The perfume collection will be unveiled this September at Pitti Fragranze in Florence
Japanese, Milan-based designer Satoshi Kawata’s brand, Setchu, is expanding into fragrance, and has been named special guest of this year’s upcoming Pitti Fragranze, a Florence trade show dedicated to niche perfumery. Setchu Perfume will debut with five fragrances, created in collaboration with Julie Massé, master perfumer at Mane Fine Fragrance.
Satoshi Kuwata was born in Kyoto and moved to London at age 21 to pursue a career in fashion. He founded his label in 2020, and in 2023 won the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers. The brand’s name comes from the Japanese phrase wayo setchu, which refers to striking a balance between Japanese and Western influences.
Kawata intends for the perfumes to capture Setchu’s signature blend between East and West, taking inspiration from global bathing rituals to explore the intimacy of personal hygiene and evoke the quiet joy and luxury of personal care. Each scent is linked to a moment in the day, celebrating the pleasures of everyday life—as such, the fragrances will be named with a day of the week and a time, followed by an element of Japanese tradition; for example, “Wednesday 5 Pm | Yuzu,” which references the native citrus fruit used for ceremonial baths during the winter season. The packaging, a minimalistic cube shape reminiscent of tea boxes, further honors the designer’s heritage.
Francesca Tacconi, special event coordinator of Pitti Immagine, the organization behind Pitti Uomo, where Kuwata staged Setchu’s inaugural runway show, hinted at the scents, describing them as simultaneously mature yet childlike, abstract yet tactile, transcending gender. She also teased a series of presentations dedicated to the intersection of artistic perfumery and fashion design, spotlighting Setchu. The event will take place in Florence September 12 to 14 at Stazione Leopolda.