Eau d'Italie Acqua Di Positano Eau De Parfum as seen on ComposureMagazine.com...

and available online at Beauty Frontier

The Timeless Essence of Italy: Eau d'Italie's Journey into Perfumed Luxury

Eau d'Italie, a fragrance brand born out of the essence of Italy’s captivating beauty and culture, draws its inspiration from the enchanting Le Sirenuse Hotel in Positano. Founded in 2001 to celebrate the hotel’s 50th anniversary, Eau d’Italie emerged as a response to the unexpected cancellation of a grand event due to the 9/11 tragedy. From a contemplative moment on the terrace of the hotel in the winter of 2002, the idea for this fragrance brand was born, an idea that would capture the soul of Italy in each carefully crafted bottle. Over two decades later, Eau d’Italie has cemented itself as a contemporary classic, loved for its ability to encapsulate the essence of Italian beauty and sensuality.

At the heart of Eau d’Italie lies the desire to translate the intangible, the memories, the landscapes, and the emotions of Italy into scent. Their signature perfume, Eau d’Italie Eau de Parfum, is a perfect representation of Positano’s summer spirit, blending the warm, mineral scent of sun-heated terracotta tiles with refreshing bergamot and blackcurrant buds. Each fragrance tells a unique story, evoking moments and memories tied to specific places and sensations. From the delicate sweetness of jasmine flowers in Fior Fiore Eau de Parfum to the mysterious allure of frankincense at dusk, Eau d’Italie captures the most intimate and evocative notes of Southern Italy.

Acqua di Positano Eau de Parfum, the newest Eau de Parfum from Eau d’Italie, is a dream brought to life in a bottle. It transports the wearer to the sun-drenched shores of the Amalfi Coast, where the sparkling Mediterranean waters meet the earthy, sun-soaked cliffs. This scent is a tribute to Positano itself, with notes of Citron, Petitgrain, Grains of Salt, Orange Flower Absolute, Hedione, and Driftwood that make Acqua di Positano a timeless companion for the modern-day adventurer, inviting them to bask in the effortless elegance of Italy’s most picturesque coast.

In an exclusive interview with the founders of Eau d’Italie, Marina Sersale and Sebastián Alvarez Murena, we uncover the heart and soul behind this extraordinary brand.

Eau d’Italie is deeply tied to Italian heritage. Can you share the story of how the brand was conceived and the specific moment or inspiration behind its creation?  

Eau d'Italie was born to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hotel Le Sirenuse, in 2001. Originally a big party had been organized for October 2001, with people coming from all over the world. Then 9/11 happened, and the world changed: it was no longer a time for celebrations, so the party was canceled. One day in the winter of 2002, during the off season, the younger generation of the family was on the terrace of the Hotel, and the topic of the celebrations came back on the table: the 50 years of Le Sirenuse was something important, what could we do to celebrate? The idea of a fragrance came up – and mind you, at that time there were very few independent fragrance brands, and none done by a hotel – so we took it up… and 23 years later, here we are, with Eau d’Italie as now an Italian contemporary classic.

Each fragrance tells a story. How do you approach translating a place, memory, or emotion into a scent?

It depends; over the years we have developed various ways of doing it. Sometimes It’s about translating an abstract concept into fragrance, whereas other times it’s exactly the opposite: bringing into fragrance something that is already an already existing fragrant note. To give an example of each case, in the case of our signature Eau d’Italie Eau de Parfum, the idea was to create a fragrance that would encapsulate the sensations of Positano in summer, so we decided to work around an abstract concept, the idea of a note of terracotta heated by the sun, the terracotta of the hand-made tiles on the terrace of the hotel, and of the many vases and amphorae on it. 

