The Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc is a storied luxury resort residence in the south of France, a series of extravagant holiday villas set within a chateau by the sea. For those in the know, and with the sufficient funds, it is said to be a kind of paradise: Chagall sketched it, F Scott Fitzgerald wrote about it, Prince wooed Kristen Scott Thomas there in Under The Cherry Moon. Picasso sat drawing the menu in the hotel bar. Marlene Dietrich and Rita Hayworth had affairs there.
Etc. Etc.
While it might seem unusual for Dior to release a pure aquatic, , there has always been an archival freshness to much of the classic fragrance from the house, from the bright luminescent florals and citruses of Diorissimo and Diorella, through to the recent prettifications of the Francois Demachy creations for Maison Dior: Souffle de Soie, Holy Peony, Lucky, Diorissima, and the oceanic pebble fig breezes of Balade Sauvage. The bright morning ablutions of the upper crust blearily flinging open the shutters of their magnificent chambers to the sight, and smell, of the sun on the waves. The tennis courts below. The stories that these long white corridors could tell….
The new perfume is a pure aquatic sea air creation, with Mediterranean citruses and a solar sea promenade jasmine with hints within of troubling indoles; otherwise, all is saline, sun-bleached, clear and dreamy, except for a note of pine that grounds the proceedings in a slight hint of dry virility. I like it. Although I would personally find a stay at an exclusive place such as the Du Cap somewhat exhausting; all the clothes you would need to pack (or buy in the first place) for each sighting in the bar; at breakfast, at dinner, while relaxing with grenadine cocktails on the oceanside cabana – for me it would necessitate suitcases and suitcases; a valet, a personal shopper and stylist and several bellhops to just select and lay it all out for me each day like Audrey Hepburn and her grand entrance at the beginning of Charade : the scent itself – simple, harmonious ; is pleasing. As a fan, in very hot summer weather, of Il Profumo’s beachwalk Aria Di Mare, to which Eden Roc bears some resemblance, I can imagine this being quite cooling and gentrifying to the senses when the heat gets too much (though for me it hardly ever does); I was teaching the word ‘exhilarating’ yesterday, and instinctively, the first example that came to mind for me of how to use the word from personal experience was one August day last year at Ishiki beach; down from the Emperor’s summer residence in Hayama, where for the first time in several years, I went running along the jetty – and dived straight into the ocean.
The Black Narcissus 
This is the first dior i‘m tempted with thanks (or is it no thanks?! 😂) to your description. Also – pine! I love pine…
It’s not so prominent… but anchors this delicately. For pine go for the new Chanel Paris Edimboug – a properly coniferous number !
Looking forward to that, I think they moved the release date on that. Have no idea when it will be out.
Oops.
Have I done another leak ?
It is not a sensational scent – some will find it aquatic generic – but I definitely sense some Dior DNA in it – the Diorella putrescence – and think it has a certain simple happy sunshine vibe.
One does not need to go on holidays with your descriptions! Amazing power of transporting us! Thank you for taking me to all the places my budget doesn’t.
My budget doesn’t either !
Vintage stuff! A gem!
How you manage to pack your sensations, images and your perfectly carved ‘plume’ in one brilliant piece of prose is truly wonderful.
I actually was there in the time it took me to read and I could almost smell the sea. Five minutes and a meeting with Rita whom I revere!
Precious moment in these trying times.
Thank you M. Ginza.
How lovely.
Thanks N x
Dior has always been my favorite mainstream house, precisely because of its archival freshness and luminescent florals.
My mom and I went on a Mediterranean cruise in the early 90s, I recall Eden-Roc was on the Cap d’Antibes. It was tiring dressing for dinner each evening. But my mom loved it and we went on to cruise the Hawaiian islands and the Mexican Riviera in subsequent years.
Eden Roc sounds lovely, a Dior aquatic sounds like an interesting addition to my collection.
So glad I put this up just so I can hear these stories. You literally had to ‘dress for dinner’?
I have no clothes and never buy any, so this fascinates me.
Yes, we literally had to dress for dinner. My mom rocked the “Liz Taylor” caftan and turban ensembles!
