C‘it’s a new way to make your mark and get noticed, that is, don’t do it. Under the sign of discretion, sophistication and, above all, “less is more”. Let’s talk about the return to the scene minimalist perfumes from the ninetiesthose that smell of clean, white cotton, natural light and bare skin. What rekindled the desire for these minimal and clean fragrances was (also) the series of the moment, Love Storywhich brought the essential charm of. back into the spotlight Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. And with her, an olfactory aesthetic made of subtraction, elegance and restrained sensuality.
It is a revival of clean and minimal perfumes from the nineties
It’s not just nostalgia: it’s a real change of direction. After years of opulent, gourmand and ultra-persistent fragrances, spring 2026 marks the return to a more intimate and deliberately light perfumery.
The iconic olfactory creations of the Nineties by Calvin Klein – above all, the legendary unisex CK Onebut also the Narciso Rodriguez family – return central and highly sought afterloved for their soft charm and the ability to give balance and candor.
We talk, not for nothing, about perfumes second skin: their olfactory signature does not impose itself, but is discovered by getting closer, as it blends with the skin. All according to rules of style by Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: ultra chic, impeccable, fresh and never ostentatious.
The invisible trail of minimalist perfumes
The renewed fascination for the clean notes typical of genderless perfumes also has a deeper dimension. As underlined by thearomatherapist Emanuela Mattiuzzthe, «minimalist fragrances act on an emotional level in a very direct way, despite their apparent lightness.
The typical notes of musk, light citrus and transparent flowers they instantly evoke sensations of comfort, safety, order, intimacy. They are reassuring, almost therapeutic scents.
As for the iconic Calvin Klein perfumes of the nineties, they still work very well today because they speak a universal language: that of clean skin, discreet presence,authenticity and elegance beyond gender.” In a historical-political moment saturated with stimuli and chaos, choosing to wear an essential and candid trail thus becomes a self-care gesture. Ultra chic.