January 16, 2026 |
On Wednesday night, to celebrate the release of Dior Beauty’s La Collection Privée Cuir Saddle, a fresh fragrance offering developed by Dior perfume creation director Francis Kurkdjian and inspired by the maison’s emblematic Saddle bag, Dior Beauty hosted an intimate dinner with the master perfumer in Dubai. At the Leila Heller Gallery in Alserkal Avenue, guests included One Dior ambassadors Razane Jammal and Ahmed Malek, alongside Valerie Abou Chacra, Myriem Boukadida and Saffron Vadher. A London-born model, Vadher attended as a friend of Dior Beauty. “The dinner was really intimate, which I loved. It felt like there was proper time to talk and connect with everyone around the table,” she says. “Everyone came from such different backgrounds and walks of life, but we were all there for the same reason, and that made the conversations really interesting. I really enjoyed being able to get to know everyone and hear how the journey of the perfume came to life.”
Hosted in the presence of Kurkdjian, the evening was conceived as an extension of the fragrance’s tone. Dinner, curated by Michelin-starred chef Brando Moros, unfolded among contemporary artworks, reinforcing the dialogue between craft, modernity and restraint. For La Collection Privée, Kurkdjian defies the familiar codes of leather fragrance with a scent “far removed from the smoky, musky and animalistic interpretations traditionally associated with leather scents,” according to the press release. Cuir Saddle instead introduces floral luminosity and velvety suede accents, resulting in a composition designed to sit close to the skin.
When Vadher smells Cuir Saddle, the connection turns personal. “The first thing that hits me is that soft, leathery warmth, and it instantly takes me to my nan’s wardrobe,” Vadher says. “For me the perfume is very nostalgic but still really chic.” It’s this balance – between memory and modernity – that underpins the fragrance, and Dior Beauty more broadly. “I think I resonate with Dior because it feels really classic but still current and modern,” she adds. “There’s a real sense of storytelling in everything they do.”
Vadher’s relationship with Dior Beauty is rooted in this sense of ease and intention. “Skincare is the most important part of my routine,” she says as she walks us through her routine to get ready for the dinner. “I’ll happily spend forever on that part because if the skin looks good, everything else becomes really easy. I usually do my full routine, use my gua sha to de-puff, and then keep the makeup super light. I apply a bit of concealer, brush up my eyebrows, use a bit of blush, and that’s basically it. I don’t love heavy foundation, I like skin to look like skin, just clear, healthy and glowing. It’s all about looking polished but still very natural and easy.” The same instinct informs how she wears the fragrance. “It really depends what mood I’m in. If I’m feeling organised and have time, I’ll apply it properly as part of getting ready: straight onto my skin once my makeup and hair are done. It feels a bit more intentional and it really becomes part of me,” she says. “But if I’m running late, I’ll just spray it onto my clothes on the way out. Either way, it’s the step that makes me feel most put together.”
In Dubai, Cuir Saddle revealed itself not as a statement fragrance but as something intimate and lived-in, reinforcing Dior’s ability to translate heritage and emotion into a quietly assured sensorial experience. Shop Dior Beauty’s La Collection Privée Cuir Saddle here.
Photography courtesy of Christian Dior Parfums.
