People | Gabriella Scarpa

Sea, scent of the sea

Acqua di Parma has entered the world of Spas. And it’s doing so in style, right through the front door! Yes, the classic Italian brand has joined forces with the chic Yacht Club Costa Smeralda for their first foray into this privileged world. And leading that foray is Gabriella Scarpa, Country General Manager of Lvmh Parfumes et Cosmetiques Italia who has also been International President of Acqua di Parma since 2003.  We caught up with her at the official opening of the Spa in Sardinia for a chat.
What inspired you to open your first Spa in Porto Cervo?  
We were looking for some place truly international in an exclusive coastal area on the Mediterranean. It was a process of exclusion that really narrowed the field down. At the same time the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda was looking for a partner for its Spa, so in short it was love at first sight!  
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and Acqua di Parma: a winning partnership?
I would say so. We share many of the same values. Exclusivity, elegance, style. The YCCS has an absolutely top- class tradition in terms of racing and was also the first club to bring Italy to the America’s Cup.  So really all the factors were there for us to use to launch a major project with a truly world-class partner against the unique backdrop of the Costa Smeralda. And that’s without even mentioning the fact that we, like the Club, focus on a very small but select public.
Speaking of which, the Costa Smeralda is often associated with luxury, a much-misused term these days. How would you define the word luxury?  
Genuine luxury is all about discretion. The English have a word that really sums the concept up beautifully: understatement. But today luxury often seems to be equated with exhibitionism.
And how about the Costa Smeralda and luxury?  
Beauty lies in simple things. Knowing how to recognise them and live like that is a major achievement. For people who know how to appreciate it, the Costa Smeralda is still a unique place in terms of the colours, smells and natural beauty that make it a bit of paradise on earth.
In terms of fragrances, Blu Mediterraneo is unrivalled...
The philosophy of that product rests with its “active ingredient.”  Capri Orange, Amalfi Fig, Sicilian Almond, Tuscan Cypress aren’t just the various lines that make up our Blu Mediterraneo Spa treatments. They are sensory experiences stimulated by the typical fragrances of those unique places and they help one relax and really feel free which is beneficial to both mind and body.  
But how do your treatments differ from others out there?
First and foremost in the time we’ve dedicated to them. The project began two years ago.  We were partnered on that particular journey by Spa Chackra, which is today the real sector leader and which has a fantastic curriculum including the creation of the Guerlain Spa. So for two years we studied and developed the concept, the method, the personnel training, the therapies and a whole series of exclusive treatments.  
Do you mean bespoke treatments?
Yes. The treatments are designed according to the clientele’s specific requests and, as such, differ each time.
To change the subject for a moment, do you like the sea yourself?
I do, absolutely.  And the sea is at its best in Sardinia.
Would you like to explore it aboard?
There’s no better way to appreciate the sea. My husband is a sailor and every year we do a couple of sailing trips. On one of those jaunts we were in a 30-knot wind. We were sailing near the Bocche di Bonifacio at the time.  It was a wonderful experience but pretty exhausting.
Have you ever thought of producing a line of products for people who sail?
Yes, in fact, we’re working on it now.
(Yacht Capital, n.7/2008) 

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