As many of you already know, last Thursday we joined Parfums Christian Dior in Madrid to present the Private Collection. It was a pleasure to have so many friends in attendance and to get an up-close look at this exquisite perfume collection, which currently includes twelve scents (the latest, Grand Bal, was launched this summer), created by the house’s perfumer François Demachy.
Inspired not only by the unique heritage and craftsmanship of the Parisian house but also by the life of Christian Dior, Demachy has crafted this collection with absolute freedom. “This collection reflects a freedom that only true luxury can afford,” he says. Granville pays homage to the house where Christian Dior spent his childhood in Normandy, and Milly-la-Forêt is inspired by an old water mill in the town where the designer would retreat to rest. Meanwhile, New Look 1947 explicitly refers to Dior’s first show, which completely renewed the female silhouette, and Mitzah recalls the iconic Mitzah Bricart, a muse and collaborator of the designer.
It’s difficult to choose just one of these marvels; if I had to pick, I would go for Patchouli Impérial, Mitzah, Vétiver, and Cologne Royal, the only cologne in the entire collection. Special mention should be made of the candles, especially Bois Brûlé, which smells like a lit fireplace—there’s no better scent as autumn approaches.
François Demachy came to Madrid to meet with the press, and we had the opportunity to spend an hour with him. Ignazio Arizmendi was there for the interview, which will be featured in the next issue of METAL. In the meantime, do yourselves a favor and visit any Christian Dior boutique or El Corte Inglés Castellana in Madrid, the only places where the Private Collection is available in Spain. I assure you, you will love it.