"Although the central chypre accord of bergamot, jasmine, oakmoss, patchouli, vetiveryl acetate, labdanum and animalic notes comprises some 60% of the formula, the perfume, at the time of its launch, was one of startling originality. The emphasis on green notes was taken up in Miss Dior, combining galbanum with the accord between the aldehydes C11 undecyclenic and C10, with styrallyl acetate, and a styrax notes. In addition there is a dry spicy note based on pepper and coriander, as well as lavender and neroli.
A conventional jasmin base again provides the main floral aspect of the perfume. In more modern versions, for example, as in the Eau de Toilette, Lyral is used to replace part or all of the hydroxycitronellal. The styrax note may be reinforced by the use of phenylpropyl alcohol, one of its major constituents. The base note has a high level of patchouli 10%.
Contrasting with the somewhat harsh top note of the perfume are warm amber and animalic notes, and the powdery softness of orris and vanillin. Natural jasmin and tuberose may be used to give richness to the perfume. A trace of celery seed oil also forms an interesting accord with the tuberose.
At the time when Miss Dior was created most natural tuberose was obtained by the traditional enfleurage process. Today, partly because of high labor cost but also because of the religious restriction on the use of animal fats in producing countries such as India, most tuberose absolutes are obtained by solvent extraction. The two types of product are very different in olfactory character, with the more modern product being greener and lacking much of the “jammy” richness of the original, which was so important in many of the earlier perfumes."
"Eau Miss Dior by Christian Dior: this young woman in a long flowered muslin dress, bare shoulders, white and fruity flesh, whose pearly fingers wander on the keyboard, in pursuit of a melody by Ravel, this fine, elegant little person intrigues me with her perfume. It does not resemble any other, although I recognize in it hyacinth, jasmine, hawthorn, lily, honeysuckle, narcissus, cyclamen, a hint of peach, a base of amber and a touch of musk...but a ribbon of a unique aroma ties the sheaf, for a precious, insistent and light exhalation, as the piano says."
"Miss Dior (fragrant cologne by Christian Dior) - unfolding of the film of intimate tenderness: dinner for two - hawthorn and jasmine - on a terrace where the night brings the scent of love from flowering elderberries; reading for two - honeysuckle and reseda - from a page of Crébillon, in a room intact since the 18th century - amber and rosewood -; deciphering with four hands - musk or the finesse of an aldehyde - from a score by Vivaldi; the whole haunting and velvety."
Should warm water on the bottle neck fail, tap the stopper gently with a knife handle; or try rubbing face cream or vaseline around neck of stopper.
"PERFUME NEWS Below, left: Dior makes refills for his deluxe urns in both Miss Dior and Diorama. Refill for the $30 bottle. $20."
"Miss Dior perfume in Baccarat flacon, $100*, Christian Dior."
"You get two ounces of either in a splendid obelisk of a bottle, enshrined before a triple mirror, for $78. (There are toilet waters in these fragrances, too, in lovely, lacy, four-ounce bottles, for $9.)"
"Miss Dior and Diorama. Miss Dior, as you might guess from her name, is very propre et bien elevee, all flowers and sunshine. Diorama is a great, big, grown-up girl, rich and heady, suitable for after dark. Dior scents range in price from $4 (for the eau de toilette) to $65 for a perfume-filled obelisk in a three-paneled, mirror-lined vanity box."
"Christian Dior encases lipstick in a chiseled crystal obelisk. $10."
""Christian Dior has just introduced a complete aerosol perfume collection. In addition to the purse-size atomizer (at $5), you can now color-select your favorite in three sizes — Miss Dior in white package, Diorama in grey, Diorissimo in pink, and Diorling in yellow. They tell me that there is absolutely no change in the formula."
.png)
"He is launching the latest marketing ploy, the Miss Dior Esprit de Parfum, which the perfume purists put somewhere between an eau de toilette and a concentrate."
"According to the company, Esprit de Parfum is for "a woman who desires more than a light fragrance, but something less than a full blossoming ... Esprit de Parfum is designed to be portable, in a refillable frosted bottle, topped with a gold cap."
"For women who are firmly wedded to one fragrance, perfume houses continue to introduce less-concentrated versions of best- selling scents— many in eau de parfum and esprit de parfum, both of which are lighter than perfume but longer lasting than eau de toilette."
