With Its "Dense" New Scent, Dior Just Cemented This Year's Biggest Perfume Trend
We spoke to the legend who created it.
Of all the sought-after perfumes in an oversaturated market, none have dominated the discourse quite like Dior Sauvage. Since its 2015 launch, it has become the number one fragrance in the entire world—topping both the men's and women's categories—and one bottle is reportedly sold every 30 seconds. There's no denying its acclaim, but that said, it is a rather distinct blend. With vibrant and spicy bergamot, earthy patchouli, and smoky vanilla, the punchy scent has a trail that refuses to go unnoticed. Some people adore this "beast mode" quality, while others would rather opt for something subtle; no matter which camp you side with, though, you can't ignore that Sauvage is a household name.
Evolving the Sauvage family is no easy feat, but legendary perfumer Francis Kurkdjian (the creative director of Dior Parfums since 2021), decided to lean into this unrivaled power by creating the strongest version yet: Dior Sauvage Extrait. "What you see trending right now on TikTok or Instagram is the power of perfumes: the longevity, the strength, how much you put on, or how much you don't have to put on," he tells Who What Wear during an exclusive preview. "We're in a very performance-[minded] environment." Essentially, today's fragrance consumer craves something that commands a room—and Sauvage Extrait is here to turn heads.
Sauvage Extrait is the brand's strongest scent—even more powerful than Sauvage Elixir, which, until now, was Dior's most concentrated version. "I'm not sure if we can go up from here," Kurkdjian admits. The composition itself is also much woodier and denser (whereas Elixir leans sweet and spicy) thanks to an extremely rare oud sourced from a certified supplier in Vietnam. Different types of oud have slightly different scent profiles depending on where it's extracted (some lean smooth and sweet, while others are intense and animalic), and the one here in Extrait reads a bit softer with notes of honey and incense.
"I wanted to include oud wood at the heart of Sauvage, as it has never before appeared in its composition or variations," Kurkdjian shares in a release. Combined with other woody notes, like dark Atlas cedar and patchouli, the juice has an unmistakably rich, mysterious quality. However, Kurkdjian decided to contrast that density with pale Virginia cedar (a more "luminous" wood), vetiver, and lavender to add even more sensuality and sophistication. It's still intense, make no mistake, but it's also unexpectedly breezy.
True fragranceheads will also appreciate the Extrait's maturation process, which takes six weeks (42 days, to be exact) to hit its peak performance. During this time, all the raw materials (the woods, oud, vetiver, etc.) mingle until the composition is perfectly, evenly blended. "Have you ever eaten freshly done ratatouille versus [one that's] two days old?" Kurkdjian poses. Just like how the overall flavor improves the more those spices mingle, the perfume's ingredients create a more harmonious scent profile the longer they converge. This maceration period also helps with its longevity, which, as we mentioned, is the most impressive of the entire Sauvage portfolio.
Despite the fact that strong, long-lasting perfumes are super hot right now, there is a slight gamble with amplifying such a powerful scent. See, "beast mode" perfumes already tend to be a bit polarizing; those who love it, well, really love it, but those who already felt a bit iffy might decide to steer clear. According to Kurkdjian, however, that balance gives a fragrance personality, which is exactly what makes a "good" perfume truly great. Scent and emotion are intimately tied, after all, so it makes sense that a powerful fragrance would garner an equally powerful reaction—be it positive or negative.
"It always brings a debate," Kurkdjian says. "This is what makes a perfume successful. You're going to have that paradox." There's arguably no fragrance more debated than Dior Sauvage, but that's precisely what makes it interesting. With the addition of a super-concentrated Extrait, things are about to get a whole lot more captivating.
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