Miss Dior
There is a certain power that comes in a small perfume bottle. A simple spray can lift the spirit, inspiring confidence and signifying beauty. Miss Dior accomplishes this and more by sharing a story with its sweet floral scent. The rosy pink bottle tied with a bow encapsulates a beautiful tribute to Catherine Dior, the sister of Christian Dior and a hero to France.
Catherine Dior was the youngest sibling of Christian Dior. Born in Granville, France, she grew up in a pastel peach home and developed a love of gardening. However, she soon found complications in her life after the loss of her mother and the failure of her father's business. She then moved to Paris and stayed with Christian where he designed garments for Lucien Lelong.
Unfortunately, World War II and the Nazi occupation found its way into France. Every home feared the consequences of Nazi rule with the terror that ensued. During this unhappy period, Catherine began a relationship with a French resistance fighter. From then on, she too fought for the freedom of France. She would gather intelligence during Nazi-occupied France for some time until she was discovered by the Gestapo and taken on one of the last trains before liberation to a women's concentration camp.
Current Miss Dior muse Natalie Portman asks in marketing campaigns “What would you do for love?” and for Christian Dior, he proved he would do anything for love. After his sister was arrested and taken, Christian Dior was devastated and did everything he could to rescue Catherine. His desperation to protect his sister seeps into the history of the perfume and the gesture of love it portrays. It was not until the end of the war that Catherine escaped a death march and was escorted back to her brother in France.
Catherine’s freedom filled Christian with happiness after his hope had begun to flee. It was then that Christian found the confidence to begin his own fashion house in the aftermath of the war. He went on to create the history-making “New Look” and eventually curated his first perfume that Catherine would inspire. It was told that Christian and a business partner were discussing the name of the scent when Catherine walked into the room. It was fate, just like love.
Christian Dior has created a lasting legacy of beauty ever since he introduced “Miss Dior” in 1947. Miss Dior is one of the most popular perfumes in the world with extensions to products for skin and hair. Infused with countless flowers in endless colors, the scent was born from Dior’s childhood garden which Catherine loved so much. After receiving her many medals of freedom, Catherine spent the rest of her days cultivating and selling blooms while protecting the Dior legacy.
The enduring love between family symbolizes Miss Dior. The belief Christian Dior had for his sister's return and Catherine Dior’s determination to survive so that she could return to her brother were overlapping instances of love that developed the true form of beauty within the perfume. Now, the perfume is worn by so many women who carry on the strong and beautiful identity of Catherine Dior, the real Miss Dior.