Issey Miyake Fusion d'Issey Eau de Toilette 100ml & 2 x Shower Gel, 50 ml

Product Information

To be fair I just got my bottle and I haven't worn it yet, I just sprayed it on my wrist but my first impression is: this is pretty much just Fusion d'Issey in a nicer bottle (a little nicer for that matter since it's the same but with a blue hue instead of a green one). Was I expecting a massive variation from a flanker? No, not really however all the Nuit d'Issey flankers have their own personality even though they have the same dna. Pulse of the Night is not really that similar to Noir Argent, right? L'Eau Bleue d'Issey Eau Fraiche sure has a nice twist in the L'Eau Bleue formula so considering the Fig note was removed from Fusion d'Issey Extreme (Fig was a very strong note in the original) and some other tweaks like ambroxan which is no longer listed as a note and the addition of mineral and solar notes I expected something a bit new but instead the only slight difference I found from that first spray is a more noticeable Cardamom in the opening but it was fleeting. After testing for a week under different weather conditions, I can report that the main players are definitely the fig & coconut supported by rosemary & ambroxan and combined with the heart notes it gives off a rather aquatic feeling more than a fougere. Not overly masculine, but very pleasant. Powerful, vigorous, and fiery, nature reveals itself (again) with a vengeance. Molten lava pours expressively from a volcano. Fusion d’Issey transforms this eruption of energy into a bold, nuanced composition, giving rise to a creative, endemic nature. Depth, tension, and power for a distinctive fragrance. Will it be the next Encre Noir? I don't know yet but will definitely buy again after I go through this 100ml bottle.

Longevity & Projection: It's a moderate-to-smooth projector, with a nice but short trail. The scent radius lasts 4 to 5 hours, although it remains about 7h as an skin scent.This one is a fragrance for lovers of the modern trendy but with some different - but subtle -nuances. Master Perfumer Nathalie Lorson composed Fusion d’Issey, a fougère for men with solar and mineral notes. A rewriting of a masculine classic. A play on contrasts between the cold and the heat of warming spices.

In my mind, it conjured a less generic, less sharp Davidoff Cool Water Intense, mixed the tropical / sun lotion aspect of Set Sail St. Barts, with a bit of the added modern "Blue" vibe and sexiness. Overall, it's quite a unique combination. The opening of Fusion is where this Issey Miyake fragrance is at its most interesting. A gentle, intricate interplay of coconut and fig delivers a sweetness that many have compared to sunscreen; on my skin, it comes across as more fluffy and airy than something as oily as sunscreen, reminiscent of an Ariana Grande fragrance I once smelled (possibly Cloud, although I may be wrong). The sweet, coconutty fig is rounded off by a slightly dusty woody accord that gives it some masculine suggestion in the drydown. Performance-wise, I did feel it radiate off my wrist after 1-2 hours (2 sprays) - but haven't used it enough to draw a conclusion there.I believe what Natalie Lorson created here is an anomaly because of what it isn't. You think it's aquatic and fruity because of the coconut, but it's not. You think it's fresh and sweet because of the lavender and mint, but it's not because of the sandalwood. Conclusion: An exotic fougere, charming, modern, soft and easy-to-wear, although maybe not for everyone.