Avau perfume brand's first boutique opens in Milan

A home before a perfumery

The shop concept revolves around a simple idea: making people feel at home. "For us, the shop is home," says Leonardo. "You enter and you find yourself in your living room. The route is built like a real home. The visitor passes through a living room that recalls the private universe of the Catalani family, for example the details of the upholstery are inspired by the frescoes of the Vatican in which the dogs that are part of the family are inserted. In short, a double thread that recalls the family and its history.

'Our reality was born in the kitchen, talking as a family,' Leonardo continues. 'When a house is big and there are many rooms, in the end the heart always remains the kitchen. It is the place where we share, where we talk, where we spend time together'. That is why the kitchen also becomes the place dedicated to the discovery of fragrances. This is where the olfactory consultations take place, where Caterina, the nose, presents the raw materials and recounts the creative process that leads to the birth of each fragrance. Amidst open refrigerators, moka pots, checked dishcloths and objects that recall the Italian domestic tradition, the boutique is transformed into an environment that invites conversation.

The value of authenticity

If there is one word that comes up again and again in conversations with the Catalan brothers, it is authenticity. For them, it represents one of the fundamental pillars of Avau, together with Italian character and a sense of family. A value that emerges both in the products and in the brand communication.

"Today's industry is saturated with artfully packaged messages and narratives, what is often missing is an authentic connection to the reality of the brand," says Leonardo. "We want to truly communicate what is behind the project. Bringing a new brand to market today is relatively simple. We have chosen the opposite path. Every detail was designed and built by us, from the customised cap to the bottle to the shop concept'. A position that also stems from the experience gained over the years within the industry. The three brothers are well acquainted with the artistic perfumery market and carefully observe the multiplication of new brands that often focus more on narrative than substance.

Three brothers, three skills

One of the most interesting aspects of Avau is the complementarity of roles. Leonardo leads the creative and visual side of the brand. Caterina, trained in Grasse and former perfumer nose at the historic London maison Floris, is the olfactory soul of Avau and signs all the brand's creations. Carolina, on the other hand, with a past at Procter & Gamble, represents the strategic and entrepreneurial soul of the project.

'I define myself as the meeting point between Caterina's creative soul and Leonardo's,' says Carolina. "My role requires a rational and strategic vision, but always accompanied by passion. Differences of view are not lacking, but are considered a resource. Even when we have different ideas, they become a source of growth and inspiration. We all look at the same thing, but from different perspectives'.

Perfumery as art

At the heart of the boutique is, of course, perfume. The six fragrances currently in the collection represent the starting point of a journey destined to expand over time. Behind each creation is the work of Caterina Catalani. "Many people think that creating a perfume means simply weighing raw materials," she explains. "In reality it is an art form. For me, raw materials are like musical notes that combine to create a composition. Favourite fragrance? Petal Pop holds a special place in my heart. It was the first fragrance I imagined and the last one I brought to fruition. I put a lot of time, passion and attention to every detail into it. It is a living fragrance, in constant transformation: it starts with fruity accents, blossoms into a rich floral bouquet and finally settles on an elegant and enveloping woody base. A vision that is also reflected in the way Avau narrates its fragrances: less artificial storytelling and more attention to authentic emotions, raw materials and the creative process.

A promise that looks to the future

Avau means promise and despite the brand's young age, development projects are already numerous. After entering France through Le Bon Marché in Paris and expanding into the Baltic countries in the Crème de la Crème chain. The brand is now looking at new European markets such as Germany, Spain and Portugal.