The Scent of Curiosity – Keiko Nishiyama x Illuminum London

The Exhibition

What a wonderful if quirky collaboration I stumbled upon in Mayfair’s Dover Street this week. The Scent of Curiosity is a unique collaboration between two prestigious labels Keiko Nishiyama and Illuminum London. The week-long exhibition was staged to announce the collaboration of Keiko Nishiyama’s SS16 Collection and the unique fragrance collection of Illuminum London. The artistry of Orié Inoué combined fashion and fragrance to present us with an enchanting experience.

Keiko Nishiyama

Established in 2014 by Keiko Nishiyama, the brand is based in Tokyo and London. She works, with highly ornate textiles and draping, which combines elements of Europe and Tokyo.

Keiko is an MA graduate from the London College of Fashion and presented her collection at London and Paris Fashion weeks. Production is located in Japan where a local company processes her digital prints onto the garments, made from Belgian, French, and Italian fabrics. Finishing touches are added in her London studio.

Illuminum London

Founded in 2011, Illuminum is a British fine fragrance collection that views scent as an open-ended adventure in self-expression. Where other perfume houses ask you to identify with a market idea of who you are, they make you the star of a transformative process of personal discovery.

The exhibition was held in their flagship store and gallery at 41 Dover Street. It was a little disappointing to hear that as the brand is in the midst of changing its packaging and branding that there weren’t many opportunities to see and test the fragrances in store. I was however sent (scent?) home with a sample of their #234 fragrance developed with food artist Tom Wolfe.

The colour of absinthe it has top notes of lemon, bergamot, neroli, and fennel; mid notes of geranium, yuzo, jasmine, and mandarin blossom; and base notes of nutmeg, pine, vetiver, and coconut.

It’s available to purchase here priced at £80.

Orié Inoué

Orié Inoué is an artist born in 1983 in Japan and living and working in France since 2012. Inspired by nature she works with natural products and her view of the natural world brought this exhibition to life and connected it.

It was such a lovely change to go to an event that had beauty connections but that was centred on the fashion and art world that I rarely venture into.

Hazel

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