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Top Review
Knize Ten in the Dior Look
What François Demachy has been criticized for regarding his reformulations of the old Dior classics "Diorama," "Diorella," "Dioressence," and also "Diorling" - they are ruined now, unrecognizable, improperly diluted, and overall: a horror!
I must admit that I too had joined the ranks of the booers. But today, just a few years later, I acknowledge: it’s not all that bad after all.
Back then, however, with the old fragrances still in hand, I truly found it hard to get excited about the new ones. After all, the supposedly "old" ones weren't really that old, as they themselves were already the umpteenth reformulation of the respective original scent. But one (respectively: I and probably many others) tends to hold the fragrance used for a longer time as the "real" one and to view any deviation from it with great skepticism.
In the case of "Diorella" and "Dioressence," however, I must correct my initial aversion: the former has indeed become a bit lighter, cooler, and more transparent, yet it unmistakably remains "Diorella," while the latter has even become preferable to me compared to its previous version, which was supposedly even further from the original than the current version.
With "Diorama" and "Diorling," however, it’s different for me: I do not know the editions from the pre-Demachy era, nor their originals. They were also hard to come by, available only in the Paris Dior boutique and even there only in highly limited editions, so not always in stock.
Now and then, one of the famous Diorling amphorae would pop up on eBay, but with who-knows-how-many years on its back and presumably in questionable condition.
Now, thanks to François Demachy, both fragrances are quite easy to obtain - not in Germany, but in France, Switzerland, and many other countries (no idea why we were once again left out...), and via the internet anyway.
So I eventually got hold of these fragrances - untested, of course, but I simply had to have such fragrance legends - and I have not regretted it for a second since.
"Diorling," as it smells to me today, is a bright, floral leather fragrance with slightly soapy nuances. Somewhat old-fashioned in its appeal, but in a charming way. The "family" to which the fragrance was once always counted seems to be quite far removed - with "Bandit," "Jolie Madame," or "Cabochard," the fragrance has at best only a loose kinship. Nevertheless, it can still be called a leather chypre, even if the "chypre" aspect is not as pronounced anymore and the leather appears quite smoothed out.
Be that as it may - "Diorling" simply smells wonderful to me: fresh, bitter bergamot at the beginning, floating on a non-sweet, rather white floral bouquet, which is underpinned by herbal-bitter vetiver and patchouli notes. A slightly bitter oakmoss still resonates, as does the aforementioned finely polished leather.
One might think it’s quite a dry affair, and yes, it is. Oriental-warming sweetness is sought in vain here, and probably that’s also the reason why "Diorling" has hardly gained traction in today’s era of overly sweet fragrances, finding only a few dedicated representatives (hence, a manageable distribution makes perfect sense!).
In the Dior portfolio, however, the fragrance is a wonderful addition: alongside the large-caliber, floral chypre classic "Miss Dior," Roudnitska's Mitsouko variation "Diorama," and its delicate granddaughter "Diorella," "Diorling" - at least in its current version - occupies the place of an androgynous, almost masculine-leaning chypre variant, which distinguishes itself from other more masculine Dior chypres like "Eau Fraiche" or "Eau Sauvage" in that primarily floral and leathery facets are found at the center of the fragrance rather than the typically woody and citrusy nuances characteristic of an "Eau."
"Diorling" rather reaches back a bit towards "Knize Ten," albeit without quoting its ambered base and surely it is much brighter in overall impression, but the flowers, the soapy nuances, the smooth (shoe) leather - perhaps this time more women's shoes - do show a certain soulful kinship.
The longevity is impeccable and the projection is not excessive - just how I like my fragrances: not loud, but still present.
For this "Diorling," Mr. Demachy, no boos, but a hearty bravo!
I must admit that I too had joined the ranks of the booers. But today, just a few years later, I acknowledge: it’s not all that bad after all.
Back then, however, with the old fragrances still in hand, I truly found it hard to get excited about the new ones. After all, the supposedly "old" ones weren't really that old, as they themselves were already the umpteenth reformulation of the respective original scent. But one (respectively: I and probably many others) tends to hold the fragrance used for a longer time as the "real" one and to view any deviation from it with great skepticism.
In the case of "Diorella" and "Dioressence," however, I must correct my initial aversion: the former has indeed become a bit lighter, cooler, and more transparent, yet it unmistakably remains "Diorella," while the latter has even become preferable to me compared to its previous version, which was supposedly even further from the original than the current version.
With "Diorama" and "Diorling," however, it’s different for me: I do not know the editions from the pre-Demachy era, nor their originals. They were also hard to come by, available only in the Paris Dior boutique and even there only in highly limited editions, so not always in stock.
Now and then, one of the famous Diorling amphorae would pop up on eBay, but with who-knows-how-many years on its back and presumably in questionable condition.
Now, thanks to François Demachy, both fragrances are quite easy to obtain - not in Germany, but in France, Switzerland, and many other countries (no idea why we were once again left out...), and via the internet anyway.
So I eventually got hold of these fragrances - untested, of course, but I simply had to have such fragrance legends - and I have not regretted it for a second since.
"Diorling," as it smells to me today, is a bright, floral leather fragrance with slightly soapy nuances. Somewhat old-fashioned in its appeal, but in a charming way. The "family" to which the fragrance was once always counted seems to be quite far removed - with "Bandit," "Jolie Madame," or "Cabochard," the fragrance has at best only a loose kinship. Nevertheless, it can still be called a leather chypre, even if the "chypre" aspect is not as pronounced anymore and the leather appears quite smoothed out.
Be that as it may - "Diorling" simply smells wonderful to me: fresh, bitter bergamot at the beginning, floating on a non-sweet, rather white floral bouquet, which is underpinned by herbal-bitter vetiver and patchouli notes. A slightly bitter oakmoss still resonates, as does the aforementioned finely polished leather.
One might think it’s quite a dry affair, and yes, it is. Oriental-warming sweetness is sought in vain here, and probably that’s also the reason why "Diorling" has hardly gained traction in today’s era of overly sweet fragrances, finding only a few dedicated representatives (hence, a manageable distribution makes perfect sense!).
In the Dior portfolio, however, the fragrance is a wonderful addition: alongside the large-caliber, floral chypre classic "Miss Dior," Roudnitska's Mitsouko variation "Diorama," and its delicate granddaughter "Diorella," "Diorling" - at least in its current version - occupies the place of an androgynous, almost masculine-leaning chypre variant, which distinguishes itself from other more masculine Dior chypres like "Eau Fraiche" or "Eau Sauvage" in that primarily floral and leathery facets are found at the center of the fragrance rather than the typically woody and citrusy nuances characteristic of an "Eau."
"Diorling" rather reaches back a bit towards "Knize Ten," albeit without quoting its ambered base and surely it is much brighter in overall impression, but the flowers, the soapy nuances, the smooth (shoe) leather - perhaps this time more women's shoes - do show a certain soulful kinship.
The longevity is impeccable and the projection is not excessive - just how I like my fragrances: not loud, but still present.
For this "Diorling," Mr. Demachy, no boos, but a hearty bravo!
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11 Comments
I'm joining the congratulations here!
Finally, a beautiful reinterpretation of the classic!