Dior Homme Parfum has been a cornerstone of the modern gentleman’s morning routine for two decades – a subtly seductive, iconic fragrance that masterfully balances strength and tenderness, rooted in the timeless allure of the iris flower. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, master perfumer and perfume creation director for Christian Dior Parfums Francis Kurkdjian has reimagined the classic, enhancing its sleek, sensual essence with a rich, concentrated formula that bears his distinctive olfactory signature. Even better, Robert Pattinson is the face of it. “I think this new chapter in the campaign has such a deep sensuality to it. And also a relaxed maturity that probably comes from being so comfortable around everyone I work with at Dior,” says Pattinson.
In a smouldering campaign lensed by Mikael Jansson and backdropped by either a city skyline or what resembles a Brooklyn loft apartment, the chiselled English actor lounges around, his hair tousled with a devil-may-care kind of attitude, looking like the picture of the versatile man. “Dior Homme is so malleable, which is important for me because I don’t want to be tied down to one identity. I want to be able to be free to adapt and Dior Homme seems to fit with any situation,” Pattinson says.
Dior Homme Parfum is great at that; bending and remoulding to fit any scenario be it a blue-light heavy day at the office or a rambunctious night on the town. With just one whiff, you’ll be enveloped in an intoxicating overdose of iris, capturing the softness of its petals and the earthiness of its roots. Kurkdjian’s fresh interpretation of Dior Homme Parfum embodies the couture spirit of the Dior man, offering a scent that is both structured and fluid, sophisticated yet deeply sensual. When and where does Pattinson apply it? “Mainly in the morning so that by the evening you’ve really made it your own. I’m more used to wearing fragrance at night when I have plans to go out. I give one spray and walk through it.”
Recalling his conversations with Kurkdjian in New York, Pattinson says, “I loved talking to Francis in New York. The process of making a fragrance from an outside perspective seems so impossible to understand, but Francis has a way of describing his art that is so evocative and accessible that I left our meeting having a much deeper understanding. I love that his process sounds like some kind of grand emotional adventure rather than being stuck in a lab.” Returning to his thoughts on the fragrance, he adds, “I like the saying that nature does not grow in leaps and while Dior Homme is always innovating and changing, it maintains the familiar while leading us gently into the new, and always with a little bit of wonder.” Shop Dior Homme Parfum here.
Photography by Mikael Jansson for Christian Dior Parfums.