We focused on the slightly mineral scent they release when heated by the sun and thus was born the central note of Eau d’Italie Eau de Parfum, a warm mineral note around which we “embroidered” other classic notes from Southern Italy: bergamot and blackcurrant buds as top notes for freshness, a whiff of frankincense like the one coming from the Church in the evening. At the other end of the spectrum is Fior Fiore Eau de Parfum, on which the idea was to translate into the fragrance the voluptuous perfume of the hotel Sambac jasmines, which absorb the heat of the day and release it in the evening when it’s cooler.

Italy is renowned for its artisanal excellence. How do you incorporate traditional Italian craftsmanship into the creation of your perfumes?  

Italy is a country where traditionally when one wants something, the first instinct is to get it done by an artisan. You need shelves, you call a carpenter. You want a table, you find some old tiles and have them mounted by an iron monger. You want a specific kind of shirt, you go to a shirt maker, and the same applies to basically all fields, clothes, shoes, decorations, you name it. The creation of perfumes the way we do it is exactly the same: we decide we want to do a certain fragrance. We go around finding the talents who will execute it, the right perfumer, the right paper supplier for the box, the right person for making the caps, and so on. It’s the way things have traditionally been done in Italy basically since…ever!

Over the years, how has Eau d’Italie evolved in terms of its philosophy, audience, or creative direction?  

Eau d’Italie as a brand is a direct reflection of the personalities of its two founders, i.e. my wife and partner Marina Sersale and myself. It’s the way we interpret the beauty, glamour and chic of Italy and Le Sirenuse, and as such I think it directly reflects the way we have evolved along the years. When Eau d’Italie was born, more than twenty years ago, its packaging was very much avant-garde. Fast forward to our days, Eau d’Italie’s look is of a discrete chic, keeping in line with the personality of Le Sirenuse.

What challenges have you faced in maintaining authenticity and exclusivity in the niche perfume industry, especially in a market increasingly saturated with new brands?  

I guess our take is that if you believe in what you do and give it your best shot, there will always be out there someone who “gets it”. At the same time, we think it’s important to always keep an open mind for what goes on in the world. We are fascinated by how much we learn every day and we try to always be ready to embrace new ways of doing what we love most: fragrance.

With growing awareness of sustainability in luxury industries, how does Eau d’Italie balance environmental responsibility with creating high-quality, luxurious fragrances?

It’s a communal, integrated effort of the whole fragrance and beauty industry, starting with the fantastic job our suppliers do and adding our little something every time we can.

Which fragrance from your collection do you consider the most iconic or representative of your brand, and why?  

I would say Eau d’Italie Eau de Parfum because it resembles nothing that already existed nor exists now more than twenty years later, yet it stays enormously popular. It’s proof a number of people do follow their instincts on what they like.

Italy is a land of immense beauty and culture. How do specific Italian locations or traditions influence your creative process?  

It’s like being imbibed in beauty, daily, in everything you see and do.

Have you considered collaborations with other creatives, such as artists, designers, or chefs, to further expand Eau d’Italie’s storytelling?  

Not really, it’s not the way we work. In our work, the artists are the perfumers.

Looking ahead, what new directions or projects can we expect from Eau d’Italie? Are there untapped aspects of Italian culture you’d like to explore? 

We always have new things slowly cooking, some see the light, others don’t, and others again do but years later. I would say the problem is more trying to limit the amount of new things we want to do!

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Eau d’Italie’s evolution has always been guided by a commitment to preserving authenticity while embracing the changing tides of time. The philosophy of creating exclusive, luxurious scents rooted in Italian culture remains steadfast, even as the perfume world grows more crowded.  Trusting instinct and keeping an open mind to the world around them. Every fragrance, every note, is a result of this deep connection to Italy’s traditions and beauty.

With a future that looks both promising and expansive, Eau d’Italie continues to grow, constantly evolving, yet staying true to its origins. There’s always something new cooking in the background, some ideas percolating for the next fragrant masterpiece, an experience that invites us to breathe in the wonder of Italy once again.

Discover the scents of Italy that will transport you to the most enchanting corners of the country. Which fragrance will you let define your Italian dream?

Photo by David Castillo (@davidcastillofotografo)