"Hence the success of the less concentrated eaux de parfum. baptized fleur de parfum, soie de parfum, or esprit de parfum, depending on the make. Their arrival on the market in tin; 1970s coincided with the development of feminism. "
"Christian Dior's newly launched fragrances Jules depicts the lifestyle of the '80s: liberated, bold and exciting. The Jules fragrance is self assertive, positive, with instant appeal. On first contact it evokes a clean, refreshing, green, country fragrance derived from such essences as lentisk from Provence, sclaree sage, lavender, galbanum, angelica seeds. As the first notes fade, the deeper fragrances take over: rich, woody scents from such exotic essences as Mysore sandalwood, Lebanese cedar, Singapore patchouli. Amber and musk blend to give it its incomparable lasting property and join with Russian leather to affirm its personality and strengthen its reach. Warm and gently provocative spices such as clove, black pepper and cardamom heighten its appeal to the senses."
Jules by Christian Dior (1980) opens with a vivid and commanding freshness — bold, green, and deeply aromatic. The very first breath delivers the pungent snap of angelica seeds, a note at once earthy and peppery, slightly musky and tinged with celery. It merges beautifully with the slightly nutty warmth of caraway, and the bitter-green sharpness of English artemisia, also known as wormwood, which gives the fragrance an herbal, slightly absinthe-like clarity.
Then comes a vivid burst of Alpine lavender, a variety grown at high altitudes and prized for its clearer, more refined camphoraceous tone, which feels crisp and almost windswept — like walking through a mountain meadow. Indian cumin, with its warm, slightly sweaty spice, adds a human sensuality, grounding the brisk green with a pulse of heat. The green note — likely an accord built on synthetics like cis-3-hexenol — captures the crushed-stem freshness of green leaves and garden herbs, offering a breath of raw vitality. Calabrian bergamot, sunlit and lightly bitter, weaves through the top with a citrusy lift that lends radiance and polish, while laurel, with its slightly metallic and eucalyptus-like profile, infuses structure. The note of wormwood, in tandem with artemisia, reinforces a sense of dry bitterness, while subtly echoing the sophistication of vintage masculine colognes.
As the top subsides, the heart opens with spice and warmth. Ceylon cardamom, with its green lemony brightness, carries the composition forward with a cool, aromatic edge. The deep, smoky heat of Jamaican black pepper and the full-bodied clove oil from Zanzibar — both grown in equatorial, volcanic soils — bring warmth and a sense of spiced intrigue. These are softened and deepened by the oily, resinous richness of Persian galbanum, an intensely green note with leathery undertones, almost pine-like in its density. French carnation, laced with eugenol, gives a clove-like floral sharpness that is unmistakably masculine, while Hungarian clary sage offers herbaceous depth and a musky, ambered softness that anchors the spices in roundness.
Interwoven through the floral notes are Egyptian jasmine, creamy and warm, more animalic than airy, and Bulgarian rose, deep and slightly spicy — not sweet, but rich and grown-up. Cyclamen contributes a clean, dewy airiness — almost synthetic in its lightness — but here it serves to lift the denser middle notes and keep them from becoming too dark. The woody core is structured with Lebanese cedar, dry, sawdusty, and papery — a refined cedar that feels less sweet than its American cousin. Spanish basil, sharp and green, blends with the sage and cardamom in a thread of aromatic sophistication, while Mysore sandalwood, creamy, sacred, and rich in lactones, rounds the heart with a soft, skin-like warmth. The Mysore variety, now nearly extinct due to overharvesting, was once prized for its milky, nutty richness that no synthetic can fully replicate.
As Jules dries down, the base notes unfold with a masculine sensuality. Simali olibanum, a rare, lemony frankincense note from Somalia, lends its smoky balsamic beauty, rising like incense over skin. Canadian castoreum (ethically sourced in trace quantities or recreated synthetically) adds the unmistakable animalic warmth — leathery, smoky, and sensual — while Malabar black pepper, sharp and dry, continues the thread of spice from the heart. Provencal lentisk, also known as mastic resin, imparts a green, piney, and slightly salty nuance, giving the base a Mediterranean twist.
Singapore patchouli, darker and earthier than Indonesian types, blends beautifully with Russian leather, evoking the supple richness of tanned hides, dark and enigmatic. Siberian fir, cold and bracing, contributes an icy coniferous sharpness, while Venezuelan tonka bean, with its hay-like sweetness and natural coumarin content, wraps the base in creamy softness. Additional coumarin enriches this with a powdery, almond-like accent, often found in classic fougères.
