DIOR
GRIS DIOR / GRIS MONTAIGNE
2017
PERFUMER
Francois Demachy
Rose
Oakmoss
Patchouli
Bergamot
Cedarwood
Amber
Sandalwood
Gris Dior was first released as Gris Montaigne in 2013. It was reformulated and rebranded in 2017. In 2024 Dior under Francis Kurkdjian released Gris Dior Esprit de Parfum.
‘Gris Dior is the olfactory expression of gray, the iconic color of the House of Dior that embodies the bold spirit of Christian Dior. A unisex eau de parfum that defies gender, Gris Dior is an intense chypre fragrance that makes a strong, recognizable statement, a fragrance you adopt and interpret to suit your own rules. Gris Dior uninhibitedly combines heritage with a modern twist and plays the unisex card with confidence. It is multifaceted and not as obvious as it seems, like the color gray, richly nuanced with its subtleties, anything but a simple mix of black and white. Last but not least, Gris Dior is an encounter between floral and woody notes that shape the outline of what has become an iconic chypre trail.’ – Dior
To my nose, Gris Dior feels like a watered down, more feminine leaning version of Oud Ispahan on first impression, but in a good way. It’s lovely and one of my favorite Dior releases.
The rose in here is beautiful; I love rose as a note and this is one of the better ones for me. It’s a nice contradiction between earthy and fresh tones. The patchouli probably adds the earthy touch, but the rose itself smells chrystal clear, with a sharp, sourish tinge. Add to that the bergamot in the opening and you get a nice contrast. After a while it becomes a bit more soapy, but never fully so.
It’s a nice middle of the road; not as sour as Frederic Malle Une Rose or Hiram Green Lustre, but also not as sweet as Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud Satin Mood or Frderic Malle Portrait Of A Lady, nor is it green or indolic. It’s barely sweet, which I think really works for this scent; it’s refreshing and invigorating, but with more depth and class than the average floral or citrus scent.
So I don’t think the amber accord here adds much sweetness, but it does add warmth during the wear. I read someone describe this as walking into a department store women’s beauty section and that’s definitely something I can picture. It’s by no means a ‘girly’ or youthful scent though, it feels very sophisticated. It’s the type of fragrance that doesn’t exude confidence on it’s own, but it requires the wearer to wear it confidently for it to work.