Delve into the mysterious world of perfumery in a new documentary by the House of Dior, chronicling the process of concocting some of the world’s iconic scents that are worn by A-listers such as Charlize Theron and Natalie Portman. In this film, the spotlight is not on these celebrities who represent the perfumes but the Nose behind it all: François Demachy. 

Affectionately called the Nose, Demachy is the force behind the conceptualisation of Dior’s olfactory masterpieces such as Sauvage and the reinvention of the maison’s scents like J’Adore and Miss Dior. He has been on the job since 2006 after 20 years at Chanel. 

The film, directed by Clement Beauvais and Arthur de Kersauson, spent two and a half year following Demachy to uncover how perfumes are created from the harvest of raw materials to the extraction process. For Demachy, the individual components that make up a fragrance are paramount and he compares it to “composing a symphony” where everything is deliberate.

To capture the delicate synergy, the cameras followed the perfume-maker across different countries from his birthplace in Grasse, France through to far-flung places like Indonesia for its patchouli fields, sandalwood from Sri Lanka and even the coasts of Ireland. Along with the travel, the film introduces many different vibrate communities in remote regions that are all enduring as a result of the maison’s continual effort in helping them to preserve their craftsmanship and heritage. Ultimately, a strong bond is required between the suppliers and Demachy in order to instil life in each fragrance.

Embark on an atypical journey, one that is filled with intoxicating aromas (if only we could inhale through the screen), and you will learn to appreciate the subtleties behind each Dior scent you buy next time. But till your next bottle, enjoy this movie that now available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and Canal VOD.

Watch the trailer below:

All images courtesy of Dior.