The drydown is further textured with ambergris (likely an accord using ambroxan), lending a salty, radiant warmth that diffuses beautifully on skin, and suede, a softer interpretation of leather, which smooths the sharp edges of the earlier notes. Tonkin musk, whether natural or in this case a synthetic recreation, brings an animalic whisper — a warm, almost intimate skin scent that lingers. Tyrolean oakmoss, grown in the forests of the Austrian Alps, gives Jules its distinctive chypre-like character: deep, bitter, earthy, and grounding — the quintessential masculine anchor.
Jules is not simply a scent — it is a portrait of elegance with a wild, untamed edge. Through its interplay of crisp herbs, dry spices, floral sharpness, and resinous, leathery warmth, it speaks to a man who is confident, worldly, and unafraid of complexity. The use of natural materials from diverse corners of the globe is bolstered by masterful synthetic artistry — allowing the boldness of leather, the bite of spices, and the radiance of woods to shine longer, with more clarity, than nature alone could ever offer. It’s smooth, strong, sophisticated — a fragrance with spine and spirit.
The original Jules product line was designed to offer a complete grooming experience, each item tailored to evoke the bold, sophisticated scent profile of the original fragrance in a variety of textures and functions. From fragrance to skincare and personal hygiene, the line delivered a harmonious and cohesive olfactory identity, reinterpreted through multiple formats to suit the modern man’s routine.
The Eau de Toilette, available in both 50ml and 100ml splash bottles as well as a 100ml spray, came housed in a sleek, smoky glass bottle. Its subtly curved form was designed for comfort, fitting naturally in the hand and reinforcing the product's masculine yet refined identity. The splash format offered a traditional, more tactile application, appealing to those who enjoy a generous dose of fragrance applied directly to the skin. In contrast, the spray version provided ease and precision, perfect for a more modern, mess-free routine.
The After Shave products—offered in 50ml and 100ml—were created to soothe and lightly scent the skin after shaving. The splash version provided an invigorating, bracing finish that toned the skin, while the spray format offered convenience and uniform application. Both maintained the integrity of the Jules scent but in a more diluted, skin-soothing concentration.
Complementing the fragrance and aftershave were practical, everyday grooming items infused with the signature Jules scent. The 100g soap, sold in sets of three, offered a rich lather and subtly perfumed the skin while cleansing. The soap was crafted to be gentle, with a smooth texture and balanced pH for daily use.
The 100g talc provided a touch of powdery elegance, absorbing moisture while leaving a soft veil of fragrance on the skin. This was particularly useful for maintaining freshness in warmer climates or during active days, extending the life of the scent.
The 50g deodorant stick and 100ml deodorant spray were formulated for long-lasting protection and freshness. The stick version was compact and travel-friendly, with a non-irritating base ideal for sensitive skin, while the spray offered a lighter, more immediate burst of scent.
For shaving and showering, the line included a 200ml shaving foam, delivering a rich, cushiony lather that helped the razor glide smoothly while perfuming the skin subtly. The 150ml bath and shower gel provided a daily ritual of indulgence, leaving the skin feeling clean and lightly scented, preparing the body to layer other Jules products for lasting effect.
Together, this full grooming range created a luxurious, cohesive fragrance experience — from the morning shave to the evening splash of cologne — allowing the wearer to immerse himself fully in the elegant, bold identity of Jules.
In 1984/1985, Jules was available in the following formats:
In 1990/1991, Jules was available in the following formats:
Launched in 1980, Jules by Christian Dior was introduced as a bold, modern fragrance for men—designed to embody a new style of masculine elegance. While the exact date of its discontinuation remains unclear, Jules continued to be available through at least 1987, as evidenced by retail listings and advertisements from that time. Though it eventually faded from Dior’s core offerings, its distinctive woody fougère character, combined with its refined product line, left a lasting impression on those who sought something daring yet refined in men’s perfumery.
In 2016, Dior reintroduced Jules with a modernized formula crafted by in-house perfumer François Demachy. This reformulation reimagined the classic as an aromatic green fragrance, retaining the spirit of the original while streamlining it for contemporary tastes. Demachy approached the composition as an homage—respectfully echoing the vintage structure but with a lighter, more refined hand. The result was a reinterpretation that preserved Jules’ masculine elegance and herbal freshness, but with smoother transitions, cleaner lines, and a more polished wear. While the original had leaned heavily into leathery moss and animalic warmth, the 2016 version softened these facets, offering a fresher and more luminous take that still nodded to the distinctive legacy of the original.
