Dior Dior

The widespread reverence for Roudnitska could be attributed to his being slyly iconoclastic within the scaffolding of classical structure. This is no more evident than in his notorious commercial failure that is now deemed by many to be his artistic meridian: Dior Dior. He draws on Femme prunol, peach lactones, overripe melon, the poetic dew of muguet, and a Miss Dior slug of moss. Dispatched by some aldehydes that will bite your granny, Dior Dior does not apologize for its fierce assertion. It isn't exactly pure as driven snow, as this narcissus manages to belt even over the rebellious bitter, dusty crescendo of its heart. I purchased my bottle sealed, and was a bit concerned by its color, but I make no mistake by saying that there is almost nothing here that suggests fractured carbon chains and sunburnt-turnt (Dominique Deveraux would not complain of burned champagne here). I also want to add that, in spite of what seems to be a hodgepodge of his past works, make no mistake: he did not overcomplicate here, as this brilliant amalgam still manages to come out as a staggering distillation of his genius. I must add that I even detect the sweaty-citrus-leather of Eau d'Hermes making a cameo appearance here. I will concur with others that this is a lost treasure.

Top notes: peach, prune, cumin, bay oil, honeysuckle, aldehydes. Middle notes: jasmine, jonquil, rose, tuberose, lilac, narcissus, carnation, lily of the valley. Base notes: oakmoss, sandalwood, amber, leather, civet. Taken from Cleopatra’s Boudoir, this is the most accurate and complete set of notes there is for Dior Dior. In a nutshell, this lost and forgotten Roudnitska complex perfume, misunderstood back then and even now, is an amalgam of previous Dior’s, rolled into one; you have the LOTV from Diorissimo, the melon/jasmine fresh funk of Diorella, the animalic leather of Miss Dior, the peachy milkiness of Diorama, all dazzled in 70’s disco funk. Prim and proper like any classy Dior but also more bohemian, more aloof and infinitely more modern, just like the times. I believe the reason it flopped was because customers weren’t accustomed to such modernity from a house like Christian Dior and the ones who wanted the ‘theme du jour’ in perfume would turn to other hippier brands. In a way, this ties perfectly with something like Vu. Dioressence, which got a small face lift in 1979, would revisit this funky new style with different ingredients to slightly better success. Double Dior is a lost gem that culminates Edmond’s genius! A masterpiece!

@Bevren, Dior Dior isn't terribly difficult to find though at this point nearly as pricey as many (arguably lower quality) current niches etc. Like many frags it's generally as good now as ever. I know because I wore it then and wear it now. As a non aldehydic with it's particular base materials and lack of heavy citrus (and it's only early 70s not the 40s) unless it was left out on a dresser in the sun or a humid bathroom for a lifetime it's not one that goes off easily. I wear it out on the regular and get nothing but compliments (and I'm not going out wearing anything even remotely turned, you can believe it) I wouldn't recommend a vintage Diorissimo - they're often at least leaning towards some funk if not half or fully turned/negatively changed. Dior Dior however is an above average fragrance when it comes to lasting through time (again at least partly dependent always on good storage techniques, bottle fullness as lots of headspace contributes negatively to many juices aging) *P.S.* You'd be surprised how many of us who were alive and wearing great perfume in the 70s are still alive, with working brains & bodies! I'm not the only one here who has been wearing & collecting perfumes since the early 70s. :,-)

Dior Dior is an absolute beauty, a real treasure which seems a world away from the style of perfumery we see today. At its core, this scent is a beautifully smooth and soapy white floral, with elements of lust hiding just underneath the surface. The magnificent trio of narcissus, Lily of the valley and Jasmine is what leads the composition, creating this intensely leafy, soapy and slightly green feel. The flowers feel tangible, as though the petals you are smelling are right there - a pattern I seem to notice a lot with older perfumes. The addition of aldehydes furthers this soapiness even further, whilst a base of moss and woods creates this element of darkness whilst simultaneously inspiring this image of walking through a forest densely populated with beautiful flowers. This is one of the harder perfumes to find when it comes to vintage Dior, and for good reason. This lesser-known scent is to die for, and if you ever find a bottle at a good price do not hesitate to take advantage of it.

