Sospiro

The story

Sospiro was born in Italy in 2011 within the world of Xerjoff, the Turin house of Sergio Momo: the trade press of the time presented it as Xerjoff's new line, six perfumes inspired by music. Since 2022 the house has been living a new chapter from Dubai, where it operates as Sospiro International and from where it has carried its creations onto an international stage. Behind the fragrances is a team of seven perfumers. The most experienced is Christian Provenzano, whom the house presents as a master with more than fifty years at the bench: he signed Vibrato and Maraschino, and his style, Sospiro writes, is bright openings that resolve into long, musky and woody bases. Leading today's chapter is Salah Alzarooni, a Dubai-based perfumer who holds the balance between Italian composition and a Gulf sensibility.

The name says it all. Sospiro is the Italian word for a sigh, from the Latin suspirium, “an upward breath”: for the house it is the sound beauty pulls out of you before you can even name it. The idea is to take the Mediterranean tradition of perfumery and compose it the way Italy composes music, as operas and symphonies, in movements that build and resolve. “We compose, we don't mix”, the house writes: each fragrance is built like a score, not a recipe, and oud, when it appears, is one instrument in the orchestra, never the headline.

The first six fragrances came out in 2011; some of those early creations, such as Accento, Erba Pura and Opera, are now part of Xerjoff's Vibe collection, while Sospiro has moved on with new creations. With the Dubai chapter, in 2022, came a renewed collection: Vibrato, Basso, Bel Canto, Accento Viola, Pasticcio and Erba Pura Magica. In 2024 the Red collection was born, with Dolce Sonata, Maraschino and Traviata; Il Padrino and Vibranna followed in 2025, and Mezzo in 2026. The names come from the language of music: Vibrato, Basso, Mezzo, Bel Canto, the Italian singing style of the eighteenth century.

It was Vibrato, citrusy and powdery, that took Sospiro around the world: the house itself tells of its viral success. What makes every fragrance recognisable is the bottle, covered in velvet and finished like a butterfly's wing, closed by an engraved rose-gold cap; the butterfly is the emblem of the house. Sospiro describes itself as known for the projection and longevity of its compositions, and has its own boutique in Rotterdam.

The collections

• Classica: Vibrato (2022), Il Padrino (2025), Basso (2022), Dolce Melodia, Bel Canto (2022), Accento Viola (2022), Pasticcio (2022), Vibranna (2025), Mezzo (2026).
• Erba: Erba Pura Magica (2022).
• Red: Dolce Sonata (2024), Maraschino (2024), Traviata (2024).

All fragrances are 100 ml Eau de Parfum. OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised Sospiro retailer, online and in its store in Nettuno (Rome).

Frequently asked questions

What kind of brand is Sospiro?
It is an Italian house founded in 2011 that composes its fragrances like music, naming them after singing and opera. Since 2022 it has been led from Dubai, and the collection comes in 100 ml Eau de Parfum in velvet bottles.

What is the link between Sospiro and Xerjoff?
Sospiro was born in 2011 within the world of Xerjoff, the Turin house of Sergio Momo, who launched it as a new line of music-inspired perfumes. Since 2022 Sospiro has been led from Dubai by the company Sospiro International, and some of its first perfumes, such as Accento, Erba Pura and Opera, are now sold by Xerjoff in its Vibe collection.

What is the most famous Sospiro perfume?
Vibrato: the house tells of its viral success and it is by far the most rated on Fragrantica, followed by Il Padrino and Basso. Vibrato opens with grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin and ginger; Il Padrino is dark rum and amaretto over labdanum and vanilla wood; Basso is woody and spicy, with carnation, labdanum and oakmoss.

What is the difference between Basso and Vibrato?
Both open with grapefruit, then take different paths. Vibrato is citrusy and aromatic: ginger and rosemary, a heart of magnolia and Damask rose, a base of Indian sandalwood, crystal amber and tonka bean. Basso is woodier and darker: carnation and labdanum in the heart, then sandalwood, vetiver, black and pink pepper, guaiac wood and oakmoss.

Is Erba Pura Magica the same as Xerjoff's Erba Pura?
No, they are two different perfumes. Xerjoff's Erba Pura opens with lemon, bergamot and Sicilian orange, has a heart of Mediterranean fruits and a base of amber, vanilla and white musk. Sospiro's Erba Pura Magica pairs jasmine, bergamot, lemon and fruity notes with balsamic notes and iris, over amber, musk, caramel and cedarwood.

Are Sospiro perfumes for men or for women?
The house does not divide its collection by gender, and the fragrances can be worn by everyone. Only for two does it point to a character: Vibranna is described as deeply feminine, Il Padrino as a serene masculinity.

Where can I buy Sospiro perfumes?
From OUD Profumeria Artistica, an authorised Sospiro retailer: online, with free shipping in Italy on orders over €60 and 10 complimentary samples on orders over €100, and in our store in Nettuno, near Rome.