In many ways, the evolution of the Dior fragrance line mirrors the evolution of its fashion line. Dior’s glory years were during the 1940’s and 50’s, the years of their ultra-feminine, wasp-waisted New Look. The fragrances that Dior put out during that time period, such as Diorissimo or Miss Dior, were intended for elegant, sophisticated New Look women. These days, elegant, sophisticated women no longer appear to be Dior’s target audience. The classic Dior fragrances have been reformulated to all hell, and in their place we have such monuments as Dior Addict 2 and Dior Addict Shine.
However, there are still a few bright spots in the Dior line. We discussed Hypnotic Poison the other day, and now we turn to what is probably currently Dior’s most successful fragrance, Miss Dior Cherie. As you are probably already aware, Miss Dior Cherie bears no resemblance whatsoever to its predecessor (beyond the very cute bottle). It is not particularly elegant, and it is most certainly not sophisticated. It does, however, smell very, very good.
MDC is a vivacious, whimsical strawberry fragrance, with a touch of what must be the lightest jasmine note in all of perfumery. It smells something like strawberry lip gloss, with all of the delightful middle school associations that entails. Although the official notes list musk and “caramelized popcorn”, you really won’t find much beyond that very sweet strawberry note. Additionally, I want to commend Dior for hiring Sofia Coppola to create the cutest ad campaign of all time. So much more charming than all of those “sexy sex sexity sex” ads out there.
SCENTS OF SELF 
Oh dear… more proof that we don’t have the same taste.
My notes for this say, “Patchouli strawberry nightmare, truly hideous.” It’s not that I minded the strawberry itself, only in conjunction with the patch – ugh, Kill.Me.Now.
But I agree on the ad angle: cute!
Well, I appreciate that you keep reading despite not relating to many of the reviews! It is a bit inexplicable how many perfumes today contain patch, when the rest of the notes hardly call for such a thing. Coco Mademoiselle felt heavier on the patch to me than this one did.
(Wide eyes) REALLY??? My sister wears CM, so I’m fairly familiar with that – wouldn’t wear it, but know it pretty well. And yeah, there’s patch in there, but it didn’t jump out and scare me the way it did in MDC.
REALLY!!! I always feel so deceived whenever I put it on- I think it’s going to be this gorgeous floral, and then all this patchouli comes in and changes the whole tone. Maybe it just stood out to me because patch seems so out of place in a Chanel fragrance.
Just found your blog; thanks for the writing!
I’m afraid, though, that I second mals in horror at MDC – as, indeed, at CM: both unfortunately induce an almost instant migraine in me…
“patch seems so out of place in a Chanel fragrance” – have you not, then, tried Coromandel from the Exclusifs line? Patch, patch, baby!
I beg your pardon, but you are not THE Tommasina from the MUA fragrance board, are you? Because if so, you crack me up on there! Delighted to have you!
I have tried Coromandel and liked it, but it has always struck me as very un-Chanel. It’s lovely, but seems so out of place among all the elegant florals I tend to associate with them.
Oh blimey – now I don’t know where to put myself (though you should realize, from that exclamation, that it is, indeed, I – the self-same Tommasina. Infamy at last!)
ITA about Coromandel’s seeming un-Chanel-like. It’s an odd one (out), for sure.
Can anyone tell me what you are talking about. Its quite confusing , here in london we dont write pointless remarks that are not needed.Thank you verymuch
p.s the advert is very cute and successful.
(i know i’m a bit late but…)… and where is Harajuku Lovers rating system?
still not clear what to think about dior’s MDC and Chanel’s CM !!! I think I like them both… although they pluck my nerves even more than Keira Knightley sitting on Viggo Mortensen’s knees.
I’m trying to be neutral but i can’t ! There’s something irritating about this two fragrances!
PS—-> It’s not a LOVE/and/HATE, but a LIKE/and/IRRITATE relationship