Pawpaw

Orange zest on top, bright and a little bitter, then vanilla that's creamy rather than candied, laid over a dark stripe of cocoa. It smells like the dessert course at a good dinner, not the pastry case at the mall.

François Demachy made Vanilla Diorama for Dior in 2021. It's named for the Diorama Gourmand, a dessert Maxim's in Paris created for Christian Dior himself. Nobody knows the full recipe. Dior's own account says only that it paired orange-glazed vanilla with bitter chocolate.

We named it for the pawpaw, the largest fruit native to North America, which grows wild in shady creek bottoms and hillsides all through these mountains. Ripe pawpaw is soft and yellow, and people describe the taste as banana and mango with vanilla custard. It bruises too easily to ship, so you'll almost never see one in a store. You find them yourself in late summer or you go without.

Inspired By
Dior Vanilla Diorama — Pawpaw is our impression of Vanilla Diorama, hand-blended at extrait strength.

Fragrance Family

Ambery · Gourmand · Vanilla

Top Notes

Orange Zest

Heart Notes

Bitter Cocoa

Base Notes

Vanilla

Gender

True Unisex

Longevity: Moderate

Holds for several hours. The vanilla is the last thing to leave.

Projection: Moderate

Noticeable in the first hour, then it settles in close.

Sillage: Moderate

A soft vanilla trail at arm's length.

Concentration

Extrait de Parfum

Size

15 mL · 30 mL · 5 mL · 2 mL sample

Maison Appalachia is an independent fragrance house. This product is inspired by Dior Vanilla Diorama and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced by Dior.