Note: Please understand that this website is not affiliated with the Christian Dior company in any way, it is only a reference page for collectors and those who have enjoyed the Dior fragrances.


The goal of this website is to show the present owners of the Christian Dior company how much we miss the discontinued classics and hopefully, if they see that there is enough interest and demand, they will bring back the perfume!


Please leave a comment below (for example: of why you liked the perfume, describe the scent, time period or age you wore it, who gave it to you or what occasion, any specific memories), who knows, perhaps someone from the company might see it.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Miss Dior by Christian Dior c1947

Miss Dior by Christian Dior: launched in 1947. Created by perfumers Jean Carles and Paul Vacher, it met with immediate success.




The Idea:


Dior put his love of things British to good commercial use and came up with a name, "Miss Dior." after his younger sister, Catherine. The fragrance itself was conceived by Christian and his childhood friend, Serge Heftler-Louiche, whom was a manager for Coty perfumes for twenty five years and owned a perfume distribution company SFD. Dior later made him the director of Parfums Dior.

It was said that Dior held samples under the noses of every woman he knew and they hated it, probably because it was such a unique and strong fragrance for the time. But, Dior was undeterred, he was convinced of the perfume's quality and gave the production the go ahead.

France Actuelle, reported that Dior had only sold exactly 150 bottles of Miss Dior in 1947, but in 1967,  Parfums Dior sold 9,000,000 of its fragrance articles. The book Fashions in the Forties states that "In the first year a small factory of six hands produced 283 bottles (twenty-five years later eleven million bottles were being turned out by the 700 employees of Dior Perfumes Ltd)."

The houndstooth design for the box came a few days later, at Victor Grandpierre's suggestion, inspired by one of the fabrics in the collection.



Original Fragrance Composition:


So what does it smell like? It was originally classified as an aldehydic chypre fragrance for women made up of 350 different ingredients. It starts with a green aldehydic top, followed by a narcotic floral heart, resting on a warm, woody, mossy base.
  • Top notes: peach, aldehydes, galbanum, cyclamen, honeysuckle, bergamot, hyacinth, clary sage, gardenia, elderberry, reseda, honeysuckle
  • Middle notes: orange blossom, celery seed, lily of the valley, hawthorn, lily, neroli, narcissus, carnation, rose de Chêne, jasmine, orris
  • Base notes: resins, rosewood, musk, labdanum, patchouli, cistus, ambergris, oakmoss, leather, sandalwood, vetiver
 

Perfumery: Practice and Principles, 1994:
 "Although the central chypre accord of bergamot, jasmine, oakmoss, patchouli, vetiveryl acetate, labdanum and animalic notes comprises some 60% of the formula, the perfume, at the time of its launch, was one of startling originality. The emphasis on green notes was taken up in Miss Dior, combining galbanum with the accord between the aldehydes C11 undecyclenic and C10, with styrallyl acetate, and a styrax notes. In addition there is a dry spicy note based on pepper and coriander, as well as lavender and neroli. 
A conventional jasmin base again provides the main floral aspect of the perfume. In more modern versions, for example, as in the Eau de Toilette, Lyral is used to replace part or all of the hydroxycitronellal. The styrax note may be reinforced by the use of phenylpropyl alcohol, one of its major constituents. The base note has a high level of patchouli 10%. 
Contrasting with the somewhat harsh top note of the perfume are warm amber and animalic notes, and the powdery softness of orris and vanillin. Natural jasmin and tuberose may be used to give richness to the perfume. A trace of celery seed oil also forms an interesting accord with the tuberose. 
At the time when Miss Dior was created most natural tuberose was obtained by the traditional enfleurage process. Today, partly because of high labor cost but also because of the religious restriction on the use of animal fats in producing countries such as India, most tuberose absolutes are obtained by solvent extraction. The two types of product are very different in olfactory character, with the more modern product being greener and lacking much of the “jammy” richness of the original, which was so important in many of the earlier perfumes."

The famous Lux soap of the 1960s had a scent which was influenced by the fragrance of Miss Dior and was a combination of green notes, lavandin, styrall acetate, and the aliphatic aldehydes; a floral character made up of ylang, fruity jasmine notes, and rose; PTBCHA, methyl ionone, and Vertofix; with a mossy amber background.


