FOR OVER a decade and half, Natalie Portman has been the beating heart of Miss Dior leading its evolution as its ambassador. Through countless iterations of the iconic fragrance, the American actor’s presence has remained constant: radiant, intelligent and effortlessly feminine.
Now, with the arrival of Miss Dior Essence, a new chapter unfolds in its story. This new creation reimagines the House’s most beloved floral signature through a lens of intimacy and purity. At its heart lies a sensual jasmine sambac while an opening accord of blackberry and elderflower adds a gourmand sweetness that feels both indulgent and fresh. Below it, a dense, enveloping woody oak base grounds the fragrance lending depth and warmth to the overall composition.
Crafted with the same precision and passion that defines both the French House and Portman herself, Essence is not merely a scent but a standout fragrance in its own right. This new Miss Dior Essence reinterprets Dior’s heritage through a modern lens: the frosted glass bottle recalls the original 1948 design, now etched with a houndstooth motif and crowned with a bow.
Reflecting exclusively with GLASS, Portman takes a moment to celebrate both scent and self.
Natalie Portman by Zoe Natale Mannella for Christian Dior Parfums
You have been the face of Miss Dior for 15 years now… How has your relationship with the House and the fragrance evolved throughout the years?
I felt much more intimidated by it at the beginning, but working with Dior for so long, the team has really become like a family and I am much more at ease now. They were with me before I had kids and as I’ve gotten older and gone through different periods of my life. The Miss Dior character has grown as I have grown.
Can you describe Miss Dior Essence in three words?
Floral, feminine, bold.
How much of yourself do you inject in the Miss Dior character? Or is she shaped on you like a handmade dress?
The character was definitely created by the Miss Dior team, but since it is associated with me as a person, some of it is based on who I am. The main inspiration comes from Catherine Dior, who was the original Miss Dior for her brother Christian. The energy of her spirit is the inspiration for what the character is: a courageous, strong, bold, free, liberated woman who stands up for justice.
Natalie Portman by Zoe Natale Mannella for Christian Dior Parfums
Can you say a few words about Catherine? When were you first introduced to her story?
Several years into my collaboration with Dior, the team started digging up the archives and this wonderful story emerged. Catherine was an incredibly courageous woman. She was very active in the Resistance to the Nazis during the war, was sent to a concentration camp, survived and came back.
I think her story also gives a lot of meaning to the whole enterprise of what Christian Dior was doing: he was trying to revive beauty after a very ugly time, and to bring it back into people’s lives after they had lived through so much horror. I think that’s so necessary, and that there can be so much pleasure and meaning in beauty and in the power of humans to create beautiful things.
It is interesting that, of all senses, smell is rather absent in movies…
I think about it all the time! Many actors get into character by scent, and it can sometimes be very helpful. I had a rose scent for Black Swan. On Star Wars, because we shot in North Africa, the scent of jasmine was very present. And A Tale of Love and Darkness, the movie I directed in Israel, is related to orange blossom.
Natalie Portman by Zoe Natale Mannella for Christian Dior Parfums
You shot the new Miss Dior Essence campaign in Paris. Do you remember your first time -or times- there?
My first time, I can’t remember it, even though my parents told me about it a lot. I was 3 years-old when we moved from Israel to the United States. We had a layover in Paris, and my dad always tells the story of how I tried to take a bath in the bidet in the hotel room.
But my real first time was at 11, when I was filming Léon. It was magical. I had this image of Paris being the chicest, most intellectual city in the world. And it was! I was in awe of how everything and everyone looked. My mom took me to museums on the weekends, and I ate crepes every day for dinner. I thought they were the best thing I’d ever eaten in my life.
Can you talk a little bit about Arco, one of your exciting new projects?
Arco is the first feature from a young French animation director called Ugo Bienvenu. He is such a beautiful artist and has a very important voice in animation, it feels like the birth of a Miyazaki. The story is also very touching: it is about kids figuring out how to take care of the planet through time travel.
Natalie Portman by Zoe Natale Mannella for Christian Dior Parfums
You played a major role in the creation of Time’s Up in the wake of the Me Too movement. Can you talk a little bit about the state of things for women in Hollywood today?
It’s been an incredible part of my life experience to get to be part of Time’s Up with so many amazing colleagues. I built friendships and working relationships that continue till today. When we created Time’s Up in 2018, it was the first time women in our industry came together. For the first ten years of my career, I was the only woman on set except for hair and makeup, and I had a lot of girlfriends outside my work but I didn’t know any women in my industry. We were so often kept apart and pitted against each other because of the scarcity of interesting roles.
So, it was such an incredible moment to all talk, share experiences and information, be friends and support each other. We talked about what we could ask for in our contracts, about money, about who’s a good person to work with or not, about the importance of taking leadership roles in producing and directing, of speaking up and being a leader on set as an actress, of reaching out to younger actresses and being a support system for each other… We still have those friendships and reach out to each other and gather all the time. About the film industry, I think it’s changed a little but there’s still a very long way to go.
by Imogen Clark
Miss Dior Essence from £93, dior.com