Many hear about Dior and think about this tight fit, this perfect cut that was mentioned in the Kanye song. However, Miss Dior, j'adore, or Dior Homme, also come to mind. Renowned for their Dior Couture, and revered for their Dior Parfums, when and why did the man himself, Christian Dior decide to make this decision to include fragrances into the empire?
Nearly all records cite the beginning of Dior as the brand it is today with 1947. The very first collection Christian Dior graced the world with was released on the 12th February 1947, and it most definitely did not disappoint. Dior entitled the collection Corolle (circlet of petal flowers in English), presenting to mankind the "New Look" - He himself said "I have designed flower women", and that is what those who wore his dresses were. The way his clothing was designed meant that women who wore it appeared to have a sort of figure 8 shape; they simply put, just appeared more curvaceous.
While the women of the time initially protested, after the War, the "New Look" sparked something not only in Paris, but around the World. But this was not all Christian Dior had been working on at that time, and in the very same year, Miss Dior was introduced - The Dior Fashion House's very first fragrance. Dior not only took the fashion industry by storm that year, but also revolutionised perfumery, claiming 25% of the perfume business under Serge Heftler Louiche (who actually worked on the Miss Dior perfume).
But none of this explains why Christian Dior got into fashion, nor why he also went into perfumery. But it is a very simple reason... He loved the Rose (and he was good at art of course). When not focused on couture, Christian Dior would be returning to Earth and tending to the gardens of his country homes. It was in his parents seaside home - Granville - where he learnt and built up his knowledge of the flowers; the precise petal layout, the aesthetics were pleasing to young Christian's eye and the Olfactory notes were sweet to his nose. These were the things that formed part of the Dior creations, that made him Christian Dior!
It is my conviction that the quote "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" probably made more sense to Christian Dior than any... He understood those flowers and reconstructed them into each and every one of his works daily. Although the fragrances and couture were not named specifically after flowers or a rose (in reference to the quote), they maintain their true identity, so whenever you do put on a Christian Dior item, just know you are wearing a part of the Granville, the childhood of the genius that was Christian Dior.