Described as being “what solid gold would smell like if it had a scent”, J’adore is the epitome of opulence; a golden liquid that bestows the skin with a matte gleam and a hedonistic aroma. To create J’adore, Dior enlisted the talents of French master perfumer, Calice Becker; the nose behind some of the industry’s most-loved fragrances. Think Tommy Hilfiger’s Tommy Girl, Marc Jacobs’s Lola, Vera Wang’s Rock Princess, and Calvin Klein’s Secret Obsession. J’adore, however, is perhaps the finest example of her work.
What Becker crafted is a scent that is sweet but balmy; floral with an edge. Those with a keen sense of smell will identify fresh mandarin and ylang-ylang in the top; jasmine, orchid, plum, and rose in the heart; and amaranth, blackberry, and musk in the trail. This complex blend of notes ensures that it’s not too floral, too sweet, nor too spicy—they weave together to make a scent that few could find fault with, which has ultimately ensured its success. That said, it’s gorgeous bottle has to be a contributing factor to its popularity. Elegant and alluring, there’s no disputing that it was designed to sit pride-of-place on a dressing table.
In early 1999, designer Hervé Van der Straeten began his first studies for the conception of the J’adore bottle. He looked to historical amphoras, Greek containers with a curved shape. Amphoras had been a source of inspiration for Christian Dior himself when, in 1947, he debuted his “New Look” dress designs, which, unlike the loose-fitting clothing of the ’20s and ’30s, featured rounded shoulders, a cinched waist, and a full, A-line skirt to create a previously unseen hourglass silhouette.