Oh my god I love this idea. There was a film with her in the alps skiing or something and it was divine. When you say ‘had to’, though, it sounds a bit prescriptive to me: were you not allowed in otherwise, like Studio 54?
Hmmm, it was quite the posh cruise.
Every dinner had a theme and the menu was designed by Chef Paul Bocuse. (It was Silversea cruise lines out of Monaco, now in bankruptcy, I think?) Suggestions for dress were given before the cruise and on the menu. I don’t know what the repercussions for not complying with the dress suggestions were but you did have the option of dining in your cabin if you so desired. Our cabin had 2 bedrooms, 2 baths and a living & dining area. Mom & I had a blast !
Not sure about the Dior, but I loved your prose and great photos!
Thank you. I had a rough night of bad dreams but woke up with clarity and went straight to the computer.
Finding ( and stealing , like a magpie ): why does nobody ever take me up about this ? decent images – I find the world hideously beset by extreme lack of visual sense and deep ugliness – took about two hours ; the writing about 8 minutes.
That blue and ivory diving board set in a rock is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
PS
Just reading this and laughing on the bus
Really quite drole
https://intothegloss.com/2018/09/dior-maison-perfume/
Drole, yes. Light on the helpful, for old folks like me who are boggled at all those names, all those bottles, released en masse. They seem somehow lightweight; you know, fleeting, unserious, destined to come and then go, safety in numbers, throw it all on the wall and see what sticks. So different than Chanel, at the high end, releasing a new Exclusifs rarely, with deliberation, giving us time and space to really absorb what is artistic and technical, meant to NOT be discontinued.
But of course I’d love to have the whole collection of these Diors. I was crazy about Ambre Nuit until they reformulated. I kick myself that I didn’t pounce at the time. It was foreign to me — then — that a reformulation would follow so quickly on the heels of the original release. I know better now.
Eden Roc sounds delightful for the summer. I can absolutely get behind it based on your description. I love the sea and the season and this sense of place that it seems to capture. And the escapism. And the sense of luxuriousness, of wealth — not in the crude terms of money to be thrown around, but in terms of the quality that money will buy, whether it’s high-thread-count linens, ocean views, architecture, cuisine, floral arrangements, gardens, tableware, fabrics. And scent. I’m content to live modestly but I have been exposed to the high life and all the European accoutrements as a food and wine writer invited on swanky junkets. A little rich for a steady diet, but great to have a taste of from time to time when life gets a bit prosaic.
Love the idea of you plunging into the ocean. I remember once after a night out at a very good restaurant with a little too much wine. It was mid-summer and sweltering (for Vancouver). I went to the beach and the water was so enticing, and I was so hot — and tipsy — that I just walked right in, clothes and all. That was many years ago, but I can still remember how perfect it felt.
Like there is no temporal flow and you are at the essence of everything : that’s now I feel when in the sea. I am incapable of a negative thought.
As for all the Diors, I don’t know them either and was shocked there were so many. Quite the cascade of new products. I like the house, but it has never fully penetrated my conscious in the way that others have for some reason.
Love the photos and text, an instant vacation to another time and place. The perfume doesn’t sound appealing but the idea of being in a beautiful place, bathed in sunshine, surrounded by luxe, calme et volupté – that draws me in. Thank you for a mini-escape in the midst of dreary pandemic quarantine.
You are very welcome.
I don’t think you would like this much – D didn’t, even though he likes oceanics, but I find it has a whited out, bleached sand quality plus a hint of something enigmatic despite its slightly typical (over)simplicity. I will definitely wear it once the sun is out in July.
The description of this scent sounds extremely similar to the early Dior Collection Privee release Granville, now discontinued. I would definitely try this seeing how I own and love the Granville beyond words.
The photos in this post are fabulous!!! I also adore the vision in my mind of you just runnning and diving into the ocean. How truly invigorating that must have been.
This is much more simplistic aquatic than Granville : I can’t really see you going for it. It is quite pleasant though for ultra hot weather.
Granville is such a masterpiece in my opinion.
GRANVILLE esta disponible en la web de DIOR en el tamaño de 250 ml.