Part 2: At the Isetan Men's Fragrance Counter

Part 2: At the Isetan Men's Fragrance Floor

This is one of the places I'd call a sanctuary for fragrance enthusiasts.
It's the Isetan Men's Building in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Serge Lutens, Lorenzo Villoresi, M. Micallef, Acqua di Parma... the list goes on. Within this not-so-spacious floor, you'll find an artful collection of brands that would make any perfume lover's heart beat faster, all neatly and efficiently curated.

By Kaori Nakano

At the "Frederic Malle" corner. photo by Keiko Ideguchi

A training ground for fragrance aficionados,
the "Frederic Malle" corner

Among them, to the left as you enter, is a space of intense concentration.
A refrigerator, two giant cylinders, and portraits of nine foreigners hanging on the wall catch your eye.
What exactly is sold here?

photo by Keiko Ideguchi

It's none other than the Frederic Malle counter.
Officially, it's "Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle."

This is a collection of fragrances created by nine perfumers chosen by Frédéric Malle (born in 1962, the same year as me), grandson of Serge Heftler-Louiche, founder of Parfums Christian Dior. The portraits on the wall are of these nine individuals. With their luxurious ingredients and vibrant imagination, these fragrances are undeniably works of art.

Receiving an explanation about the giant cylinders. photo by Keiko Ideguchi

To maintain the quality of these artworks, all fragrances are stored in a visible refrigerator.
The two large transparent cylinders are devices for trying out the scents.
A spritz of fragrance is released into one of these giant cylinders, brought all the way from Paris. Then, you place your face inside. This allows you to experience the diffusion of the scent within the space, without the interference of the 'paper smell' from scent strips.

The Scent of Bitter Orange

Incidentally, this summer I became completely captivated by "Bigarade Concentrée," a bitter orange scent from this collection, created by Jean-Claude Ellena.
One spray fills you with happiness through the fresh aroma of squeezed oranges.

Part 2: At the Isetan Men's Fragrance Floor

photo by Keiko Ideguchi

As a little time passes, a subtle bitterness begins to spread from the initial sensation of fresh happiness.
This grayish bitterness brings a quiet, lasting sense of calm to the mind.
By the time the bottle is empty, I found myself thinking that perhaps a touch of 'bitterness' is essential for the sustained feeling of quiet happiness.

Fragrances with a "Masculine" Concept, Not Just Men's Fragrances

Speaking of which, such a wonderful floor naturally has someone who made it happen,
and that person is Naoko Tashiro, the fragrance buyer for Isetan.
When remodeling the Isetan Men's Building, Ms. Tashiro felt it wouldn't be enough to simply move 'men's goods' over. So, she approached it from a different angle.

She asked herself, 'What are men interested in?'
And, 'How do men shop?'

If you hold a designer order event, men will gather, whether it's for shoes or dress shirts.
Furthermore, men are enthusiastic about products where they can appreciate the ingredients and learn about the history and background.

Therefore, couldn't fragrances also be approached in a completely new way, focusing on 'people,' 'history,' and 'ingredients'?

photo by Keiko Ideguchi

The result is the current selection, which focuses on perfumers.
Ms. Tashiro refers to the entire lineup as "fragrances with a masculine concept, not just men's fragrances."