Combat, 1952:
"She has grown up since her famous baptism, she has become what is commonly called a “young girl from good society.” In a pale satin frame that highlights her fine figure, she appears quite blonde already, sure of herself, without the help of a wizard's subterfuge, not even that of a first name. According to her desire and her will, she is called "Miss", she hides her delicate personality in a crystal with the shape of an amphora, and only lets those on whom her olfactory sense acts approach her. And it is only when privileged that it slides behind the eavesdropper, to the secret place of perfume; "I'm still the one you love, Miss Dior!"

Combat, 1953:
"Miss Dior by Christian Dior - Jasmine, honeysuckle, hawthorn, orange blossom, reséda are warmed and softened by a tenacious base of amber and musk, or hints of the finesse of an aldehyde. The film's gentle unfolding of intimate tenderness: dinner for two, sweat on a terrace where the night brings the scent of love from elderflowers; reading for two of "La Princesse de Cleves" in a room untouched since the 18th century; four-handed deciphering of a Vivaldi score; all fragile, insistent and velvety like a dream."

Combat, 1954:
"Eau Miss Dior by Christian Dior: this young woman in a long flowered muslin dress, bare shoulders, white and fruity flesh, whose pearly fingers wander on the keyboard, in pursuit of a melody by Ravel, this fine, elegant little person intrigues me with her perfume. It does not resemble any other, although I recognize in it hyacinth, jasmine, hawthorn, lily, honeysuckle, narcissus, cyclamen, a hint of peach, a base of amber and a touch of musk...but a ribbon of a unique aroma ties the sheaf, for a precious, insistent and light exhalation, as the piano says."

Combat, 1955:
"Miss Dior (fragrant cologne by Christian Dior) - unfolding of the film of intimate tenderness: dinner for two - hawthorn and jasmine - on a terrace where the night brings the scent of love from flowering elderberries; reading for two - honeysuckle and reseda - from a page of Crébillon, in a room intact since the 18th century - amber and rosewood -; deciphering with four hands - musk or the finesse of an aldehyde - from a score by Vivaldi; the whole haunting and velvety."


Fragrance Concentrations:

  • Parfum
  • Eau de Parfum
  • Esprit de Parfum
  • Eau de Toilette
  • Eau de Cologne







Miss Dior Esprit de Parfum was launched in 1984. Esprit de Parfum — rich and long-lasting, yet light and refreshing was also available in Diorissimo.

Bottles:


Miss Dior was housed in various bottles over the years including exquisite Baccarat crystal flacons.

To open the classic Dior crystal flacon, use the following tip provided by Parfums Christian Dior themselves in 1963:
Should warm water on the bottle neck fail, tap the stopper gently with a knife handle; or try rubbing face cream or vaseline around neck of stopper.


Amphore de Parfum Flacon (Amphora/Urn Bottle):


In 1947, Fernand Guéry-Colas designed the first bottle for Parfums Christian Dior. Produced by Baccarat, the amphora shaped bottle was created to introduce the new perfume, Miss Dior. The bottle was clear crystal overlaid in colored enamel and then cut to reveal the clear underneath and further decorated with gilded accents. 

The bottle was available in three shades of enamel: red, white and blue: the colors of the French flag. These bottles were housed in sumptuous satin covered presentation boxes lined in silk. The box was color coded to the glass of the bottles. During its first year, only two hundred eighty-three bottles of the Miss Dior extrait were produced.


The expense of the crystal Baccarat bottles and the growing demand for the new perfume forced Parfums Dior to reimagine the luxury presentation in favor of bottles that could be inexpensively turned out in larger numbers.

Town & Country, Volume 107, 1953:
"PERFUME NEWS Below, left: Dior makes refills for his deluxe urns in both Miss Dior and Diorama. Refill for the $30 bottle. $20."
Esquire, 1959:
"Miss Dior perfume in Baccarat flacon, $100*, Christian Dior."


A modified version of the amphora bottle was used for the regular presentations of the extrait, again produced by Baccarat. The sides of the elegant bottle are molded with a ringed handle design. The front of the bottle has the name Christian Dior in white serigraphy. The base of the bottle is cut in a ray pattern and the ground glass stopper has a teardrop shape.

This bottle was housed in a beautiful presentation box of heavy cardstock covered in thick paper. It has a golden cartouche with the Christian Dior name on the front and a simple gilded band along the top. The top of the box has a gorgeous satin bow arranged artfully across the top. The base of the bottle was tied securely with cording to the base of the presentation box to keep the bottle in place during shipping.

