New Look 1947

Flowers and bright colors spread across the couturier's long dresses and the “New Look” would go on to make its revolution… François Demachy therefore proposes to revisit this pivotal moment in Christian Dior's career by offering a profusion of luminous flowers built around an unprecedented tuberose.

Dior New Look 1947, or the happy marriage of retro opulence and floral delicacy

Broad shoulders and voluminous hats were symbolic of postwar fashion. As for colors, they were rather neutral and the prints understated. By offering a floral, colorful first show to women who wanted nothing but joy and gaiety, Christian Dior overturned the codes and brought forward what would come to be called the “New Look”. It should not be forgotten that this term, though later generalized, first referred to that famous 1947 Dior collection, an exclamation from a journalist at the sight of the couturier's innovative designs.

What better way to make the most of this fine collection of rare fragrances from the Collection Privée than to pay tribute to the young couturier's boldness through a perfume? This was achieved through the talents of François Demachy, who composed, in tribute to this powerful memory, a luminous, floral fragrance logically named New Look 1947.

New Look 1947 plays with the rather opulent perfumed trends of the pre-New Look era while displaying the luminous, powdery delicacy of an iris, a rose or a jasmine. New Look would have one believe in a powerful 1940s tuberose, whereas the perfumer has, on the contrary, modernized the flower to feature it in New Look 1947 entirely in the image of Christian Dior's delicate, light designs.

A modern tuberose for a resolutely feminine New Look 1947 fragrance

As previously noted, François Demachy composed New Look 1947 the way Christian Dior created his very first haute couture collection in 1947. Thus the floral fragrance is built around a tuberose flower well known in 1940s perfumery for its common use in powerful fragrances with deep sillage. The surprise of this New Look 1947 lies in the modern, luminous and delicate reinterpretation of tuberose by François Demachy, a reminder not to trust appearances…

New Look 1947 is a bouquet of flowers built around tuberose. A well-known flower, but one I wanted to give a new look through a more natural approach, so that all its facets could be expressed. François Demachy, on New Look 1947 by Dior.

Thus New Look 1947 opens on sun-kissed, floral notes of ylang-ylang essence from Mayotte, which would have one believe that this is an opulent fragrance. This mistake is quickly swept aside by a sharp, fresh burst of pink pepper and black pepper. Then tuberose absolute from India comes forward with its jasmine and orange-tinged notes, blending beautifully with delicate jasmine and rose flowers. Iris lends its powdery softness to this powerful bouquet of flowers. Finally, New Look 1947 melts into intense depths of Siam benzoin balsam, vanilla and woody notes to express the full sensual femininity of the women of the New Look.