Diorissimo is the Dior perfume launched in 1956 and named for the lily of the valley.
Created by master perfumer Edmond Roudnitska, Diorissimo was designed to capture Christian Dior’s favorite flower. Lily of the valley appeared in Dior’s garden, on his stationery and in his personal style, and it also inspired the designer’s 1954 spring collection.
The flower presents a technical challenge in perfumery because its scent cannot be obtained as a conventional essential oil. Diorissimo therefore uses aroma molecules and other floral notes to evoke the flower’s delicate, green character. Its composition also includes notes such as ylang-ylang, jasmine, amaryllis and boronia.
Diorissimo is often confused with Miss Dior, Dior’s famous earlier fragrance, or J’adore, a later floral bestseller. Those perfumes are associated with Dior, but Diorissimo is the one specifically built around a lily-of-the-valley impression.