Thank goodness I'm not alone in my fond memories of this fragrance. Well, fond is far to mild a word. I found it rich and subtle at the same time. I could liken it to the difference between a Bentley and a Rolls Royce, the Rolls being flashy, eg (J'Adore, Private Collection, etc), the Bentley (ie, Dior Dior. Though there is no similarity to the fragrances, to me, it is in the same class as Joy (another of my top fragrances). Though it is 'well-behaved' it has hints of the exotic and naughty. I have no idea of layers of fragrance or the ingredients but I have a sensitive and accurate nose. Dior Dior is pure pleasure to me. I so wish they would produce it again. And I'm also pleased to learn there are others who love it too. With all the 'throw-away-smells' that I can't bring myself to call fragrances (see celebrity(!) smells), I wish someone would realise in this digital age, that there is a worldwide market for the eclectic and a huge distribution network isn't necessary. Rant over!!

A wonderfully balanced entry in the Roudnitska fruity chypre stable. In Dior Dior, in particular, I found a doughy, powdery orris root that enhanced the already plush and velvety qualities of the scent. Other than what felt like a more prominent orris note, it has all the beautiful elements his other works--the peachy, fruity Prunol of Femme and Diorama, the green floralcy of Diorella, the animalic cumin and inky and slightly sour oakmoss of all of those. They're all truly masterpieces in their own right and work for ever so slightly different occasions, but I actually find Dior Dior to be maybe the most well balanced or at least the most versatile. Diorella feels like a sweaty, humid summer day. Diorama's fruits are riper and sweeter and can overtake the other elements of the scent. Dior Dior balances all of those hallmark elements in a notable balancing act.

I have always wondered about Dior Dior being discontinued. Maybe Dior was more into refined elegance back in the years than today with their aggressive fashion. Dior Dior is the least aggressive perfume in the world. I used it when I was sixteen and it was a dream. I still have the almost empty bottle which I love to sniff every now and then. It is a green flower scent with a powerful lasting power without being overwhelming. It's a scent that would be perfect in an office, during a walk in the forest, a dinner with a handsome man, a ball at the ambassador's. I really really would love to have it marketed again. One can only hope.

Review is a side-by-side comparison of parfum against the eau de toilette. Richer than Diorella. It's woodier, more bitter and with a pronounced lilac note. Whereas Diorella is more on the watery side with hefty lemon and melon, this one is more full-bodied with less fruits. The parfum is vivacious, deeper and has that fermented quality to it. I think that the eau de toilette has a more pronounced base and is more clear with its purpose whereas the parfum is more concentrated, syrupy; symphonic. Both are beautiful, get them if you have the chance.

It's like a "Can't get you out of my head.."-thing, I bought this beautiful perfume first time at Gatwick airport back in 1984, and than my mum, now 91, dying her own hair and painting her nails, going on clubs and washing her own floors, gave me a bottle of this juice in 2014, It's a vintage, 1/2 left in the 60ml bottle, and it smells absolutely wondeful after all these ys, and, it smells so gorgeous on my skin!!! But, l must say, this perfume is not for everybody, but perfect for vintage lovers as myself. 12/10. And, will buy again!!!

I wore Eau Sauvage without knowing what I was spraying throughout the 80s, I knew I loved it and it was my only and genuine signature scent for years and years. Many years later I've discovered the delights of the Dior back catalogue, and Dior-Dior is close to the best fragrance ever crafted. Everything is there, the dirty zing of Eau Sauvage, the alluring naughty fruit of Diorella, the luxury of Diorama. I've smelled all the Roudnitska's but this is the masterpiece for me, the one that just sings to me.

I have a tiny little flacon of the Parfum. It's so classy. So elegant. A piece of history. I will keep looking for more but the discontinuation has made it a rarity and prices reflect this. I'll probably never use what I have. It's too precious. I can imagine my grand mother in France dabbing this on her neck sat at her dressing table with all her solid silver brushes around her. There is something magical when I smell it. Almost takes me back in time.

How can all these people talk about a scent that disappeared in 1976? And even if they can acquire it now, surely it will never again smell like it did back then?

Certainly has that Edmond Roudnitska touch. Amazing that this was never a popular fragrance.

It was made in accordance with the aldehyde trend, but it was too late, and it was only released in 1976. I think the prime time for aldehyde perfumes was probably between 1920 and 1930. Out of high interest in Edmond Roudnitaka (he is one of my most admired master perfumers), I bought the EDT version, which is larger in volume, instead of Parfum. Dior-Dior with autumn charm has the most distinct salty fragrance in Diorella, the top notes are lost due to the aging of the liquid, leaving only a nostalgic bottom note. White soap, then a mild jasmine sweetness and smoked oakmoss (woody), the Dior-Dior base is somewhat powdery, similar to leather, and contains animal components. The yellowed photo film deep in the warehouse was suddenly exposed to sunlight. It probably feels like this. Dior-Dior seems darker, duller and slower than Diorella shades. Youth is fleeting, and if I was in my 80s and suddenly turned to a photo that I thought was lost, a long time ago, I think I would have a feeling close to melancholy. I'm familiar with the spice and the oily smell that I know is Edmond Roudnitaka's creation. But I'm not as crazy about Dior-Dior as I love Diorella. As Edmond Roudnitaka said, rich does not equal complexity. Edmond Roudnitaka has indeed demonstrated through his perfumes for Dior that "just a few elements are enough to create a considerable level and depth." This is his core fragrance philosophy.

