Our take
What does Diorissimo Eau de Toilette smell like?
Edmond Roudnitska created Diorissimo for Christian Dior in 1956. Lily of the valley was the couturier's lucky flower, and he had sprigs sewn into the hems of his runway dresses. The flower yields no usable essence, so Roudnitska had to rebuild it from other materials. The opening is green and sappy, with bergamot barely registering. Then the lily of the valley arrives, cool and faintly lemony, flanked by jasmine and lily. Amaryllis adds the feel of a thick, waxy petal. The base is quiet. A pale sandalwood and a touch of civet give some flesh to all those white flowers. The formula has been revised to meet IFRA rules, and the animal undertone feels tamer today. The eau de toilette remains the reference version. It is still the yardstick for every lily of the valley perfume.
When to wear it
Made for spring, and for May in particular. Office-safe, with two or three sprays on wrists and neck.
It belongs to the Floral family. Diorissimo Eau de Toilette is one of 72 creations by Dior in our encyclopedia.
