Fresh and floral L’eau d’Issey Florale is the latest release by Japanese designer Issey Miyake, responsible for one of the new breed of ‘modern classic’ floral fragrances – L’eau d’Issey
A Ground-breaking History
L’eau d’Issey was released in 1992, a time when floral favourites were strong, sometimes powdery powerhouses – perfumes such as Cacharel’s Anais Anais and YSL’s Rive Gauche were still popular after the 1980’s, and of course, Chanel No.5 with its aldehyde top note (which enhances the floral notes and gives the overall aroma added life) was still a best-selling fragrance. Issey Miyake’s offering was somewhat ground-breaking: a fresh, aquatic-floral scent, featuring notes of water lily, lotus and freesia. L’eau d’Issey is a pure, clean and crisp fragrance, with a marine feel on the skin.
Since the original L’eau d’Issey was introduced, there have been over 20 different takes on the fragrance released, including L’eau d’Issey Pour Homme (for men), L’Eau Bleue D’Issey Pour Homme, various summer and limited editions ,“Une Goutte sur un Pétale” (translates to “A Drop on a Petal”), and the newest incarnation, L’eau d’Issey Florale.
The Pioneer
In keeping with the tradition of ‘ground-breaking’ fragrances, the new Issey Miyake scent shies away from using gourmand (aka food-scented) notes, such as vanilla, to boost the florals, unlike many recently released perfumes on the market. Instead, L’eau d’Issey Florale focuses on the aroma of a budding rose by using a new extraction method which ensures that the subtle, fresh aroma is preserved. Along with the rose bud note, the scent features yellow ginger lily, mandarin and white woods. The fragrance is a fresh, green floral that’s full of life.
The Nose
Alberto Morillas, the perfumer behind fragrances such as Marc Jacobs’ Daisy, Kenzo’s FlowerbyKenzo and Bvlgari’s Omnia, is responsible for creating Issey Miyake’s latest fragrance. His vision for a simple, modern and feminine floral is realised in L’eau d’Issey Florale.
Rescu. Loves
The opening notes of L’eau d’Issey Florale were a delight. Capturing ‘rose’ in such a fresh, just picked and modern interpretation. Nothing vintage or old world at all about this fragrance. Think of a walk through a luscious rose garden after spring rain. Light but lingering, fresh without sacrificing complexity. Absolutely feminine and in its own way surprisingly sexy.
Available at MYER, David Jones, The Perfume Connection and selected independent stockists (50ml – $119, 90ml – $170, also limited edition 25ml – $82)