When I was a teenager and had just started working in town, there was a little perfume store across the road. I would visit in my lunch hour, sampling, lingering and dreaming. The ladies probably got sick of me hanging around... oh no here she comes again!!! Dior Dior is one of the first perfumes I bought there. I have both the Parfum and Eau De Toilette (unfortunately, the contents of the Eau have almost evaporated away). I still have the small bottle of Parfum nestling in its velvety box. Both are still lovely.. a soft timeless fragrance. I also wish I could describe notes and layers but Im not very good with these things. I can pick up obvious things like rose, musk, lemon etc from a perfume if they stand up and shout at me, but Dior Dior is not like that. Of course its not, it is too refined to shout... daydreams, soft pillows, bubblebath, clean towels, sunshine, linen dresses, flowered sunhats, picnics in spring... a Monet painting.

I have a tiny vintage eau de toilette, not sure if it has been diluted somewhere along its 40yr + path to my possession but here goes: better than Diorissimo. If Diorama is similar - a cousin -to Diorella then Dior Dior is a cousin to Diorissimo. I like it better however, its smoother, the lily of the valley note is not as prominent (with Diorissimo its on a verge to turn screechy on my physiology). I am under the impression that many French perfumes in the past were designed to sit on clothes (aka spray into the air and then walk through it) whereas now its skin based so something to think about with Dior Dior. Its well blended,soapy, difficult to hone into individual notes. Personally whereas I might splash out cash for a vintage Diorama, Dior Dior is of educational interest only. Perfectly pleasant, beautifully blended, quality but just not outstanding enough. Then again I might think differently if I had access to a genuine, sealed article.

Fragrance Review For Dior Dior Christian Dior Top Notes Aldehydes Lilac Jasmine Middle Notes Lily of the Valley Narcissus Base Notes Woods Oak Moss Amber From '76, and from the great nose Edmond Roudnitska, at the height of the 70's with it's special interest in saving the earth, green peace and earthy chypre fragrances for both men and women, Dior Dior is a ravishing concoction of fall florals and autumn woods. This is classic French perfumery at it's finest. Although it's simpler and more linear as a chypre floral than say Balmain's Vent Vert, or Ivoire de Balmain, it has more in common with Aliage by Estee Lauder. The spray bottle is quite antique looking and attractively vintage. My friend's mother in Ermenonville outside of Paris had this in her collection. I took a whiff of it and asked my girlfriend Lysette whom I have been spending time with during Paris Fashion Week, if she knew where in Paris I could find it and buy it. She had one in her own collection which she had not been using and she presented it to me as a gift. This is some gift. There is a breathtaking moment when the white florals turn to green notes of moss and then woodsy that it smells like a French forest, and the soapiness and elegance of this scent is enchanting. It evokes Belle from Beauty and the Beast. All it needed was that single rose she asked her merchant father for, the rose that cost so dearly when he stole it from the Beast's castle garden. A gorgeous autumnal perfume. The first spritz is aldehydes and nothing but. So if you are comfortable wearing aldehydes and like it, this is an old time aldehyde opening. Fresh and sharp, without any citrus, just pure aroma chemical of alcoholic perfumery. It is very old fashioned like a Chanel No. 5 without the neroli or citrus notes, and more like Joy by Patou. The floral notes appear early on. A lilac and perhaps a violet, definitely a purple floral with a tart taste. Then jasmine embraces the subsequent white florals: narcissus and lily of the valley. The lily of the valley is the dominant floral note. This is not the same lily of the valley as the more well known Diorissimo which fans of Dior vintages would have liked, or even fans of the formulas of Roudnitska but there is a slight nod to Diorissimo because it's essentially a green floral lily garden scent. But whereas Diorissimo was the spring, Dior Dior is the fall. The dry notes are woods with something like cedar and sandalwood, and nondescript woods that smell very dry and very much like a wooden cabin. This is not unisex or masculine in it's woodsy aroma. Lacking in animal notes of musk or leather, it's an almost powdery dry down of light woods. The amber tree is glorious. If you like amber notes the amber in this scent is very pronounced. Finally the fragrance is redolent with green moss. The oak moss is much bigger than in any of the old Diors I've experienced. This is a beautiful nostalgic note that makes me wish that more perfumers and noses would use oak moss in their formulas. A very calming and soothing oak moss. This is a walk in the forest in the autumn when leaves change color and narcissus flowers and jasmine in France are visible. This is so beautiful. Sophisticated, classy, French, mature, lady-like, and glamorous. This is a fragrance of the night. It smells best in formal wear, either dark pine green gowns or black or midnight blue. The aldehydes give it that glamorous air, but the florals and the woods can also be worn in the day time as a dressy semi-formal. It has a motherly presence as well. The scent is also suited to wear to Church, baptisms, graduations, and weddings. Dior has another winner in this fragrance. It seems to have wanted to compete with other green chypre florals of the period including Charlie by Revlon, Chanel No 19 and or Cristal. Everything you like in a big perfume is here. Super sillage and longevity. An all day all night perfume. A class act in a lovely bottle.

