What would you do for love? If you’re Natalie Portman, you might spend one perfect day in your favorite city, visiting the people, places and things that are deeply meaningful. The actress — and global brand ambassador — does just that in “A Miss in Dior.” In the short film, Paris becomes a Miss Dior-coded paradise that tells a story in a series of vignettes, meant to bring the new Miss Dior Essence fragrance to life.
How the Film Unfolds
The film opens with Portman welcoming viewers and sharing what she loves about the city she calls home. “Just being out in the streets that are so beautiful, I love all of the culture, the museums… it’s stimulating,” she says, a cheeky nod to the in-your-face juicy, jammy notes in the scent.
She then maps out the day, a veritable treasure hunt of hints, with stops at the flower market, the book stalls along the Seine, a visit to the Dior Beauty archives, the Dior atelier and finally, the cinema. And because Paris is a walking city, she sets off in a pair of super chic utilitarian knee boots.
First up, the flower market, where Portman runs into Francis Kurkdjian, Dior’s perfume creation director, the “nose” behind Miss Dior Essence. He presents her with “the most interesting flower,” jasmine. The expert explains that the composition of the new fragrance is a combination of flowers and woody notes. “You may feel something smoky on the back,” Kurkdjian says. “It’s a smoky oakmoss and it gives a backbone to the perfume.”
Next, she saunters over to a bouquiniste, one of the used-book stalls along the Seine river. She picks up Anna Karenina, and notes that the heroine “risks everything for love.” She also finds Miss Dior: A Story of Courage and Couture by Justine Picardie. The biography profiles Catherine Dior, the little sister of Christian Dior, a WWII freedom fighter who inspired the creation of the Miss Dior perfume in 1947. “The energy of her spirit is the inspiration for what the character is,” still to this day, says Portman. “A courageous, strong, bold, free, liberated woman who stands up for justice.”
A Rich Brand History
The tour continues with a stop at the Dior archives. “You know the meaning of the bow?” asks Frederic Bourdelier, director of brand culture & heritage at Christian Dior Parfums. He explains that the iconic ribbon on the Miss Dior Essence bottle, now in black, symbolizes the ties between the fashion world and the world of perfumery — as well as the bond between Christian and Catherine Dior. He then reveals the most special design in the archives — an exquisite dress from the Christian Dior Spring-Summer 1949 season. The hand-sewn floral number is a must see!
A stop at the Dior atelier can’t be missed, as Portman is due for a fitting for her campaign look. “This dress makes me feel feminine, but also very tough, like I could run into battle after dancing at a ball,” she says. The bold red frock has black bows at the shoulders that match the bottle, and pairs shorts with an open ball skirt. “It’s very free and daring,” she ads. And in the campaign, it’s paired with the black boots already on Portman’s feet! “It’s a very rock and roll look,” she exclaims.
Finally, Portman lands at the cinema, where the sits back, munches popcorn and watches her latest turn as Miss Dior in the Miss Dior Essence campaign — “the embodiment of freedom, the new generation of women, women who live and love boldly, always going all in, living with your full passion.”
Watch the full video and then tell us: What would you do for love?
