The story of Issey Miyake
Born in Hiroshima in 1938, Issey Miyake studied in Tokyo and worked in Paris and New York before founding the Miyake Design Studio in 1970. His work on fabric, pleating and movement, which later produced the Pleats Please line, made him one of the most influential designers of his time. In 1992 L'Eau d'Issey, composed by Jacques Cavallier, offered an aquatic floral of unprecedented transparency, built on the idea of a perfume that smelled of water. Its slender conical bottle became an icon. L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme followed in 1994 with its sharp yuzu and marine notes and became one of the great aquatic masculines of the decade. The house went on with Nuit d'Issey (2014), darker and leathery, and A Drop d'Issey (2021). Issey Miyake died in 2022. The fragrances are produced under licence by Shiseido.
An olfactory signature
At Issey Miyake, transparency comes first. L'Eau d'Issey pairs lotus, melon and freesia with peony and lily over musk and cedar: a fresh, mineral floral water. The men's version relies on yuzu, bergamot and nutmeg before sandalwood and vetiver. Nuit d'Issey breaks with that register through a peppery, incense-laced leather, while A Drop d'Issey offers a soft floral of almond milk, lilac and musk that feels intimate and quietly modern.
Which Issey Miyake perfume to choose?
For a floral, aquatic freshness, L'Eau d'Issey remains the feminine reference; its counterpart, L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme, is perfect for summer and the office. Nuit d'Issey is for men who want a darker woody leather for evenings. A Drop d'Issey will please anyone looking for a soft, milky, musky floral with a contemporary feel.
