issey-miyake L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme Summer (Annual Releases)

In the world of luxury perfumery, few houses command the same minimalist respect as Issey Miyake. Since the 1990s, the brand has been synonymous with a specific kind of 'watery' elegance—a rejection of the heavy, opulent scents of the previous era in favor of something clean, architectural, and avant-garde. The annual 'Summer' releases have become a cornerstone of the brand's identity, offering a seasonal ritual for collectors who seek to revisit the DNA of the original L'Eau d'Issey through a sun-drenched lens. The 2017 edition, crafted by the incomparable Alberto Morillas, represents a pivotal moment in this series where the house leaned into a more vibrant, tropical narrative. As a trend analyst at Vivir, I see these annual releases not just as flankers, but as olfactory postcards. They capture the zeitgeist of the year's travel trends and the evolving definition of 'freshness.' In 2017, we saw a shift away from pure aquatic notes toward 'exotic realism'—the idea of using fruit not just for sweetness, but for texture and atmosphere. Morillas achieved this by moving away from the traditional yuzu-heavy heritage of the house and introducing a lush, kiwi-driven heart that feels both modern and nostalgic for a beachside sunset.