AN ODYSSEY to SUBTLE SENSUALITY

A deep dive into an aromatic quintessence of nature, Issey Miyake presents two new fragrances of unheard-of subtlety

- CHRISTINA ZABAT

It started in the year 1992 and a vision that felt surreal birthed wonders in the world of fragrance. The story of what would be an iconic perfume started from a dream of Japanese avant-garde fashion designer, Issey Miyake. The musing was about the designer imagining what a drop of water would smell like on a woman’s skin.

Taking inspiration from this reverie, perfumer Jacques Cavallier invented L’Eau d’Issey. The eponymous perfume with notes of lotus, calone, lily, and water peony also originated a new fragrance family, the aquatics. Three years later, L’Eau d’Issey Pour Homme, a fragrance for men, was launched in a torrent of woody spices. Since its introduction, the piquant pair has been a cult classic among fashionistas and cognoscenti.