Rihanna has been named as the new face of Dior J'adore

Since its inception in 1999, Dior J'Adore has remained the French heritage brand's contemporary love letter to femininity, and Charlize Theron has been the face synonymous with the fragrance's sensual gold bottle since 2004.

But now, 20 years later, the actress is stepping down from her role as the brand's ambassador and passing the torch to fellow creative industry titan, Rihanna. 

Despite the beauty mogul just coming down from the high of the launch of Fenty Hair, which debuted in early June of this year, the 36 year old is expanding her sights to the luxury fragrance category with the help of Dior. 

Given Fenty Beauty launched a perfume all it's own in 2021, the move has intrigued fans who've watched Rihanna seemingly defy industry rules with the unlikely partnership.

In a statement released by Dior, the brand expressed delight over the partnership with the multihyphenate and her "universal appeal", illuminating the power of Rihanna's personal brand and her ability to drive sales. 

"The fragrance has been present for women all over the world, brilliantly and faithfully, for over two decades," read the brand's statement. "It is the perfume of a powerful, liberated, and independent woman, which resonates with Rihanna’s personal story, one she has made her own, wearing it as an emblem of boldness and seduction."

Rihanna has cited the opportunity as an "honour and a mission", saying that she has loved the fragrance for so long, and knows how much the scent means to women all over the world.

"I am especially looking forward to joining this adventure and contributing to it through my world, my story, my roots, as well as my creativity and my own femininity," she said.

Véronique Courtois, the CEO of Parfums Christian Dior, said in the brand's press statement that the heritage label is proud to welcome Rihanna to the Dior family.

"Her golden dream promises to be unique, reflecting a fragrance that is present for women, and retains its radiance," said Courtois. "The unusual talent, audacity, and captivating beauty of this absolute star are the ideal embodiment of dazzling, powerful Dior femininity that transcends generations. Christian Dior would most definitely have adored her."

The new campaign will be shot by Steven Klein who famously captured Rihanna's 'Secret Garden' Dior campaign in 2015, which marked the singer's historic appointment as the first black ambassador for the luxury fashion house. However, fans will have to wait until September 1st 2024 to see the results of Rihanna's reunion with the photographer and his sensual and gritty aesthetic.

In the meantime, we'd recommend becoming better acquainted with the expansive Dior J'Adore fragrance collection, which boasts a plethora of traditional perfume formats, as well as an extension of scented body care products. 

What does J'adore Dior smell like?

Developed by the nose behind Rihanna's favourite perfume, as well as some of the most recognisable and beloved fragrance's of the last decade, J'Adore Dior is unifying in it's mass appeal. 

The scent's creator Calice Becker has endeavoured to bottle the essence of the modern feminine ephemeral, using a palette of sweetly balmy fruit extracts and sharp floral notes to enhance the fragrance's golden aura and Greek amphora-inspired silhouette.

The J'adore eau de parfum ($130 from Dior) opens with notes of pear, melon, magnolia, peach, mandarin orange and bergamot, revealing a beating heart of jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, tuberose, freesia, rose, orchid, plum and violet, with a musk, vanilla, cedar and blackberry dry down.

Main image credit: @diorbeauty

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