The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Summer is Now arrived in 2016 as part of Mexx's ongoing seasonal dialogue, not a declaration, but a continuation. The brand had been releasing summer editions since at least 2008, each one reflecting the colour palettes and mood boards of that season's clothing line. Summer is Now followed that logic. It was built to match a specific wardrobe moment: warm-weather dressing that's uncomplicated, wearable, and honest about what it is. No occasion, no drama. Just the season arriving and someone deciding to smell like it.
The note structure is a textbook fruity-floral, pear and pineapple leaf opening into a plum and magnolia heart, grounded by musk and sandalwood. Nothing here reinvents the wheel. What makes it interesting is the restraint. The mirabelle plum doesn't overwhelm; the freesia doesn't shout; the sandalwood base keeps things clean without veering into linearity. It's a composition built for wearability over memorability, which is its own kind of craft. The synthetic classification in its accords isn't a criticism, it's an acknowledgment that marine and fruity synthetics are doing the heavy lifting, keeping the top fresh and the whole thing consistent across batches.
The evolution
Pear and pineapple leaf open bright and juicy, a quick jolt of freshness that announces the season without apology. Within fifteen minutes the mirabelle plum arrives, adding a syrupy sweetness that softens the initial citrus edge. The freesia and magnolia emerge as the top recedes, adding a creamy floral layer that feels deliberate and calm. By the second hour the composition has settled into its base: clean musk and quiet sandalwood that linger close to the skin. This is not a fragrance built to accompany a full workday; it satisfies an afternoon outing instead. What remains at hour four is a faint musky warmth, barely there, like the memory of a scent.
Cultural impact
Summer is Now Woman fits squarely within the mid-2010s mass-market fruity-floral moment, a period when approachable, affordable scents dominated seasonal releases across European fashion brands. It occupies similar territory to Donna Karan DKNY Be Tempted, Nina Ricci Premier Jour, and Moschino Funny!, all of which prioritise accessibility and wearability over distinctiveness. What separates it from those peers is less its composition and more its name: Summer is Now makes no grand claims. It's direct, immediate, and self-aware, a fragrance that knows exactly what it is.
