The Couture Scent

An homage to the maison’s heritage, Dior’s La Collection Privée steps into its next chapter with couture caps and trunks for the bottles, all beautifully adorned with the French luxury house’s signature motifs and icons in their own right

- By Nafeesa Saini

Few fragrance houses can claim to have created a legend, but Dior has made it an art, transforming olfactory artistry into an empire of icons. Among these ranks La Collection Privée, a series of 24 exquisite scents created in an ode to Dior’s heritage.

Parfums Christian Dior perfume creation director Francis Kurkdjian draws inspiration from its founder Christian Dior, taking the view that fragrance composition is akin to tailoring, with its formula structured like a garment and its raw materials shaped with couture-like precision. “I share many character traits with Christian Dior ... These shared passions are now the creative foundation of my story with Dior,” says Kurkdjian.

This vision comes to life in the newly redesigned La Collection Privée Christian Dior boutique in Ion Orchard. Within the 42-square-metre space, Kurkdjian has designed a fragrance experience—with bespoke consultations, a display of amphoras housing iconic scents, and fragrance accessories—in a setting that pays homage to couturier-perfumer Monsieur Dior’s atelier.

Couture and fragrance have always been intertwined at Dior. Monsieur Dior introduced the Miss Dior scent shortly after debuting his first fashion collection, establishing himself as not only a couturier, but also a perfumer. Today, this dialogue finds fresh expression in La Collection Privée’s new couture caps and trunks.