The ’70s was the decade of the sequel and the greatest hits album. It’s as if the late ’60s had used up the cultural capacity for new ideas and reiteration was the new innovation. As the name implies, Dior Dior favored repetition over novelty. All members of Edmond Roudnitska’s citrus chypre family trace their roots to the voluptuous stone fruit chypres Femme and Diorama, but Dior Dior is better viewed against the other citrus chypres: Moustache, Eau Fraîche, Eau d’Hermès, le Parfum de Thérèse. Roudnitska investigated the fruity chypre, pulling a hint of decay from the common ground of overripe fruit and mature flowers. Dior Dior owes much to the two perfumes that directly preceded it. You can smell whole pieces of Eau Sauvage and Diorella while wearing Dior Dior. The fruit is fresher than Diorella’s half-decayed melon and despite a hefty dose of moss, Dior Dior is more straight-laced than Eau Sauvage. The lemon/aldehyde pairing recreates Eau Sauvage’s mouth-watering lemon-drop but overall Dior Dior resembles Diorella. It shares Diorella’s general shape, but squeezes it into a girdle to suppress any errant curves. With a brighter fruit note and cleaner florals Dior Dior comes off as more prim than its siblings. Compared to Diorella’s sultriness and easy virtue, and Eau Sauvage’s cruisy Playboy After Dark vibe, Dior Dior is a prig. The hint of skank tempers Dior Dior’s coloratura topnotes, but only *just*. If Diorella reflected a chic, offbeat style, Dior Dior suited a debutante. First impressions matter. The lemony shine and choir of aldehydes create a peppy, Anita Bryant/Up-With-People cheerfulness that seems at odds with the turned-fruit styles of chypre that Roudnitska developed over the years. ‘Cultural’ tone aside, Dior Dior is an excellent example of Roudnitska’s pursuit of simplicity. In his discussion of the art of perfumery he espoused the belief that richness doesn’t require complexity. His sumptuous perfumes were apparently the result of succinct formulae. Generating plush perfumes from concise composition might appear counterintuitive, but Roudnitska proved his point. His perfumes couldn’t rightly be called minimalist but they all have a feeling of perfect balance. Elements that don’t contribute to a perfume’s central goal have been edited out and the central olfactory ideas are diamond-like. In this respect, Dior Dior is classic Roudnitska. from scenthurdle.com

Launched in 1976, shortly before the Dior parent company declared bankruptcy, Dior Dior was discontinued quickly, and was not reissued in a Les Créations de Monsieur Dior reformulation in 2009-10, which is probably for the best. Not too long ago, I acquired a vintage “pebble” sample bottle of Dior Dior, and I did side-by-side comparisons of Dior Dior and some great near-contemporary, chypre or chypre florals, testing all of them in the vintage parfum formulation: Y YSL (1964), Givenchy III (1970), Scherrer by Scherrer (1979). I love all of these and wear them often. I should say at the outset that none of these are exactly like Dior Dior but they are similar in feeling. I am comparing them as a kind of consolatory exercise. In the opening, Dior Dior is gentler than both Givenchy III and Scherrer, which both begin with bracing jolts of galbanum (a note I love). Dior Dior and Y share a more tender opening, but Y is definitely floral and rosy at its start, while Dior Dior offers quite a lot of bergamot tartness. Dior Dior's lily of the valley note is also distinctive, a nod to Roudnitska's love for that flower. Meanwhile, Givenchy III's narcissus is sweetly blooming at the beginning, but over time, Dior Dior's narcissus opens up, and in their middle stages, these scents smell quite similar, although GIII has a much stronger narcissus presence, along with a spiciness that Dior Dior lacks. Dior Dior also features the warm peach Prunol that Roudnitska ladled into his vintage Femme. Y and Givenchy III seem to have touches of Prunol as well, while Scherrer steers clear of any fruitiness. Dior Dior is described as a "woody floral" but I find this aspect very soft. Of the four, I would say it is Givenchy III that delivers the most woods and incense in the drydown. I do try not to get obsessed with Dior Dior. I was very eager to try it, acquired my infinitesimally tiny bottle, and found that I like it very much (quelle surprise!). I tell myself that I have some excellent alternatives, in large quantity, all very beautiful. Of course, if a larger bottle of Dior Dior appeared for me, I would snatch it up with both hands immediately! P.S. This is a real review, by a real person, who has really smelled this vintage perfume.

