“Oh, J’adore!” Christian Dior would famously exclaim in his atelier when overjoyed by his latest creation. It’s a verbal stamp of approval that has since morphed into a global, best-selling fragrance, which is as iconic as the man who first uttered those words.
Launched in 1999, and described as “what solid gold would smell like if it had a scent”, J’adore Dior has remained at the forefront of the beauty zeitgeist. So much so that the fabled fashion house has dedicated a mega, multi-sensory exhibition to unpack its significance.
Open until 8 October, the Dior J’adore Exhibition at the Beaux-arts de Paris has already seen stars Robert Pattinson, Jenna Ortega, Emma Raducanu, Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlize Theron, who famously fronted the ad campaigns for the fragrance throughout the early Noughts.
Entering the two-story exhibition through a physical reincarnation of the bottle’s golden, sleek neckline, visitors can expect to step into the mind and life of the designer. There is even a walled remake of Christian Dior’s south of France Chateau de la Colle Noire family gardens - where he first developed an obsession for flowers. Plus visitors can enjoy an interactive demonstration from the house’s artisans, showcasing the various iterations of the legendary curved bottle — past, present and future.
Originally created by Calice Becker, a master perfumer who is also responsible for Tommy Hilfiger’s Tommy Girl and Calvin Klein’s Secret Obsession, the scent has undergone stirring but subtle revamps over the years. Most recently by the famed Francis Kurkdjian, who has been Dior’s Perfume Creation Director of Parfums since 2021.
Understandably the new fragrance, L’or de J’adore, also features heavily in the exhibition — with visitors introduced to it via a sensual olfactory experience that breaks down each note.
Of course, Christian Dior’s love of flowers manifested not only in perfume, but in the embroidery and designs of his haute couture work. A synergy is seen in the arresting mirrored room filled with 23 iconic gowns from the ages, aptly named “Rêve Couture,” or “Couture Dream”.
Other standouts include a grand installation by the much celebrated digital artist Refik Anadol, who transposed the house’s gold inspiration into an overwhelming, immersive AI data sculpture.
It’s ambitious retrospective that cements the illustrious fragrance’s iconic status which will have you exclaiming “J’adore!” just like its creator.
