About the Perfumer
"La Serenissima" is masterfully perfumed and blended by Artisanal Perfumer Chris Undi. Chris excels at creating olfactive journeys; fragrances that tell a story, bringing a narrative or vision to life via scent... a mantra that we at Statik Olfactive fully embrace and strive to achieve with every release! Chris' expertise in breathing life into a perfume is something by far and wide that we would not have had any other way for this spectacular release! We are extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to work with Chris as the nose for this beautiful transportive and highly realistic unique scent!
What is "La Serenissima"?
"La Serenissima" translates to "The Most Serene" or "The Most Tranquil" in English. Used for over a millennium, it was the official title, and a nickname, given to the Republic of Venice ('Repubblica di Venezia') during its height in the medieval and Renaissance periods. The term "Serenissima" symbolized the republic's power, stability, and greatness, particularly in its maritime dominance of the Aegean Sea and effective governance over many trade routes.
The Isles of Venice...
An area known for its pristine beauty and serene picture perfect seascapes. We wanted to capture that very essence of this stunning location surrounded by crystal clear waters and stunning architecture. Known by many nicknames these days including "The Floating City", "The City of Canals", "Queen of the Adriatic", "The City of Water", and "The City on Stilts", the Venetian Islands are comprised of a total of 118 islands, all of which have become synonymous with beauty and tranquility.
We didn't want this to be just like every other marine/aquatic, citrusy, fresh "blue" scent out there... this fragrance deserves more than that. Staying true to our brand, it had to tell a story. Something that, like the rest of the Statik Olfactive lineup, was transportive and created a sense of imagery. This is where perfumer Chris Undi works his magic. We wanted to use only the finest geographically correct ingredients indigenous to the area... things like fresh Italian citrus, Italy's famous Prosecco wine, "mountain mint" that grows wild throughout the countryside, and of course the famous Alder tree wood...
"The City on Stilts"
The pilings that support the floating cities in the Venetian Islands are made from Alder tree wood, which is naturally resistant to water damage. These pilings were first constructed well over a millennia ago and still stand to this day. This wood, sourced from nearby forests, were hammered deep into the soft marshy ground to create a stable foundation. Over time, the wood has become petrified and hard as stone, due to the anaerobic environment of the submerged soil.
We knew this wood had to be a featured fragrant note within "La Serenissima". Not a commonly known wood/note within the perfume industry, Chris Undi got to work trying to see what kind of scent profile this wood had, if any... or if there even was such an essential oil that one could purchase. To his surprise, no such oil or extraction exists for Alder tree wood. Womp Womppp.
So where do we go from here?
Not one to turn down a challenge, Chris Undi set out to find the chemical makeup of Alder wood. It took about 2 weeks of nonstop research, but he was able to find the GCMS analysis experiments of the wood that shows its chemical makeup, in addition to official scientific research papers that identify its compounds/materials. Last but not least, the "pièce de résistance"... the FULL comprehensive outline of its chemical constituents and biological activities from the government's national library; the COMPLETE in depth breakdown from A-Z of all 237 naturally occurring materials. These breakdowns are what can give Chris the ability to artificially recreate the exact scent. Through this research, Chris Undi may very well be the very first perfumer to create the scent of Alder tree wood to be used in a perfume. And so naturally, "La Serenissima" may very well be the very first perfume ever to utilize the note of Alder tree wood... something we are very excited about!! The scent of Alder wood dances BEAUTIFULLY with the rest of the composition, almost like it was made for this scent... well, technically IT WAS! The scent is sweet, lightly spiced, with a slight nuttiness and a bright, fresh nuanced minty aspect. Super elegant and sophisticated, the perfect ingredient to elevate this fragrance to the heights we knew it could go!
A tribute to timeless elegance, "La Serenissima" captures the spirit of the Venetian Isles in a bottle - a luminous sun drenched voyage through history, sea, and stone. This fragrance evokes the quiet power and enduring beauty of a city suspended between sky and sea. A refreshing aquatic citrus designed for warm weather, this fine fragrance is both modern and steeped in history - made for those who appreciate understated luxury and coastal romance.