Unlock the Secret Scents That Power the World’s Top Perfumers—You Won’t Believe #7!

Ever wondered what it takes to create a fragrance so iconic it not only captures your senses but also shapes the very history of perfume? Meet Rodrigo Flores-Roux — a maestro of scent hailing from Mexico City, whose work includes legendary favorites like Clinique Happy and Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino. But here’s the kicker: Rodrigo isn’t just a perfumer; he’s a passionate historian, diving deep into the stories behind each essence. Take Diorissimo, for example. Crafted back in 1954 under Christian Dior’s watchful eye, this soliflore masterpiece featuring lily of the valley isn’t just a smell — it’s an emotional journey intertwined with Dior’s personal legacy. It’s minimalistic yet bursting with subtle innovations, including those groundbreaking green molecular notes that evoke fresh-cut grass and spring’s first breath. The way Rodrigo sees it, Diorissimo is more than a scent; it’s a quantum leap in perfume creation, a perfect harmony of history, emotion, and innovation. Stick with me, and you’ll get why this fragrance is a keystone in the olfactory world — and how it inspires Rodrigo’s own groundbreaking work today. LEARN MORE

Born and raised in Mexico City, Rodrigo Flores-Roux boasts a portfolio of iconic creations, including the cult classic Clinique Happy and Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford. The Givaudan senior perfumer is not only a creator but also a self-described perfume historian. Diorissimo by Dior is one of Flores-Roux’s favorite perfumes ever created—not only for its ingenuity, but also because of its place in perfume history.

Launched in 1954, Diorissimo was created by famed perfumer Edmond Roudnitska, under the guidance of Christian Dior himself. In fact, the fragrance is incredibly personal to the house of Dior. Diorissimo captures lily of the valley and is a single floral (or a soliflore)—“a mono theme taken to the extreme of perfection,” says Flores-Roux. Dior’s favorite flower was the lily of the valley (he considered it his lucky flower), which was used many times as a motif in the designer’s collections and was the emblem of Dior Couture. When Dior died in 1957, his coffin was covered in lily of the valley, and all of the mourners sported a sprig of the delicate spring floral.

The simplicity of Diorissimo is deceptive, though. The fragrance has subtle notes of jasmine and ylang-ylang, and it features one of the first prominent uses of two molecules in the green universe, says Flores-Roux. “These two green elements are present in green leaves and green fruit (like kiwi and bananas)—they provide a spring, burgeoning, sappy, fresh-cut-grass kind of smell,” he says. “Roudnitska used them to the biggest advantage in this perfume, providing a completely new innovation for a perfume that was already quite innovative because it was very minimalistic in conception. But then the coronation of this beautiful floral harmony was to put this completely new green, very ethereal and powerful dominance to make the fragrance completely new.”

This perfume takes an emotional approach to the brand, but also represents enormous innovation and a quantum leap in the creation of perfumes, Flores-Roux adds. “Diorissimo is a perfect perfume—not only because it’s highly recognizable and absolutely gorgeous, but it also is a keystone in the history of perfume.”