The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Maurizio Cerizza built Cashmere Twill as a tribute to the fabric that made Biella famous. The city has produced exceptional cashmere and woolens for generations, wovens so fine they became synonymous with Italian craft. The name says everything: cashmere softness, twill structure. This fragrance captures what that fabric feels like when it meets skin, translated into scent with quiet reverence. The interplay of soft fibers and structured weave becomes an olfactory experience, a fabric reimagined as something to breathe in rather than wear.
The composition balances contrasting elements throughout its development. Citrus opens bright and assertive against a heart of spice and powder. The combination of cardamom and star anise is unexpected, aromatic heat meeting quiet licorice coolness. Water iris adds that powdery softness, while star magnolia keeps things green and alive rather than heavy. Cedar and vetiver form the base: woody, grounding, the structural threads holding everything together. Each layer feels deliberate, building toward a cohesive whole.
The evolution
The opening arrives clean and direct, Sicilian lemon and Calabrian bergamot, citrus with purpose. As the fragrance develops, the heart phase introduces cardamom's warmth alongside iris's powdery floral presence. Star anise threads through quietly, a faint licorice whisper beneath the surface. Magnolia keeps it from going too heavy. The base establishes itself with Lebanon cedar and vetiver, woody and grounding notes that settle close to the skin. The drydown has presence without announcement, the kind of finish that invites rather than demands attention.
Cultural impact
Cashmere Twill arrived in 2008 as part of Le Vie della Lana, the collection dedicated to the textile heritage that defines Biella. The fragrance occupies a particular space in the lineup: sophisticated enough for formal occasions, approachable enough for regular wear. For those who appreciate Italian craft traditions and the idea of scent as a tribute to artisanal skill, it offers something distinctive, an olfactory homage to a specific craft in a specific place.
The House
Acqua di BiellaAcqua di Biella is an Italian perfume house rooted in the textile capital of Piedmont, established in 1871. Founder Luigi Cantono began by crafting artisanal soaps, candles, and perfumed waters from a workshop in Biella's historic center. The house draws deep inspiration from its Alpine surroundings and the city's reputation for fine textile production. Modern fragrance releases emerged around 2005, drawing from an archive of traditional recipes reportedly sourced from local monastic convents. The collection includes notable scents like Baraja (2002), Janca (2004), Bursch (2005), Ca' Luna (2007), Kid Mohair (2008), Cashmere Twill (2008), and Preja Buja (2016). Each fragrance name references the textile heritage that defines the Biella region, connecting the house's olfactory identity to its territorial roots. The brand operates as a niche perfume house, maintaining its presence in the city where it was founded over 150 years ago.
The Creator
Maurizio CerizzaCerizza's work reflects the discipline of the Roure method he absorbed early in his career. He favors working with natural materials, drawing on his family's deep expertise in extraction and distillation to inform every creation.