1976: I had just arrived in Nantes in France to spend some weeks at the Institut Universitaire de Technologie. I was young, loved make up and perfumes and found this newly released perfume from Dior. Every day I went to Galaries Lafayettes to spray on just a little bit. It wasn't available in London and it was quite expensive but it just smelled expensive and gorgeous. I bought a bottle just before I left and still have the empty bottle in its box. It ranks as my most favourite perfume ever perhaps along with Chamade by Guerlain which is another story. Great memories of my young days!!! Perfect full bodied scent that was flowery but didn't smell of flowers, deep - that you wanted to take a full breath in and it lasted so long that you just wanted to keep smelling that part of skin. I come across the bottle every now and then and smile. Bring it back Dior! Sorry if I am not describing the layers and particular notes blame that on my memory and the bottle not giving off quite that perfect smell anymore!

Dior-Dior starts to bloom almost immediately on the skin - the lily-of-the-valley, jasmine, and narcissus are very soft, plush, and luxurious, and these carry and carry. These initial wafts are like sniffing a bouquet with a perfect balance of each floral note. It's like a bed of flowers was deconstructed, then put back together in perfect harmony in this perfume. It starts to take on a soft, creamy feel, not vanillic, but buttery, oily, slightly resinous perhaps, which gives some weight to the florals. Hints of oakmoss start to come through, just enough to balance, but it stays fairly subtle. There is neither too little nor too much of anything here and the blend is seamless. The perfumer has taken a few simple, beautiful notes and made them into a gorgeous, elegant gem of a perfume. It's uplifting, refined, inviting, and profoundly lovely.

1976 I was first year design university student. One weekend I was entering countries most elegant department store when Dior Dior was launched and scent samples was given to every visitor. It was the moment of lifelong pond! I would not use any other perfume if DD would be available, extremely elegant, northern forests have a tiny orchid which has this celestial scent, I noted to get increasing creativity and self trust (!!!) using DD. As many of you say it does not stuff you and it remains extremely pleasant on your skinn until the last molecule. Guzzi 1 or 3 had slightly the same elegance. I have bought many perfumes in the passed years, the first note might be quite nice but after a while basic notes are causing nausea, so I can not use them - right it goes to the bin.

@LittleBunnyFouFou, I have also been wearing and collecting fragrances since the 1970's, we've seen a lot of changes over the years but I'm so glad to have a noseful of experience and appreciation, we had the best of it. Not to mention the incredible drug store fragrances if we were light in the wallet - Cachet, O de London, Sea Jade, Chantilly, Geminesse, Masumi...the list goes on. I'm wearing Dior Dior today, similar to Mitsouko and Rochas Femme ( unsurprisingly) to my nose, it's dusty and leathery, the sort of thing you'd spray on occasion on a rainy afternoon when you're feeling a little nostalgia is in order. Challenging to those who only know modern fragrances but if you ever get the opportunity to try this old classic, do, if only for educational purposes.

My grandmother wore it, in fact I tested it several times. She bought it in 1990, the same bottle of this site. I tested Miss Dior and Poison from this year (two marvellous and iconic fragances from the first glorious Dior seasons) Dior Dior goes in the same vein of Halston Cologne or Royal Bain by Caron. I dare to say it could be a First by Van Cleef & Arpels COLOGNE.

I only have vague memories of what this actually smelled like, but I know it did make me feel elegant and sophisticated - not sweet, floral light. It was lovely... sad that these are gone

I actually have a bottle of Dior Dior eau de toilette that is still sealed in the original box. Y’all are really tempting me to open it but I feel like I shouldn’t!

I have a 216ml backup bottle of this masterpiece available If anyone wants one send me a private message thanks

If you know what year this was discontinued(approximately), please post here. Thanks

Lütfen bu parfümü yeniden üretin.Unutulmaz bir koku.