With fond memories of Christian Dior’s last big launch — Higher — I have excitedly been awaiting my sample of their newest men’s Eau de Toilette, Dior Homme. Touted by Dior as a “masculine iris, a ‘skin’ fragrance with an addictive grace,” it is the 4th fragrance to be launched by Dior’s new artistic director for men’s fragrance, Hedi Slimane. It was created by Olivier Polge, and has notes of sage, bergamot, lavender, Italian iris concrete, cocoa, amber, vetiver, patchouli, and possibly leather and cardamom.

While the bottle is being described as a unique design, with a steel column housing the usual plastic spray tube, the fragrance, with its iris and cocoa notes, is being described as a composition that does not conform to current trends in men’s perfumery. I have to disagree. The best way to describe the overall effect of Dior Homme is “sweet”. Like Hanae Mori Men a decade ago, like Yohji Homme 5 years ago, and like Nikos Homme last year, Dior Homme is a men’s gourmand and shares similarities with all three…

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