The 2016 reformulation of Jules reintroduces Dior’s classic aromatic green fragrance through a modern lens—one shaped not only by the evolution of olfactory trends but by the changing landscape of perfumery regulation. This new interpretation, created by François Demachy, pays homage to the original 1980 scent while observing strict IFRA safety restrictions that limit or prohibit many of the deeper, animalic, and mossy ingredients that gave the original its distinctive, provocative edge. The result is an elegantly pared-down structure: green and herbaceous, airy yet textured, and unmistakably clean.
From the first breath, you're greeted with a sharply green and resinous opening, unmistakably from Iranian galbanum, which brings a pungent, bitter verdancy with a wet, forest-floor quality. Galbanum from Iran is particularly prized for its depth and complexity—more balsamic and earthy than galbanum sourced elsewhere, with a crystalline brightness that slices clean through the top. Here, it's softened by a medley of herbal notes—likely a blend of artemisia, sage, or lavender—that diffuse the intensity, creating a brisk, invigorating start. This bright greenness pays tribute to the original Jules' assertive top, though stripped of the animalic cumin that gave the vintage version its polarizing punch. Cumin, once a key spicy flourish, has been omitted—either by choice or necessity—since its use is now much more conservative in modern compositions due to its intense, sweat-like profile.
As the top fades, the scent transitions into a cooler, more transparent heart. Cyclamen, a delicate floral often recreated synthetically due to its non-distillable nature, adds a lightly watery and petal-like nuance—a soft breath of spring air. This is where Hedione steps in as a major player. A synthetic compound derived from methyl dihydrojasmonate, Hedione mimics the diffusive, radiant qualities of jasmine without the allergens present in natural jasmine absolute (now restricted under IFRA due to the presence of benzyl salicylate and benzyl alcohol). Hedione provides the heart of Jules with lift and luminosity—an almost ethereal floralcy that gives the fragrance air and projection, expanding its reach like sunlight through leaves. It doesn’t smell of flowers directly—it smells of space around flowers, of breathable clarity.
Into this clean floral heart, Indian black pepper cuts through with a dry, piquant warmth. Pepper from India tends to be more fragrant and complex than its counterparts, offering not just heat, but a touch of citrus and woody sharpness. Here, it gives Jules an edge, a masculine backbone in contrast to the sheer florals, and cleverly replaces the more overtly sweaty spices of the original—most notably cumin—which are largely avoided in modern reworkings due to their divisiveness and tighter safety constraints.
As the fragrance settles, it reveals a dry, woody base that is significantly more refined than the original. The mossy, animalic signature of 1980s Jules—once built on oakmoss, castoreum, and tonka—has been entirely restructured. Natural oakmoss, a key player in vintage masculines, is now heavily restricted by IFRA because of the allergens atranol and chloroatranol, and castoreum, once derived from beaver glands, has long been retired on ethical and safety grounds. In their place, Demachy uses a clean coniferous blend: fir, likely in the form of fir balsam or a synthetic recreation, and American cedar, which brings a dry, almost pencil-shaving woodiness. Fir adds a subtly camphoraceous, resinous depth, evoking sap and evergreen needles, while American cedar, often Virginian or Texan, contributes a clean, dry structure that anchors the fragrance in crisp masculinity. The leather accord, once a dark, smoky component possibly colored by birch tar or castoreum, is now achieved synthetically—likely with isobutyl quinoline or modern leather aroma molecules that suggest the softness of worn suede without the dirt or musk.
What’s notably absent is the animal growl of the original: no civet, no real musk, no earthy oakmoss. Instead, the base is polite, well-groomed, and urbane. The clean leather, cool woods, and soft resinous greens are much more in line with current sensibilities—and IFRA-compliant. Any remaining musk in the drydown is almost certainly synthetic—possibly ambrettolide or muscenone—offering a skin-like warmth without the animalic traits of natural musk, which is now banned in perfumery.
In total, this 2016 Jules is more restrained, more transparent, and significantly less animalic than its predecessor. It retains a green, woody structure but trades the vintage’s wild, provocative streak for polish and accessibility. Where the original Jules was bold, sweaty, and slightly dangerous, the reformulation is refined, luminous, and tailored—still green, still assertive, but with the wild edges sanded down to meet both modern taste and modern safety standards.
Launched in April 1998, Eau de Dolce Vita by Christian Dior was conceived as a moment of light—an oasis of freshness described by the house ...
