Scent Reimagined

At the heart of SPOTURNO lies a poetic fusion of heritage, artistry, and innovation. Founded by Véronique Spoturno, the great-granddaughter of François Spoturno dit Coty—the visionary often credited with revolutionizing modern perfumery—the House is far more than a tribute to the past. It is a living, breathing atelier of scent, committed to excellence without compromise.

“I never wanted to freeze heritage in a glorious past,” Véronique explains in an exclusive interview with L’Officiel Arabia. “My ambition has always been to extend it with meaning, not nostalgia.” This philosophy is apparent in every aspect of SPOTURNO, from the refined craftsmanship of its bottles to the deep narrative layers within its fragrances.

The story of SPOTURNO begins in Corsica in the 16th century, where François Spoturno was born in 1874. Orphaned at a young age, he left the island with his grandmother, yet remained deeply attached to his Corsican roots throughout his life. These early experiences laid the foundation for a new approach to scent: one that mingled nature, memory, and groundbreaking chemistry. Spoturno’s pioneering use of synthetic molecules like vanillin to enhance natural ingredients helped birth olfactory families still foundational to perfumery today: amber, chypre, and oriental.

That spirit of invention persists in the Maison under Véronique’s direction. “Rather than sanctifying [François’] name,” she shares, “I sought to rediscover the creative freedom that defined him.” Central to this journey has been her collaboration with Master Perfumer Christopher Sheldrake. Together, they’ve created a quintet of fragrances, each meticulously sculpted to capture emotion and time. “Christopher doesn’t create perfumes. He composes works of art,” Véronique says, underscoring the brand’s artistic ethos.

With a unique position “between haute parfumerie and niche,” SPOTURNO consciously rejects the constraints of fleeting trends. “We work with complete freedom, using exceptional raw materials, respecting the slow rhythm of true creation,” says Véronique. The brand’s rigorous artistic identity also extends to its design sensibility. Having studied art and worked with celebrated photographer Lucien Clergue, Véronique brings a sharply honed visual language to SPOTURNO. “I approach perfume as a sensitive object, a frame... Perfume is an image one wears on the skin.”

Her vision culminates beautifully in SPOTURNO 1921, the fragrance that pays homage to François’ final masterpiece. Housed in a bottle designed by Pierre & Jules Dinand and crafted in Parma by Luigi Bormioli, the bottle is an object of art in itself, engraved with laurel leaves and topped with a gold pump and glass cap. A bottle looks as much as it smells, because perfume is an object before it is scent.

Family heritage is for Veronique a living element in every creation. “My lineage, my roots, even my wounds, are present in every creation,” she says. It’s a rare authenticity that defines SPOTURNO. The fragrance Barbicaja, for example, revives the name of the family’s Corsican estate, bridging past and present with intimate precision.

Looking to the future, SPOTURNO remains committed to pushing artistic boundaries. A new fragrance-described by Véronique as “more introspective, perhaps more nocturnal”-is on the horizon, along with bold collaborations in glasswork and sound. “SPOTURNO is not meant to remain static,” she says. “It is a living house, guided by curiosity, excellence, and a desire to tell new stories through scent.”

In a world where luxury is often defined by market trends, SPOTURNO stands apart. It offers olfactory narratives each rooted in a powerful family legacy and carried forward with unmistakable grace and originality. Through Véronique Spoturno, the House has preserved its founder’s revolutionary spirit and has given it new life, scent by scent, through a contemporary approach.