To help celebrate its 10th anniversary, Y-3 will launch its first scent starting next month.
The men’s fragrance from the co-branded fashion line by Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas is called Black Label.
“It had to have something of the Japanese high-fashion side, the sophistication, and then on the other side it [needed] a fresh, sporty smell,” explained Dirk Schönberger, creative director of the Adidas Sport Style Division.
Accordingly, Robertet perfumer Dorothée Piot created a juice that opens with an accord of cardamom and elemi and a tagete note. In the heart are Virginian cedar wood, lavandin and black pepper notes, while the base is comprised of patchouli, vetiver and tonka bean notes.
“Making perfume is [very different] from designing clothes,” said Yamamoto, Y-3 creative director. “But in the end, both have to seduce the senses.”
For Black Label’s bottle, it was imperative to have clear, graphic forms, said Schönberger, adding that the well containing the fragrance is shaped like a moving drop of water and that the bottle’s base is reminiscent of a sneaker’s sole.
Black Label will first be sold exclusively in Y-3’s approximately 80 flagships and shops-in-shop plus through the brand’s e-commerce site beginning in February. While Y-3 executives would not discuss projections, industry sources estimate the fragrance will generate 1 million euros, or $1.3 million at current exchange, in first-year retail sales globally.
The 75-ml. eau de toilette spray is to be priced at $95 in the U.S.
Black Label will be feted with a party on Saturday night, during Paris Men’s Fashion Week, in the Théâtre Saint Germain.
“Ten years ago, together with Adidas, we created something that did not exist before, and we completely projected the future,” continued Yamamoto. “My desire was and is to make sportswear elegant and chic. Adidas has always been a very personal inspiration to me, and it continues to enrich my creative life.”