Francis Kurkdjian’s newest fragrance for Parfums Christian Dior expresses a completely fresh new attitude
If anyone could interpret Christian Dior’s iconic New Look as a perfume for the 21st century, it would undoubtedly be Francis Kurkdjian. Renowned for his visionary approach and artistic flair in scent creation, Kurkdjian delved into the origins of his latest Dior fragrance, tracing it back to the house’s legacy in couture and its beginnings in perfumery in 1947.
“To be true to Christian Dior, who wanted his perfumes to provide an olfactory reflection of his couture, I wanted to combine that perfect synergy between fashion and fragrance in a completely audacious style,” says Kurkdjian, who joined Parfums Christian Dior in 2021 as perfume creation director.
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Therefore, he aimed to create a perfume that echoes the spirit, nuances and essence of today’s New Look, which he code-named “cool attitude”, referring to the types of individuals he envisions wearing the perfume —the “cool people,” he says. “Being cool to me is about feeling good in your body, feeling good in your mind, acknowledging who you are, and to me, this is what is cool. New Look, in a way, is all about that. And when you put New Look backwards, look and cool, it’s exactly the same thing—the same word except we replace ‘k’ with a ‘c’. But basically, there’s a remarkable similarity between New Look and New Cool in a word.”
When asked if New Look will inspire people of our generation, akin to its impact in the post-war era when Christian Dior launched his very first collection and introduced the “New Look” in women’s fashion—the ultra-feminine silhouette of rounded shoulders, cinched waist and full skirt was a paradigm shift from the war era’s stark, military uniforms—he responds, “I’m not sure it inspired; I think it influenced people. It was mostly surprising, even shocking for some people at certain points. It initiated a trend, so I anticipate that my New Look for Dior will surprise, as this new scent [stands as a bold] statement amid all the fragrances of La Collection Privée due to its striking and surprising combination. I would say that New Look would appeal to anyone seeking an outstanding, daring, and [distinct] scent.”
