A French legend tells of a holy man known as Saint Leonard, a close friend of King Clovis, who lived in the Vienne Valley near Limoges in 559 AD. Saint Leonard, a brave and fearless fighter, wanted to spend his days communing with God. So he took permission from the king to go live the life of a hermit in the woods. In the same woods also dwelled the dragon Temptation. Saint Leonard was at prayer and did not hear the dragon when it demanded that Saint Leonard leave the woods. The evil dragon burned down Saint Leonard's hut with his fiery breath. Much blood was spilled as terrible battles took place between them. Saint Leonard drove the evil dragon further into the woods until the dragon disappeared altogether. Poisonous weeds began to grow where the dragon spilled his blood, but beds of lilies of the valley sprang up wherever the ground was sprinkled with Saint Leonard's blood to mark the places of their battles. These woods, till today are known as St. Leonard's Forest. Thus the lily of the valley has become a holy and legendary flower, as a symbol of hop, happiness and joy. And later this flower became the floral emblem of the House of Dior.

In 1955, the Dior perfumer, Edmond Roudniska, wanted to create a perfume that would be revolutionary and break the trend of sweet perfumes that were dominating the market. Inspired by the holy flower lily of the valley, a wonderful fragrance Diorissimo was born in 1956. This romantic floral bouquet blossoms with the freshness and transparency of lily-of-the-valley, Christian Dior’s lucky flower and the emblem of Dior Couture. And this landmark ‘single flower’ fragrance is as bright as a spring morning.

Top note is Ylang-ylang flowers from the Comoro islands, which are distilled fresh in water vapor to produce an essence. And it harmonizes with a wide spectrum of floral notes, leading fullness, elegance and originality to the composition. Heart note comes in lily of the valley. Despite its strong fragrance, its scent cannot be extracted. Therefore, it can be used in perfumery in a harmony of green, floral, jasmine and ylang-ylang scents. This sweet, fleeting harmony forms the heart note of Diorissimo. Jasmine is the base note, which is a symbol of feminine softness.

Diorissimo is a fragrance of happiness. More than fifty years ago, Roundnitska simplified perfume’s formula and created a perfume that’s simple and luminous. Fifty years later, a lot of women still happily wear this fresh, romantic and womanly fragrance.