Rudy Profumi: C. Calabrese

RUDY PROFUMI

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INTERVIEW WITH CRISTINA CALABRESE, PRODUCT AND PROJECT MANAgER, RUDY PROFUMI

EXPORT MAGAZINE: Let’s start from the beginning: how did Rudy Profumi come into being? CRISTINA CALABRESE: Rudy was founded in 1920 by the creative mind of Spiridione Calabrese who named the company after the heart throb of the time, Rodolfo Valentino, known as “Rudy”, the icon of the cinema and Italian beauty. At first, the production was based on cosmetics (lipsticks, nail varnishes, powders and hair cream) and fragrances. In the 1940s, his son Antonio took over, who was to continue his father’s creative vein, designing eclectic perfume bottles which thanks to their elegance became actual objects of design. In fact, many of them are on display at the Museum of Fragrance in Milan and Chicago. Today, the business created thanks to the vision of Spiridione has developed and grown thanks to the professionalism of our team but the family mark still remains, and we are now the fourth generation with the grandchildren.

EM: What differentiates the brand from others on the market? What is your mission? CC: Our mission is the one that was handed down by the founders, combining fragrance and creativity in a product that has an exclusive and elegant aesthetic. A distinctive sign that always characterizes and identifies us.

EM: In recent years, going against the current with respect to the market data, your company has shown important growth: what actions have you taken to obtain these increasingly excellent results? CC: Thanks to virtuous partnerships, we have been able to enter distribution channels other than the ones we addressed in the past; in addition to Perfumeries, we have entered the Pharmacy, Health and Beauty and Herbalist channels, and we are now exploring the channels of Home Décor and Concept Stores, where the Majolica line truly shines.

EM: What is the most important challenge facing your company today? CC: Over the past two years, businesses have had to face some very difficult challenges, from the pandemic to the increase in price of raw materials and the whole productive sector, so the commitment to keep a product that is affordable for the consumer has not and will not be so easy, but it is in the DNA of the entrepreneur to create opportunities where at times others can only see difficulties. Our perspective is to continue offering elegant ideas, keeping our values and our identity.

EM: What has been the trend over the past few years and what are the future prospects for your brand? CC: Over the past few years our trend has been constant growth both nationally and abroad, where we have consolidated positions already existing and opened some very important new markets. The prospects are to continue giving and confirming the trust that our distributor partners have shown.

EM: What are the most important trends in the beauty sector? CC: As our product is focused on the olfactory offer, the trend lies in seeking out fragrances that arouse the consumer’s curiosity. Today they are increasingly interested I recognizing themselves in olfactory notes that represent their personality and that can evoke pleasant memories or new places to explore.

EM: There is a great deal of talk about sustainability: what solutions are available to help the beauty industry become more sustainable? CC: We propose a packaging that due to tis characteristics is also an object of decoration and that can last in time even when it is finished, which is why we offer refills to be able to use the primary container over and over again and limit waste. In addition, all the products are made from PET, a material which is infinitely recyclable.

EM: What are your most successful products and why? CC: Currently it is the Le Maioliche di Rudy line, in which we have combined the traditional of Italian craftsmanship of painting on ceramics with a product of everyday consumption. In each product we have tried to stimulate all the senses, from the sense of smell to touch and sight, so that consumers can be surrounded by products that are useful but at the same time pleasant and comfortable.

EM: Lastly, let’s talk about your beautiful packaging. Where did the idea come from? CC: We export almost 50% of our products and our foreign clients are always looking for something which truly expresses the idea of “Made in Italy”, so through our line “Le Maioliche di Rudy”, we wanted to project the consumers into our lovely country, an olfactory journey through the most beautiful spots that the whole world envies, a world of perfumes, art and tradition. And this tradition of artisan craftmanship explodes in the designs that characterize this original time, a unique and distinctive concept. To date, our designs are made by a decorator who is specialized in drawing on majolica in the respect of the artistic tradition: initially on tiles for all the phases of design, decoration and firing. Later, they are then transposed on to the industrialized product and adapted to be enjoyed by the consumer, who can “spoil themselves” at a reasonable price, choosing the decorations that best suit their homes, in a word: the concept of Home Décor in a toiletry product.