Notes To Self: Francis Kurkdjian Decodes Dior’s Latest Scent

Francis Kurkdjian invites us into the world behind Dior’s newest fragrance, inspired by almond trees, cocktail hour and the south of France

Francis Kurkdjian doesn’t behave like one of the world’s most famous perfumers – which is perhaps exactly why he is one. Warm, witty and entirely without ceremony, the Dior Perfume Creative Director speaks about fragrance with a rare mix of instinct and precision. Sitting opposite me in head-to-toe Dior by Jonathan Anderson – and looking the man-of-the-moment very much while doing so, he talks with the calm certainty of someone who knows he has changed the industry.

Having interviewed Francis several times, I’ve learned that he has little interest in rehearsed conversation. The carefully prepared questions sent ahead to his team are dismissed with a smile within minutes, as he begins talking candidly about scent, memory and the emotional pull of perfume. We end up discussing my favourite ever Dior fragrance – sadly no longer in production – and whether the new fresh, spring-like Dior Paradise, for La Collection Privée might just become its successor.

This month marks the launch of Francis Kurkdjian’s latest fragrance, a scent rooted in the almond trees that surround Monsieur Christian Dior’s cherished Château de La Colle Noire in Grasse. The estate, hidden among the rolling Provençal countryside, was Dior’s antidote to Parisian life – a place of stillness scented with jasmine grandiflorum, centifolia roses and lavender warmed by the southern sun. Fruit trees line the grounds too, with olive oil and rosé wine still produced from the estate’s harvest today – a living continuation of Dior’s love affair with beauty, nature and the South of France.

Continually drawing inspiration from Monsieur Dior’s life and legacy, the Creative Director explains the story behind the new scent: “Dior Paradise was born from the desire to continue my olfactory tribute to Christian Dior’s life in the South of France. I wanted to revive the memory of the immense orchard that he composed at the Château de La Colle Noire, and in particular, fulfil his desire to see hundreds of almond trees growing there. I can’t help but imagine him at his bedroom window late in winter, eagerly awaiting the profuse and miraculous blossoming that promises true happiness and the renewal of nature. The sight of the trees in flower, the scent of their sweet aroma and a hint of spring light – these are the captivating colors and scents that I wanted to convey in the Dior Paradise fragrance – for a sublime touch of nature.”

The fragrance notes are drawn directly from Monsieur Dior’s own tastes and rituals. He was known to favour the sweet almond barley syrup (Orgeat in French), often blended into cocktails. It was this detail that led Francis to create the fragrance explaining: “The bitter almond is rarely highlighted in perfumery. I paired it with a cocktail of cheerful citrus fruit top notes – mandarin, orange and lime – which light up the entire composition. In this way, the heart of Dior Paradise offers a mouthwatering treat, like an irresistible almond biscuit. I wanted to give it a sensual feel with a fresh woody accord evoking the scents and warmth of Provence. Lastly, an enveloping and biscuity roasted tonka bean note prolongs the almondy sweetness. Dior Paradise is as comforting as the first ray of sun emerging at the end of winter.”

Since its launch in 2004 with just three original fragrances, La Collection Privée has evolved into a wardrobe of more than 30 exquisitely crafted scents, each housed in Dior’s now-iconic cylindrical bottle. With its weighty transparent glass and satisfyingly clicky magnetic black cap, the design has become something of a collector’s piece among fragrance devotees, elegantly lined up across bathroom vanities like objets d’art.

For Francis, the quietly influential force behind some of the house’s most beloved modern creations, perfume remains the purest form of self-expression. As he explains, fragrance communicates what language simply cannot. “For me, a scent is what I can’t express with words,” he says. “Words are very limited when it’s about scent. Usually, we say that the mandarin is fizzy or sparkly – the vocabulary is kind of boring. So, what you can’t say with words, then you have the perfume. The smell is so much more than just words. Smell is also feelings, it’s places, it’s a voice. It’s more than just words and the words are never enough.”

Lead Image Credit: Monsieur Christian Dior at the château.

Images Supplied

From the Harper’s Bazaar Arabia June 2026 issue