The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Isis is part of YAMM Genève's Collection for Her, a 2025 release. The brand's identity is still being written, and Florian Vicario, listed as brand owner and perfume maker, anchors each release with a direct authorial presence. That matters for a young working label. The brief is described as elegant, intense and memorable, and Isis reads as that promise rendered in juice. A fruity chypre that doesn't apologize for its green opening, built around a rose heart that won't behave like a wallflower. The composition carries a clear point of view from the first spritz, committing fully to a green top note that snaps rather than flatters.
The currant bud is the unusual move here, listed as a top note alongside the May rose at the heart. Pairing currant bud with May rose, one of the most traditional florals in perfumery, creates a contrast that shouldn't work on paper. The fresher material cuts through the rose's sweetness without flattening it, and the two seem to negotiate rather than collide. The base then borrows from a familiar toolkit: Ambroxan for mineral clarity, a touch of patchouli for soil and depth, vanilla to soften the landing.
The evolution
The first half hour is the loudest stretch. Currant bud arrives green and almost tart, carrying the snap of fresh leaves more than any sweetness. Within minutes the May rose rises underneath, soft and dewy, but the bud keeps its grip. The freesia bridges the two, adding a cool vegetal note that stops the rose from tipping into full romance. The blend hovers between fruit and flower for about two hours, neither winning. Then Ambroxan takes over. The mineral warmth begins in the mid-stage and intensifies as the florals fade. Patchouli creeps in low, contributing a soft earthy hum rather than the heavy hippie classic. Vanilla arrives last, wrapping the drydown in something skin-like and quiet. What's left after six hours is a blend of Ambroxan warmth, the ghost of the rose, and a faint patchouli dryness.
Cultural impact
YAMM Genève is too new to have built a cultural footprint, but its aesthetic preferences, drawn toward the elegant, intense and memorable, give the house a particular slant. Isis lands in a space where green openings, rose hearts, and Ambroxan-driven bases carry a certain currency, especially among wearers drawn to indie-leaning releases. Listing Florian Vicario as both brand owner and perfume maker situates the project within a recognizable pattern of small houses where one name carries both the commercial and creative weight.
