Inside the making of Issey Miyake's L’Eau d’Issey Eau de Parfum Intense

This latest addition to the Les Eaux d’Issey line continues a legacy that began over 30 years ago when Issey Miyake first challenged perfumer Jacques Cavallier to bottle “the aroma of water on a woman’s skin”. The result was L’Eau d’Issey, a trailblazer in the world of aquatic fragrances. This year, Clerc-Marie reimagines that vision with greater intensity, diving deeper into the ocean’s sensory universe.

“Always moving, the ocean knows no bounds,” says Clerc-Marie. Drawing inspiration from her underwater explorations with Alexis Rosenfeld, photographer and founder of 1Ocean, a Unesco-linked project, Clerc-Marie channels the infinite sensations of the sea into a fragrance that feels alive and immersive. At its heart lies Posidonia, or Neptune grass, a magnetic underwater plant that brings an herbaceous, aquatic accord to the composition. Blended with ylang-ylang and damascena rose absolute, the fragrance gains floral richness and emotional depth before warming into a sensual base of infused vanilla.

More than just a scent, L’Eau d’Issey Eau de Parfum Intense is a tribute to nature’s purity. With 91% natural-origin ingredients and alcohol sourced from French beetroot, it embodies a strong commitment to sustainability. Even its bottle reflects this ethos: refillable, minimalist and crafted from 20% recycled glass, topped with a single block of wood to eliminate plastic use.

Through Amandine’s vision, Issey Miyake’s newest fragrance evokes the mysteries of the ocean and its infinite depth. Options interviews Clerc-Marie and gather her thoughts on her experience in creating this latest fragrance.

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How did your underwater exploration with Alexis Rosenfeld shape the direction of L’Eau d’Issey Eau de Parfum Intense?

Alexis is a photographer, explorer and diver, the figure behind the 1Ocean mission, an ocean exploration project supported by Unesco. I admire this mission, which aims to raise awareness of life in the underwater world in order to encourage people to preserve it.

Alexis makes the beauty of this invisible world accessible to those who would never be able to see it. My encounter with him was tinged with all the stories he told me, all of which fascinated me. The story of Posidonia, in particular, that dense and magnetic underwater forest, was enthralling and inspired me to create the Posidonia accord that constitutes the signature of this new fragrance.

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What was the most unexpected insight you gained from working with a marine photographer and explorer?

The most unexpected insight I gained was how the world of perfume and that of the underwater world are linked by the sensations and emotions they generate. However, the link between the two worlds exploration wasn’t obvious because underwater, you can’t use your sense of smell.

However, the ocean represents the mystery of life and infinity, extending as far and wide across the blue planet and yet revealing only a fraction of its mysteries. I gather inspiration from the energy of the water. Its changing reflections in the light are an inexhaustible source of nuances that perfumers can express through their palette.

Posidonia plays a key role in this fragrance. How did you capture its scent, and what does it evoke for you?

The Posidonia accord that I created especially for the heart of the fragrance is based on a triptych of facets. First green and vegetal, then floral and feminine, they echo the fruits and flowers of this marine plant, which is not strictly speaking a seaweed. Warmer, vanilla inflections are diluted throughout. Dominated by its aquatic notes, this Posidonia accord evokes the sensation of immersing in the depths of the sea.

Was there a particular moment or image from your ocean dives that became central to your creative process?

From my ocean dives, I’ve realised that the ocean is always moving and knows no bounds. On the surface, the nose perceives its salty, aquatic and ozonic notes, scattered by the sea spray and intimately linked to marine sensations. Underwater, the light is filtered, taking on different shades of blue and shimmering through the prism of the surface splashes. This different perception of the sea, from the depths, gave me the idea for this creation.

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You’ve said that the ocean represents infinity and mystery. How did you translate those abstract emotions into scent?

Watery notes are part of our collective unconscious. They infiltrated perfumery in the wake of the original Eau d’Issey, which set a whole trend in motion. In this fragrance, they re-emerge with renewed power, provided by Aquozone, a sophisticated molecule featuring ozonic and aquatic tones, as well as inflections of lily of the valley. They surge through this sensual composition, like a symbolic return to the essentials. This fragrance resonates with everyone.

Do you view perfume as a sensory art form that can evoke emotion like music or painting? How so?

Absolutely. Perfume is a powerful sensory art form that speaks directly to our emotions and memories, much like music or painting. It engages the olfactory system in a deeply personal way. With the fragrance, I aimed to create a scent that unfolds like a narrative: vibrant and fresh at first, then deep, textured, and bold. Just as light dances underwater or music builds to a crescendo, a fragrance can carry you through moods and moments — awakening a sense of adventure, introspection, or vitality.

Sustainability is at the core of this perfume, from the ingredients to the bottle. Why was this important to you?

In the process of creating this fragrance, it was important that I stay as close to nature as possible by choosing materials of natural origin, along with 13 upcycled ingredients — for example, cardamom, which comes from Guatemala.

I have also opted for less energy-intensive extraction techniques. In particular, our new Firgood ginger extract helps reduce water consumption. Unlike traditional distillation methods, which require large quantities of water to heat the raw materials or condense the vapour, this new technology uses infrared heat. Finally, Ambrox Super is a molecule derived from biotechnology. This science uses natural processes, such as fermentation, to replace energy-intensive industrial methods.

How do you see sustainability evolving in the fragrance industry?

Sustainability is becoming an integral part of the fragrance industry — not just a trend but a fundamental shift in how we create. We’re seeing a growing emphasis on transparency, ethical sourcing and minimising environmental impact at every level, from ingredient cultivation to packaging and production. It’s a transformation that reflects a deeper awareness: that beauty and responsibility must go hand in hand.

L’Eau d’Issey was a pioneer in aquatic perfumery. What does it mean to you to carry that legacy forward?

Carrying forward the legacy of L’Eau d’Issey is both a privilege and a creative responsibility.

Since its launch in 1992, the L’Eau d’Issey fragrance immediately stood out in the olfactory landscape for its clarity and evocative power. Issey Miyake originally imagined his first fragrance as an ode to the four elements, evoking a lotus flower rising from the surface of the water.

The new creation aligns itself with this concept. It presents a plunge into the heart of green, floral and vanilla notes, crossed by the intensity of the aquatic notes of a Posidonia accord. The new version of L’Eau d’Issey utilises the emblematic materials of the first fragrance, including Damask Rose, which retains a pinkish floral identity. The woody tones of the original signature are found in the base notes. I’ve intensified the aqueous facets of the original L’Eau d’Issey and added a touch of voluptuousness and sensuality with amber, woody and vanilla notes.

How do you hope people feel when they wear this new, intense version of L’Eau d’Issey?

This fragrance diffuses its vibrations like the ocean swell that spreads inexorably over infinite distances, animating the surface of the sea with a hypnotic movement. I hope it will give people the impression of melting into the power of the elements, a scent that will imbue you with a vital force, making you want to move forward and move mountains. The fragrance can be compared to an unfathomable abyss, whose infinite depths and life forms gradually reveal themselves to those who dare to venture into the deep.

What does the ocean continue to teach or inspire in you today?

The ocean remains an endless source of inspiration. Personally, I feel the need to visit the seaside occasionally to recharge my batteries. The feeling of weightlessness while swimming gives me a unique sense of harmony. I love the energy of the water. Its changing reflections in the light are an inexhaustible source of nuances that perfumers can express through their palette.