Heritage
A house, in its own words
Aquolina traces its roots to the historic Italian cosmetics company Paglieri, founded in 1876 by Luigi Paglieri and his son Lodovico in Alessandria, Italy. Starting as a traditional Italian perfume and cosmetics manufacturer, the family business expanded steadily through the 20th century, with Luigi Paglieri's son constructing Palazzo Paglieri in the early 1900s, notable as the city's first reinforced concrete building and first to feature an elevator. In 2001, Paglieri established Selectiva Spa to consolidate its lifestyle and fragrance brands, including Aquolina. The brand launched its first perfume in 2003, introducing Pink Sugar to international markets. The fragrance proved commercially significant enough to spawn numerous flankers and extensions over the following two decades, including formulations for hair, body mist, and concentrated extracts. The success of Pink Sugar prompted the brand to expand into men's fragrances with Blue Sugar in 2006, while continuing to develop new gourmand concepts under the Aquolina umbrella.
Aquolina occupies a distinctive position in the fragrance landscape by deliberately embracing accessibility and sensory pleasure. The brand constructs its perfumes around universally recognizable edible associations, translating comfort food and childhood confectionery into olfactory form. Rather than pursuing niche exclusivity, Aquolina designs fragrances intended for daily wear and broad appeal, treating scent as an extension of personal expression and mood enhancement. The house positions fragrance as a form of playful self-discovery, encouraging consumers to associate their identity with specific scents. This approach reflects a democratization of perfume culture, making gourmand fragrances a mainstream category rather than a specialized taste.
