Natalie Portman has been the face of Miss Dior for 13 years and counting – an unusual feat considering the increasingly breakneck speed at which pop culture moves, but Miss Dior is not your average fragrance. Launched in 1947 alongside Christian Dior’s debut fashion collection, it’s a floral chypre modelled and named after the couturier’s plucky sister Catherine – resistance fighter and concentration camp survivor – to represent femininity, an enduring quality of youth and the hope that comes with this. Its significance and traits have led it to be refreshed again and again, steadily expanding the breadth of Miss Dior – not unlike what Portman’s done with her career.
Christian Dior Parfums perfume creation director Francis Kurkdjian’s rendition of the iconic Miss Dior is full of the same dynamic, fruity notes of jasmine intrinsic to the original scent, and layered over a woody-amber base of Alaskan cedar, clean patchouli and earthy moss. The Miss Dior bottle has been given a coquette core update to match: Slightly more compact than before, its base and sides are engraved with the brand’s famous houndstooth pattern, while the “swallow’s tail” bow that adorns its neck is no longer floral, but in solid silver and flecked with shiny lurex threads.
On May 1, the latest version of Miss Dior hits stores: Christian Dior parfums perfume creation director Francis Kurkdjian’s luscious take that brims with notes of jasmine with a sparkling complexity. Using flowers picked in July – the start of the harvest season – at the break of dawn when they’re headiest with indole, the brand has been able to draw out fruity (more specifically, strawberry, peach and apricot) undertones using a secret extraction method. Combining these with notes of moss, Alaskan cedar and patchouli, the resulting scent is one enigmatic interpretation of girlhood: Addictively sweet yet classy all at once.
Naturally, Portman continues her role as Miss Dior personified in its campaign. Here, the actress-slash-producer reminds us why she’s perfect for it.
In your opinion, what has Francis Kurkdjian’s interpretation of Miss Dior brought to the fragrance?
“He’s created something that continues to surprise you as the scent settles on your skin.”
What was your first impression of it?
“I noticed how intense the scent is without being overwhelming. The fragrance has its own confidence.”
What is the most surprising thing about this new version of Miss Dior, and what do you like most about it?
“The infusion of jasmine is spectacular. Francis Kurkdjian was incredibly meticulous about the extraction process and was committed to harvesting only the best jasmine. This care is reflected in the final fragrance.”
“Youth evolves... The lines (of the house) have to move, and reinvention is needed to continually hold up a relevant and seductive mirror for this spirited young generation,” says Francis Kurkdjian, the director of perfume creation for Christian Dior Parfums, of his rendition of the Miss Dior scent.
Describe this new Miss Dior in three words.
“Elegant, empowered, joyous”
If this new Miss Dior was a person, who would it be?
“A woman seeking truth, love, and adventure”
How do you think this new perfume adds to the story of Miss Dior?
“It adds a sense of maturity to Miss Dior. Miss Dior was always an ode to young women, but youth evolves, and this new scent captures the elegance of discovering your womanhood.”
Next set to appear in the limited series Lady In The Lake on Apple TV+ (she produced it, too), Natalie Portman is the face of the latest Miss Dior fragrance – a role she’s had since 2011 that has evolved with every new version of the iconic scent.
Tell us about the new Miss Dior campaign. What is its main message?
“The new message is about strong femininity and confidence. It is also about freedom and the love for nature. This Miss Dior embraces the world and its beauty, and is more conscious and wakes up to what matters. She takes action and wants everybody to do the same.”
You jump off a cliff for one of the scenes in it. Are you an adventurer in real life?
“I am always seeking adventure, whether that involves taking on new roles, discovering places I’ve never been to, or trying something for the first time. I am constantly striving to explore beyond my comfort zone.”
What is your favourite moment from this campaign?
“It was wonderful jumping into the ocean at the end of the day. The location was just so gorgeous and it was a truly magical way to finish our shoot.”
You’ve been the face of Miss Dior since 2011. How has this character of yours evolved through each campaign?
“I feel so lucky to have had the character evolve over the years as I do. She looks for love and finds it, and then continues to find ways to seek and express her joy, passion and pleasure.”
Portman says of the latest campaign – a rousing video of her character and a beau on an empowering countryside adventure that includes jumping off a cliff into the sea: “I love the evolution of Miss Dior’s womanhood. It’s all about her finding her joy.”
Who do you believe is the Miss Dior woman? How do you relate to her in your own life?
“I think the Miss Dior woman is someone who is seeking beauty, love and her own truth in the world – all of the most romantic ideals.”
And what is your definition of love?
“Love is paying attention.”
The fragrance was introduced in 1947. What do you think makes Miss Dior timeless?
“I think there’s a spirit of Catherine Dior, who put herself at great risk to do the right and noble thing, embodied in this perfume that her brother originally created for her.”
Catherine Dior, the plucky sister of Christian Dior was a resistance fighter and concentration camp survivor and the inspiration for the Miss Dior perfume.
What role does perfume play in your everyday life?
“I love scent, and it feels central to our emotions. I love to spray my Miss Dior and walk through it – just like my mother taught me – for that sensual experience: a light rain of the most beautiful scent. Also, this means it won’t be too strong and ends up lightly in your hair, which people will smell most!”
What’s your earliest memory of scent?
“I remember orange blossoms from my youth.”
And what types of scents are you drawn to?
“I love light floral scents like jasmine, tuberose and orange blossom.”
How do you think that perfume can be used as a form of empowerment?
“I think anything that requires you to choose what you like and what makes you happy is an expression of your individualism.”
What is your life motto?
“Be good. Have fun.”
What inspires you?
“Books, music, art, nature, kind humans”
This article first appeared in the May 2024 Beauty Edition of FEMALE