The new singular scent-sation

MANILA, Philippines - “Fragrance is memory,” so stated Issey Miyake Fragrances’ head for international training and operations division Danny Ventura during his visit to the Philippines to introduce the latest perfume from the brand. Truer words have never been spoken: just a whiff of a familiar scent is an olfactory time capsule that brings with it the past, either good or bad. This is why a vial of scented essential oils becomes a necessity. “People buy perfume because they instantly want to feel prettier, sexier and richer — that’s how potent perfume is,” says Ventura. With 15 years of experience with Issey Miyake Fragrances, Ventura knows whereof he speaks. The brand, with its eponymous creator at the helm, has created some of the bestselling and most enduring perfumes in the international market. From the classic L’eau d’Issey, a clean-smelling fragrance that Ventura says was based on the essentiality of water, to the L’eau d’Issey Eau Fraiche that was inspired by the element fire, Issey Miyake is introducing another scent that is bound to be another unforgettable perfume.

This latest offering veers away from the typical flowery, overly feminine scents of most female fragrances in the market. Its name alone — A Scent by Issey Miyake — is simple, easy to remember and transparent — no hard-to-pronounce French-sounding moniker here. Based on another essential element — air — A Scent is “unique, green, and blooming.” “For Mr. Miyake, perfume is air that smells good, and that is the idea behind A Scent,” Ventura explains. “If you’ve noticed, the Issey Miyake fragrances are all based on nature and natural elements, because Mr. Miyake believes that nature is the world’s best perfumery.” Hence, don’t be surprised to find A Scent leafy in fragrance: like freshly cut grass, it’s a vibrant, clean scent that is refreshing in the sea of cloying floral scents usually ascribed to women’s perfume. A Scent actually has the potential to be a great unisex perfume, though the way its scent gently settles onto the skin is very feminine. Ventura breaks down the components of the perfume: “What you smell in A Scent are these: the leaves are represented by verbena, the flowers are represented by jasmine and hyacinth, and last is that woody trail of galbanum, which is the provocative ingredient added to the fragrance.” Leaves and wood are unusual foundations for women’s perfume, yet with A Scent, they work well together. The perfume also leaves a distinct trail that intrigues and awakens the senses, much like a breath of fresh air. Of course, with a name and a scent as clear as it has, A Scent’s bottle design also works simplicity, cleanliness, and transparency into its aesthetic. The clear bottle, which was given more height rather than depth, has smooth lines and softened edges. “We wanted to convey the sense of the bottle having neither beginning nor end,” Ventura says. Printed in front with a serif font is the perfume’s name and nothing else, as if there were a short story to be enjoyed inside the bottle as well. The atomizer tube is almost invisible within the clear liquid, adding to the whole clean — if slightly stark — look. “Well, the tube becomes visible to remind you when it’s time to buy a new bottle,” Ventura clarifies with a laugh. A Scent by Issey Miyake is set to be another timeless fragrance that relies on the basics to create a sense of luxury. Available in 50 ml, 100 ml and 150 ml bottles, the perfume also comes with a body care line that includes a bath and shower gel, body lotion and deodorant.

* * *

A Scent by Issey Miyake is available at Rustan’s.