SERGIO MOMO

SERGIO MOMO

The creator of ‘Italian luxury perfumes’ Sergio Momo, tells us about the newest member of the Xerjoff family, Tony Iommi. The perfume was created for the guitarist of Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi.

Can you tell us the story of Xerjoff perfume house?

I was trained as a designer, in product and brand design. After more than 20 years of being in the industry, I decided to professionally switch to another passion- artistic perfumery. This quickly became my main occupation. Fragrance is the art in which I have been able to express myself the most. The tagline ‘Italian Luxury Perfume’ is a fairly obvious statement which orients understanding of the sector we operate in, which is that of perfumery made in Italy. The name Xerjoff has something mysterious about it, the way pronouncing it recalls Russian or a Slav language; it is already telling a story, it communicates that we are a complex brand from every point of view, not only for how our product lines are presented and the width of the references, but as a concept.

Where do you get inspiration for your perfumes?

I travel a lot, I like seeing new places, learning about different cultures, meeting many different people. My passion for history is often the source of my inspiration, too. Above all, I am very curious, curiosity being the main spring of creativity, which plays a big part in the ‘Xerjoff recipe’, together with Italian craftsmanship. Research is the key factor, after that it’s a matter of personal interpretation, of translating the story into perfume by working from my olfactive memory and perceptions.

And how about the latest member of the collection; Tony Iommi… Can you tell us more about this perfume?

Xerjoff Blends is a collection based on experimental concepts aimed at creating immersive experiences between perfume and other sensory elements. Like music, and rock. In fact, it just so happened that one of the first people to accept the invitation to collaborate on this project was the guitarist of Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi. An unexpected genesis, a collaboration born naturally during the pandemic, from our friendship. I had asked Iommi to play for a charity song. He couldn’t participate, but I still sent him some perfumes to thank him and I asked him, “Would you be interested in making your own perfume?”. He said it would be great.

What is a good way to select a perfume?

Perfume is an important business card capable of expressing one’s personality. Over the centuries, perfume has always been a weapon of seduction, the perfume which one wears gives messages in the form of olfactory molecules that reveal the personality and character of the person. In fact, I always recommend not buying a perfume because you like it on someone else, but to experiment on yourself, to take your time. There are many facets and olfactory families that can portray what we’d like towards the outside world. Olfactory stimulations that offer themselves to the wearer transmits an extension of our unconscious, often a concept which is complex to describe, which is why it is better to trust one’s instincts when it comes to choosing a new perfume without being convinced or misled by external factors.

Can you tell us about the latest trends in the niche perfume sector?

Niche has completely different dynamics in the way the product is conceived and created. The world of Niche perfumery is fully dedicated to quality and to creativity in order to provide new alternatives in the selective perfume sector. Few niche brands are dedicated to working with natural ingredients rather than synthetic ones only, which means continuous research into raw materials and distillation techniques. I also believe Niche should not follow trends, since Niche is the result of the artistic inspiration of one or few creative individuals, instead of traditional marketing studies.

Can we expect any new developments from Xerjoff perfumes in 2023?

My goal is to bring the perfume to a different level of perception to consumers. By working on multi-sensory experiences, blending fragrances with other sensory elements and arts. Xerjoff has also just started a strong, effective and trustworthy path based on sustainability. Nowadays sustainability is a priority that can no longer be ignored, especially in the world of fashion, beauty and luxury. On the contrary, this topic must be approached in a very concrete way.