My father was a world traveller, always returning with small treasures and raw materials like incense and cedarwood. Sometimes he would take me to the mountains, point out a flower and simply say "Smell it." He gave me an awareness of scent, a subtle sense that shapes memory, emotion and imagination. That sensitivity stayed with me, quietly influencing everything I would later create.

I grew up in Turin, a city immersed in art, design and architecture. When I was a child, drawing and creativity wasn't just a pastime, it was second nature to me. I would literally just draw all day: my mother even allowed me to skip nursery to stay home and draw.

When I was a teenager, I told my father that I wanted to be a comic designer: back in those days, many fathers wanted their sons to follow in their paths, but my dad told me to choose something I wanted to do and to do it well.

So, with my parents’ encouragement and support, I ended up going to an Italian design school, and there I met some older guys who had opened a small design agency. I was only seventeen, and not legally allowed to work, but I would finish classes and go straight to the agency.

The day I graduated, I finished the exam and headed to the office: not because I had to, but because I loved it. I joined the company the moment I turned eighteen.

When I was a bit older, I moved to London and worked as a designer for some important brands, and as an illustrator for children’s books. London shaped me a lot, and I moved back to Turin a few years later a changed man.

For me, there has never really been a “work-life balance”. My mind never differentiates the two. Something I experience – whether it is a work of art, a piece of music, a book I am reading, or even some spices at a market – if it sparks an idea, I will start working on it straightaway, day or night.

What I do is who I am, and I’m not sure that everyone understands that. My life is design, art, music, literature, film, vintage cars... so many things, as is the brand I created. So Xerjoff and Sergio really are the same thing. Design has always meant open-mindedness and creativity for me, breaking boundaries and creating things out of the ordinary.

The idea for Xerjoff emerged from a desire to create a work of art within a work of art; for me, perfume offered the perfect medium. My idea was to combine the finest natural ingredients with Italian craftsmanship, artistry and design. I wanted each creation to be a multisensory experience, where scent and packaging formed a complete, elegant story that the wearer could actually live. I like to experiment with perfumery in non-traditional realms, and that is what sets Xerjoff apart.

Building the brand was a journey of both triumph and challenge. Sourcing the finest materials, developing unique flacons – perfume bottles – and establishing a distinct identity required patience, creativity and resilience. There were doubts, of course – moments when the path forward seemed uncertain – but seeing how our collections were appreciated by others reaffirmed our belief in what we were building. Especially in the early days, every small victory was a stepping stone toward something greater.

The idea for Xerjoff came about in 2003. I contacted some important people in the perfumery world, and they were kind enough to help me in the creation of a perfume. I think they probably felt sorry for me! By that time, I was married, my two sons were born, and I was studying perfume in Grasse, the historic centre of the French perfume industry.

So eventually, I ended up creating two perfumes, Elle and Homme, both housed in special quartz flacons, but I didn’t know what to do with them next. Xerjoff was really just an experimental project at this point: my everyday job was owning a design agency in Turin, so I had something to fall back on.

I convinced by my business partner at that time to take them, and me, to a design fair that was happening in Moscow, where I met with a contact of hers. I spoke a bit about what I had in my hand and what my idea was. I couldn’t believe it when he asked how much I wanted for them.

I actually had no idea, so I added up a few numbers in my head, how much it had cost me to make them, and threw out a number. The businessman replied that he wanted thirty of them: I only had two! So I rushed home, opened Xerjoff officially as a company, and started production. By 2005, Dominique Salvo and I had founded Xerjoff.

From there, business started to grow, and not long after, I met Roja Dove. He only sells what he loves, and when he asked to sell Xerjoff, that was a huge step for us. At the time, we had our 17/17 Stone Label collection, perfumes put through specific distillation techniques and housed in semi-precious stone flacons, and Shooting Stars, where the perfume comes with a certified piece of meteorite.

It wasn't long before Xerjoff began to gain recognition on a global scale: today, Xerjoff is present in more than 150 countries. We have opened 13 boutiques in strategic destinations where we can share the portfolio with many clients from different walks of life: our first boutique opened in my hometown of Turin. Milan, Monte Carlo, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Harrods in London, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Barcelona and Paris followed, and we will soon open in Santiago, Chile. Our aim is to offer clients a unique experience, guiding them in the discovery of meaningful scents with unique stories to tell.

We continue to push boundaries, exploring new olfactory ideas while remaining rooted in our dedication to quality and artistry. Our repertoire now exceeds 180 original scents, each a testament to the marriage of natural materials and exceptional craftsmanship, including a revival of the 19th century luxury brand, Casamorati, which was an Italian perfume house founded in Bologna in 1888. I wanted to bring that Italian chapter back to life, recreating vintage recipes and creating new, modern ones.

Xerjoff experiments with multisensory experiences: not only is a perfume created, but another form of art is created too, inspired by the scent. Take our collaboration with Michelin-star chef, Yannick Alléno. We met in London a couple of years ago and got talking over a cigar.

It was one of those instant friendships that was born, natural and authentic. We talked about what we do and found out that actually what we do is very similar on so many levels. We decided to take it one step further and create something together. We created an experience that is held at his restaurants worldwide: a small, scented Xerjoff cloche, so you smell a perfume before tasting the food, and the senses do the rest of the work. This is something that no one else is doing, and you can experience it at Alléno’s Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris and Dubai, with Monaco, London and Seoul to follow shortly.

Xerjoff’s experiences and collaborations all reflect the same philosophy: perfume as an art form, in which creativity and beauty evoke strong emotions. Collaboration is central to what we do, but it always comes from genuine friendship and shared vision. Our partnerships with people like Brian May of Queen, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, and the members of Duran Duran aren’t about putting a name on a product: their input is vital, and fully integrated into the creation. The perfumes carry their spirit, not just their name.

Philanthropy is another part of our philosophy. We created the Spray to Help collection; perfumes made with organisations that are close to my heart: a part of the proceeds goes towards each charity. We also help numerous charities during the year, from the Bal de Noël hosted by the Fondation Princesse Charlène de Monaco to Brian May’s Save Me foundation.

Looking forward, I remain driven by the same passions that inspired Xerjoff from the beginning. My vision for the future is simple: to continue to fuse art, passion and perfection in every creation. For me, Xerjoff is not just a business, it is an expression of a lifetime's devotion to beauty, emotion and the transformative power of scent.