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Christian Dior will celebrate Miss Dior perfume with an exhibition at Paris’s Grand Palais next month. Miss Dior was originally created in 1947, and it’s a green mossy blend that inspired many other perfumes in the same bold, distinctive style. Today, if you want to smell it at Dior, you need to ask for Miss Dior Eau de Toilette Originale. The fragrance currently bearing the name of Miss Dior and fronted by Natalie Portman was created in 2005 and launched as Miss Dior Chérie. It’s a fruity-floral gourmand.

It’s not clear which of these perfumes the exhibit is going to celebrate, but according to WWD, it features large-scale artworks by 15 female artists, rare photographs and a selection of outfits including the dresses that Raf Simons designed for Portman to wear in the Miss Dior campaigns.

The Miss Dior exhibition will run at the Grand Palais in Paris from November 13 to 25 (free to public).

Meanwhile at Chanel, Marilyn Monroe is the new face of Chanel No.5. New print and television campaigns will feature the celebrated actress who once proclaimed that she wears nothing but  Chanel No.5 to bed. Since I found the ad with Brad Pitt to be confusing, to put it mildly, I can’t wait to see the new ads.

Aftelier, an indie perfume house specializing in all-natural fragrances, has introduced a line of scented teas which currently includes Matcha Chai, Rose & Ginger Tieguanyin Oolong and Frankincense GABA Oolong (all three are organic). Matcha Chai is the newest addition, and it’s scented with natural essences: vanilla absolute from Madagascar, organic cinnamon from Vietnam, organic pimento berry from Jamaica, and organic cardamom from India. The tea itself is grown in Nishio, Japan.

Rose & Ginger Tieguanyin Oolong is based on Muzha Tieguanyin oolong tea from Taiwan. “This full-bodied oolong opens with ripe fruit notes and finishes with a smooth aftertaste, blending beautifully with the spicy rose flavor that Mandy creates with our Aftelier Chef’s Essences: Fresh Ginger and Turkish Rose. These tightly rolled leaves unfurl during the first steeping, and may be re-infused up to 4 times, retaining their fragrance.”

Frankincense Oolong is created with tea from Nantou, Taiwan and high-quality frankincense essence. A full-bodied tea with fruit and honey notes, accented by the peppery and balsamic frankincense.

Matcha Chai retails for $30/25g, while Rose & Ginger and Frankincense teas are $25/30g. More information is available at Aftelier Organic Teas webpage. Via press release

Anastasia Sokolow, the founder of Suléko perfume line, is offering two sets of workshops in New York City on October 15th and 17th (5:30-6:30pm). The workshops give a chance to discover the natural essences and synthetic molecules and learn about fragrance composition. They will also introduce perfumes created in collaboration between Sokolow and perfumer Cécile Zarokian: Albho, Vy Roza, Djélem, and Baba Yaga.

Serge Lutens is relaunching Datura Noir, Serge Noire, Clair de Musc as a themed Les Trois Nuits trio. The fragrances have not been changed. It’s a good way to discover them if you’ve missed these perfumes previously.

Datura Noir (2002) – “To lead the pleasure of a lover to wed her childish fear.”

Serge Noire (2009) – “She and he are made of the same stuff.”

Clair de Musc (2003) – “When one is light, the other is black.”

When I read the news, I realized that these three perfumes were among the ones I neglected the most out of Serge Lutens’s collection. Perhaps, it’s time for me to revisit them. Do you have a favorite among them?

If you’re interested in Serge Lutens’s work and understand French, I highly recommend the podcasts of Serge Lutens’s interviews with Philippe Bresson available at franceculture.fr.

February 2014 still seems ages away, but here is an interesting event to add to your calendar. If you’re in London or planning to visit, the National Portrait Gallery will host David Bailey’s photography exhibit from Feb. 6 to June 1, 2014. Bailey is regarded as one of the most prominent British photographers, and he is well-known for his strong images. His camera captured many celebrities, from Jean Shrimpton to Mick Jagger, from Catherine Deneuve to Kate Moss.

“Bailey’s Stardust” will feature a selection of 250 images by the photographer himself. It will also include some previously unpublished photographs spanning 50 years of Baileys work.  It’s a fitting tribute for a man who captured the spirit of the 60s.

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