t wait to get my nose on the entire Dioriginals Collection. It sounds like this could be a big win for Kurkdjian.
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For the sake of our join hobby, I hope it’ll be the case – even if it would mean a big boost to an already enormous MFK’s ego ;)
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I liked your idea of a “collector edition, for research” for the originals, and the point that even a careful recreation still has to follow modern IFRA rules, so it can’t be identical. It makes sense to only go for a few of the thirteen once samples show up. Of the thirteen, which one would you be most nervous about, in the sense that the restored version might lose what made the original special?
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