We took the two hour journey up from Kamakura through a stark and rather grim area of Tokyo to get to the Museum Of Contemporary Art, which is currently showing “Christian Dior: Designer Of Dreams”, in search of rare and heartracing bottles like Diorissimo, Diorling, and Miss Dior.
When we got there, we instead discovered armies of masks informing that it was sold out for the day, the spacious environs of the museum and gardens milling with well dressed fashionistas on properly pre-planned Saturdays out eager to pose, post on social media, and stand in awe afore the fabulous creations of Christian Dior.
A little disappointed, it was fun nevertheless to be out, perusing the gift shop (50,000 Cannage candles, are you kidding me?) and
come away with a few curiosities (notebooks, card cases, a rather lovely turquoise pleated bag) ,as well as a quick glass of sparkling in the cafe and pictures in the courtyard.
Asking someone who had been to the show what perfume had been on display, she told us none; but that it had been dreamy and wonderful for the fashion and art lover (I would definitely have enjoyed drifting through and taking the exhibition in, even if pretty floaty dresses don’t float my boat anything like the way perfume does): so we actually weren’t too worried.
In fact, looking through the catalogue that was available for viewing it was apparent that the only allusions to the Dior scent history in the exhibition were done in the rather 90’s style of the poster :
– a blurred J’Adore bottle here, the vague imprint of a Dune bottle there, all absorbed to the visual backdrop of the event – and so we were quite happy to then hop on a bus, which zigzagged its way torturously through the dark backstreets of the city for what felt like an hour, until we eventually got out into the dazzling neon of the most brilliantly moneyed area of the metropolis, Ginza – to go smelling; scores of different perfumes, including – naturally, Christian Dior.
The Black Narcissus 
Wasted opportunity for Dior, not including perfumes. What is this world coming to? Ah well, at least you hadn’t missed anything in that respect. I’m glad to have acquired some old Diors over the years which are some of my most valued bottles. P.S. I had a dream about you and Duncan. We were snooping around your favourite second-hand shops and finding gallons of incredible vintage extraits. You could hardly carry your gigantic drum of No 19.