The Amphore parfum bottle was available in the following:
  • 14cc
  • 28cc






The colored crystal amphora bottles were still being used as special limited editions presented during the holiday seasons in the 1950s. 

These bottles were used to hold the signature Dior fragrances: Miss Dior, Diorissimo, Diorling, Diorella, Diorama.




Houndstooth Bottles:



In 1950, Christian Dior introduced the famous houndstooth design for his parfum packaging. Frosted embossing gives a charming light-and-shadow effect which makes the lovely liquid gleam like gold behind the crystal walls.

By 1952, the Eau de Toilette is presented in a deluxe flacon as elegant as if it were for the parfum itself.

These rectangular bottles were available in three sizes: 2 oz, 4 oz and 8 oz.


Vintage Screw Cap Travel Bottles with Houndstooth Accents:


Introduced in the 1950s, these are the tall bottles, with the oblong shape, fitted with plastic screw caps intended for usage during travel. The bottles have houndstooth paper labels along the bottom part of the bottle and some have small fabric bows tied around the necks of the bottles. The screw caps are white plastic and printed with a houndstooth pattern in black to match the label. The boxes also displayed the elegant houndstooth pattern.

This bottle was used for Eau de Toilette, and Eau de Cologne.



Other Parfum Bottles: 



Oblong Crystal Parfum Flacon:

In 1953, a new bottle was presented. According to a 1953 newspaper ad, it was meant to refill your fancy amphora bottle and was packaged with a small funnel. This pretty clear glass oblong shaped bottle sports a nice thickly glazed paper label crowned with the famous Christian Dior bow. The bottle has a ground glass cup shaped demi lune stopper. The bottle is molded on the base with "Bottle Made in France" and "CD" for Christian Dior and the bottle size. These bottles were available in 1 ounce and 2 ounce sizes.

These parfum bottles were available in the following:
  • 14cc
  • 28cc
  • 56cc  




The beautiful presentation box is a heavy, ribbed cardstock covered in the famous Dior Dove Grey color, and it's label matches the one on the bottle. The elegant dove gray shade, a favorite of Christian Dior, was originally used in the immaculate Maison Dior flagship boutique in Paris, coupled with white plaster moldings. This presentation is notable because it does not feature the black and white houndstooth pattern.





Crystal Travel Flacons for Parfum:


The square shaped, clear glass bottle sports a nice thickly glazed paper label and is fitted with a brass screw cap. This bottle was made expressly for travel and is supposed to be leakproof. The bottle is molded on the base with "Bottle Made in France" and "CD" for Christian Dior. 

The beautiful presentation box is a heavy cardstock covered in white and trimmed with the famous Dior Dove Grey color, and it's label matches the one on the bottle. The elegant dove gray shade, a favorite of Christian Dior, was originally used in the immaculate Maison Dior flagship boutique in Paris, coupled with white plaster moldings.








Obelisque Flacon:


In the late 1940s,  Fernand Guerycolas designed a sumptuous cut crystal obelisk flacon for Dior based on an obelisk at the place de la Concorde. Manufactured by Baccarat, the bottle holds 2 ounces of pure parfum, it was packaged with a mirrored stand. The obelisk was used for various Dior perfumes including Diorama.


The New Yorker, 1948:
"You get two ounces of either in a splendid obelisk of a bottle, enshrined before a triple mirror, for $78. (There are toilet waters in these fragrances, too, in lovely, lacy, four-ounce bottles, for $9.)"

Cue, 1948:
"Miss Dior and Diorama. Miss Dior, as you might guess from her name, is very propre et bien elevee, all flowers and sunshine. Diorama is a great, big, grown-up girl, rich and heady, suitable for after dark. Dior scents range in price from $4 (for the eau de toilette) to $65 for a perfume-filled obelisk in a three-paneled, mirror-lined vanity box."




In 1956, a cosmetics line was introduced and included a matching smaller glass obelisk was made to house a tube of lipstick.


Mademoiselle,1962:
"Christian Dior encases lipstick in a chiseled crystal obelisk. $10."


