Miss Dior Le Parfum is such a throwback to the big perfumes of the eighties it takes you a few moments to fully comprehend what is going on because your nose is in a bit of a shock. Let's just say that the relationship with the current Miss Dior fragrances is that it hints at strawberry in its fruit notes and that is about it. Now on to what Miss Dior is actually related to: Mauboussin's Mauboussin and the original Fendi fragrance.
Miss Dior Le Parfum starts big with amber spiced fruits, there is a hint of strawberry but I would say it is mainly plum, think fruit compote made with dried fruits and cinnamon. This is where the relationship to Mauboussin can be smelled, that heady rich amber fruit opening is definitely a call back to that iconic scent. Then Miss Dior Le Parfum gets dry, powdery dry, while the spicy amber fruit remains it is suddenly in the background, what comes forward is dry woods with a heavy lean towards cedar with the addition of rose that smooths out the rough edges. This is the stage that reminds me of the original Fendi, that big bombastic cedar incense of a scent that demanded reverence and tribute when you wore it. It is not nearly as bombastic as Fendi but the dry cedar is prominent with spices that says this is no shrinking violet of a scent. Eventually Miss Dior Le Parfum comes to a dry down that reminds me of amber and exquisite makeup powder with hints of rose and vanilla that has been sitting in a cedar chest.
I know Sigourney's character wear's Shalimar in Working Girl but I think she would have worn Miss Dior Le Parfum had it been available at the time. Her character is an awful awful person, but dammit I love Sigourney, and she played the role so perfectly.
So thank you Miss Dior Le Parfum for going down the road of big hair and big scent of the 80s and for not really cleaning it up on the way there. You are a rather unexpected delight.
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