A Scent from Capri in Southern Italy—Carthusia (1)

Carthusia—A Fragrance Carried on the Lemon Breeze (1)

Carthusia, a phantom fragrance once difficult to obtain even within Italy. We spoke with Taichi Igarashi of L'Etoile, the Japanese retailer for this limited-production perfume, about its allure.

Photo by Jamandfix

An Encounter with Capri's Hidden Treasure

The first time I heard the name was from a tailor in Naples.
Italians have a certain pleasant scent, don't they? Even the elderly gentlemen. I wonder what it is. It's a mystery. Everyone has a different aroma, but I feel like no one smells unpleasant.

Still, this was about 10 years ago. At that time in Japan, perfume was generally perceived as something made by major brands, and most people simply chose from those options.

But Carthusia was clearly different from those, an exotic fragrance—more of an aroma than a scent. Intrigued, I asked around and learned that it was a fragrance from the island of Capri, made based on recipes hundreds of years old. That was the first time I heard the name Carthusia.

I remained curious about that scent afterwards. I was finally able to purchase it about a year later at the flagship store in Capri.
It didn't feel like I was 'wearing' a fragrance, but rather that it emanated naturally from the person. It seemed to harmonize with the wearer's 'character.' It wasn't overpowering, just a very natural scent.

I wasn't someone who wore perfume often to begin with, but this fragrance captivated me.
When I first bought it at the Capri boutique, there were so many options, I was spoiled for choice. At the time, I simply chose the scent I liked. And that hasn't changed even now.

Later, when I became independent and opened my own store, I discovered that an old acquaintance was actually acting as an agent for Carthusia in Japan at the time. I feel a strange sense of destiny in now handling Carthusia myself.

Its Unique and Universal Appeal

Perhaps the charm of Carthusia lies in its uniqueness, with no similar scents available, yet appealing to everyone. Perfume, I believe, is something people have strong preferences for. However, I've never met anyone who dislikes Mediterraneo by Carthusia. Even the testers in the shop, this one gets used up the fastest (laughs).
For room fragrance, for instance, architectural firms sometimes place it in their meeting rooms. It's also lovely to have by the entrance of your home. Its refreshing scent is unlikely to be disliked. And it's a wonderful aroma you've never encountered before.

I heard from someone that there are only about five perfumers in Italy. So it's natural for scents to be similar. They just slightly alter existing creations and give them new names (laughs).

Carthusia has a long history, but its revival is relatively recent, so these scents haven't been imitated yet.
They essentially follow the old recipes faithfully. As Capri is also a lemon-producing region, citrus scents naturally connect with the island's image.

Another characteristic of Carthusia perfumes is the minimal evolution of their scent profile. There's little transition from top to middle notes; the initial fragrance persists throughout. It's not an old-fashioned scent, nor is it cutting-edge. It's a more vibrant aroma than typical herbal fragrances.

A scent that expresses the joy of living—isn't that quintessentially Italian? It's a fragrance for enjoying life and making it beautiful.

Carthusia—A Fragrance Carried on the Lemon Breeze (2)to be continued