J'Appartiens a Miss Dior Flacon c1952-1962:

The exquisite figural bottle of a bichon frise sitting up on its hind legs, on a yellow enameled cushion, designed by Christian Dior. This deluxe presentation flacon is entitled "J'Appartiens a Miss Dior" (I belong to Miss Dior).The bottle is made up of frosted and clear crystal with hand enameled details. The cushion is hand painted with yellow enamel, and the facial features and dog’s claws are and painted with black enamel. It was produced commemorating the 10th anniversary of the House of Dior and was shaped after the designer's own little dog, named Bobby. The most important of Dior's clients were presented with the "J'Appartiens a Miss Dior" flacon from 1952-1962. The hang tag at its neck bears the legend “J’Appartiens a Miss Dior”.  A paper label under the cushion is numbered in Roman numerals and signed "Tian Dior" (Dior's nickname) in a facsimile of his own handwriting. The bottle stands 7 ¼” tall. (approximately 17.8 cm x  7.2 cm)


Sprays:




Cue, 1966:
""Christian Dior has just introduced a complete aerosol perfume collection. In addition to the purse-size atomizer (at $5), you can now color-select your favorite in three sizes — Miss Dior in white package, Diorama in grey, Diorissimo in pink, and Diorling in yellow. They tell me that there is absolutely no change in the formula.""


Esprit de Parfum:


The Bulletin, 1983:
"He is launching the latest marketing ploy, the Miss Dior Esprit de Parfum, which the perfume purists put somewhere between an eau de toilette and a concentrate."


Product Marketing for Beauty Industry Retailers & Manufacturers - Volume 16, Issues 1-10 - Page 5, 1987:
"According to the company, Esprit de Parfum is for "a woman who desires more than a light fragrance, but something less than a full blossoming ... Esprit de Parfum is designed to be portable, in a refillable frosted bottle, topped with a gold cap."


Lear's, 1990:
"For women who are firmly wedded to one fragrance, perfume houses continue to introduce less-concentrated versions of best- selling scents— many in eau de parfum and esprit de parfum, both of which are lighter than perfume but longer lasting than eau de toilette."

Book of Perfume, 1995:
"Hence the success of the less concentrated eaux de parfum. baptized fleur de parfum, soie de parfum, or esprit de parfum, depending on the make. Their arrival on the market in tin; 1970s coincided with the development of feminism. "


Ancillary Products:

  • Moisturizing Body Milk/Perfumed Body Moisturizer
  • Body Cream/Crème Parfumée pour le Corps
  • Bath Oil
  • Body Lotion/Eau de Satin
  • Deodorant Spray
  • Dusting Powder
  • Talcum Powder 
  • Foaming Milk Bath
  • Shower Gel
  • Soap


Fate of the Fragrance:


Miss Dior has suffered from various reformulations, most notably in 1982, 1992 (when it was reissued), and 2012.

Miss Dior Today:





The success of Miss Dior has resulted in several flanker scents and limited edition bottles:
  • 2005 Miss Dior Chérie (currently discontinued)
  • 2005 Miss Dior Cherie Extrait de Parfum
  • 2007 Miss Dior Chérie (reformulation)
  • 2007 Miss Dior Chérie Eau de Toilette
  • 2008 Miss Dior Chérie Blooming Bouquet (limited edition summer fragrance)
  • 2008 Miss Dior Chérie Eau de Printemps
  • 2009 Miss Dior Cherie L`Eau (currently discontinued)
  • 2010 Miss Dior Cherie Eau De Toilette (reformulation)
  • 2011 Miss Dior Couture Edition
  • 2011 Miss Dior Eau de Toilette Originale
  • 2011 Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum
  • 2011 Miss Dior Cherie Blooming Bouquet (limited edition summer fragrance)
  • 2011 Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet Couture Edition
  • 2011 Miss Dior Esprit de Parfum
  • 2012 Miss Dior (new)
  • 2012 Miss Dior Le Parfum
  • 2012 Miss Dior Eau Fraîche
  • 2013 Miss Dior Eau De Toilette
  • 2013 Miss Dior Le Parfum Edition d’Exception
  • 2014 Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet
  • 2014 Miss Dior Extrait de Parfum
  • 2014 Miss Dior Original Extrait de Parfum
  • 2015 Miss Dior Edition d’Exception
  • 2015 Miss Dior Parfum pour Cheveux
  • 2016 Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming
  • 2016 Miss Dior Brume Soyeuse pour le Corps



1 comment:

  1. I am desperately disappointed in the fragrance of the new Miss Dior Original. There's no way I can return it. What a sad waste of money

    ReplyDelete