In the world of perfume, it sometimes happens that the desire to immortalize feelings and memories results in the creation of timeless, celebrated fragrances. From that desire arises Eau D’Italie, created by Sebastian Alvarez Murena and his wife, Marina Sersale, owners of one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. By the way, the hotel literally looks as if it was taken out of Wes Anderson’s films – Le Sirenuse in Positano, Italy, the pearl of the Costa D’Amalfi, is breathtaking. I was fortunate to meet Sebastian at the Galilu perfumery in Warsaw, where he guided me through the evolution of his signature fragrances (photo – Galilu’s press materials)
Where did the idea for Eau D’Italie come from?
We have to go back in time a bit. In 2001, Le Sirenuse celebrated its 50th birthday, at the time it also received the Condé Nast Traveller award as the best hotel in the world. We had planned a big party for October of that year to mark the celebration, and invited 400 people for a three-day event. Unfortunately, in September 2001 the world stopped and we called off the whole event. A year later, my family and I were sitting on the terrace and realized that, all in all, we had not actually celebrated the occasion. We decided that we would make our own fragrance. Back then, niche perfumes were not yet widespread, so it was quite a challenge. After a long development process, we met a charming perfumer, Bertrand Duchaufour. With him, we identified what makes the scent of the hotel terrace in summer so special – the heated terra cotta of tiles, vases and amphorae. This was the heart of the fragrance, and around it we built the entire composition – this is how the Eau D’Italie fragrance was created, which premiered in 2004, along with a line of hotel toiletries. There were no plans for more, it wasn’t a commercial project, but something happened that we didn’t expect – Paris’ Collette and Milan’s Corso Como, two of the best boutiques in the world, became interested in the fragrance and wanted to stock it. This gave us a lot of exposure in a short period of time, and the hotel could not deal with the challenge. We had a choice – either give up or open a proper perfume brand. Fast-forward to 2023, where we already have the entire portfolio of Eau D’Italie and Altaia brands.
How did you initially manage to maintain a consistent hotel and perfume brand identity during this early period?
Eau D’Italie is actually deeply connected to the hotel. The bottles of these perfumes are also inspired by the aesthetics of the hotel. Altaia, on the other hand, is a completely different creation, with no connection to the hotel. The biggest difference is in the management of the hotel and the perfume brand – they have nothing to do with each other.
What was the inspiration for the subsequent Eau D’Italie fragrances?
In the beginning there were no special plans for them, it happened organically. When we were creating the new fragrances, we decided to go on an olfactory journey through Italy. Not exactly a journey in the geographical sense, more a journey through memories, a family album. Places, things, impressions.
What is your favorite fragrance note that you associate with Italy?
Traditionally – you would associate citrus notes with Italy. Personally – the smell of parasol pine trees in sunlight.
Do you have any special memories with Eau D’Italie fragrances in the background?
Of course I do! All of these fragrances are memories. For example, the already discontinued Sienne l’Hiver is a memory of Tuscany in winter, bottled. Jardin du Poete (also created with Bertrand) is inspired by Sicily, but the inspiration for it came in Rome, on our terrace, where tomato plants grow. It’s the tomato leaves that give it its green character.
When was Altaia born?
In 2015, and we approached it from a completely different perspective than Eau D’Italie. There we had a very specific inspiration with the hotel, and here we wanted to find something radically different. Turns out, that when my wife Marina and I met in Positano, more than 20 years ago, it was not the first time our families met. They had met more than 160 years ago in Argentina while doing business together. My great-great-great-grandfather was the first Argentine president to allow foreigners to invest in the country’s development. Welcome to the scene a man named James Morrison, who at the age of 42, despite his humble beginnings, became one of the richest non-land owning men in Victorian England and built the Argentinian railroad. James was Marina’s great-great-great-grandfather. Altaia is an acronym – A Long Time Ago In Argentina. The first three Altaia fragrances are inspired on my part by Argentina (Don’t Cry For Me), on Marina’s part by Great Britain (By Any Other Name) and by a 12th century Chinese poem to the orange, where the orange is a symbol of love, fidelity and happiness (Yu Son). We met in Marina’s sister’s garden in Positano, where there is a single orange tree.
Is it that Eau D’Italie is about Italy, and Altaia is about you?
Definitely, Altaia over the years has evolved more into a tale of love.
Last question – what is a must-see on your Positano map?
Simple. The Roman Villa – recently opened, with preserved paintings on the walls. The paintings on the walls have not had exposure to oxygen, so they have not had time to oxidise, and are very saturated. It’s worth seeing.
After talking about the history of the brand, we moved on to a journey through Italy and emotions. I recommend walking over to Galilu and getting to know all the fragrances, because there are really quite a few of them and each has quite a definite identity. There is something for everyone, but especially for lovers of floral fragrances – for us this is a must-know brand. I will share my favorites with you below.
From Eau D’Italie:
- Un Bateau Pour Capri – a fragrance of a bouquet of flowers, inspired by the perfumes of opera divas of the 1960s. It is clean, even a little soapy and realistic.
- Acqua Decima – a perfume that captures the scent of Sentiero Degli Dei, a path that stretches along the cliffs of Costa D’Amalfi, high above Positano. The heated wood, citrus, neroli, and the sea breeze.
- Rosa Greta – Taking its name from Greta Garbo, who was found in Ravello with her (incidentally of Polish origin) lover after her sudden disappearance from Hollywood. It’s a lychee rose, wet and slightly ambroxan. To me it is somehow evocative of L’Ombre Dans L’Eau Diptyque, but if Diptyque is the night, this perfume is the day.
- Jardin Du Poete – a mineral-green, tart fragrance with tomato stalks in the foreground.
- Fior Fiore – jasmine, devoid of animalic undertones. Also wet in a way. Ideal for layering, for example, with….
- Graine De Joie – red, ripe fruits on the verge of bursting – sweet forest fruits and sour pomegranates lined with musk. Very summery.
- Easy To Love – creamy fig and flowers. All that and more.
From Altaia:
- Atacama – salty sand, flowers and sparkling tonka. Unconventional and definitely appealing. Inspired by the Chilean desert, which is covered with a sea of flowers every now and then after the much anticipated rain.
- Wonder of You – blended citrus tree, with leaves, fruits and woods. Practically a juicy fruit pulp. An amazing fragrance, but quite fleeting.
- Don’t Cry For Me – a jasmine bush after the rain. Here we have a similar jasmine to that of Fior Fiore, but served in a different way.
- By Any Other Name – a rose that is definitely fresh. I told Sebastian that I would like it as a room spray, because it is a pure and addictive scent.
I think there is something for everyone in exciting portfolios of these brands!
