Italian perfumer Luca Maffei is known for combining refined craftsmanship with bold, expressive creative vision. Born and raised in Milan, he grew up in a fragrance family and discovered early that he could memorize and recognize raw materials with ease. That intuition led him to formal training at Givaudan’s Perfumery School in Grasse under Françoise Marin, who mentored him in curiosity, creativity, and persistence. In 2007, Maffei composed his first fragrance, Cuoio Nobile for Pineider, at just 26. In 2011 he returned to Milan and co-founded Atelier Fragranze Milano (AFM) with his father, a creativehouse dedicated to niche perfumery that marries traditional Italian elegance with innovation and collaborates closely with French perfumer Antoine Lie.

The team from CZAR Fragrances and AFM worked hand in hand on LINK, a project that officially ignited in December 2024. In July 2025, the CZAR team visited the AFM headquarters and production facility in Milan to further strengthen the partnership and oversee the creative process firsthand. This collaborative journey paved the way for LINK’s grand release in October 2025 during the Kuwait Fall Perfume Expo at the Kuwait International Fairground.

In his recent collaboration with CZAR Fragrances, Luca has turned his creative focus to LINK, a fragrance project that began in December 2024 and officially launched during the Kuwait Fall Perfume Expo 2025. His visit to Kuwait coincided with the Italian Design Week, hosted by the Italian Embassy in Kuwait, where CZAR Fragrances proudly participated as a sponsor.

During his stay in Kuwait, Luca Maffei attended multiple events alongside His Excellency Lorenzo Morini, the Ambassador of Italy to Kuwait, celebrating the cultural and artistic bridge between Italy and Kuwait. He also made daily visits to the CZAR Fragrances booth at the Kuwait International Fairground Perfume Expo, meeting guests, media, and industry professionals. Beyond the exhibitions, Luca explored iconic Kuwaiti landmarks such as the Kuwait Towers, enjoyed traditional Kuwaiti cuisine, and experienced a warm and memorable welcome from the CZAR Fragrances team.

This visit marked a milestone for both AFM and CZAR Fragrances, deepening their creative and professional relationship. The CZAR team, including Dr. Talal AlBannai (Creative Director and Consultant), Abdulwahab AlRefai (CTO and Business Development Manager), CEO Abdulwahab AlSenan, Vice CEO Ahmed AlHeid, and COO Yousef AlHeid, extended their gratitude and appreciation for this partnership. They expressed their shared vision for continued collaboration and success in creating fragrances that connect cultures and redefine the art of perfumery.

CZAR Fragrances believes in creating perfumes that act as bridges between the East and the West, transforming culture, art, and emotion into liquid masterpieces. With LINK, this philosophy shines brightly, proving that perfumery can truly unite worlds through scent.

CZAR Fragrances started developing a new fragrance with Luca since December 2024 with Atelier Fragranze Milano, LINK debuts this October 2025 as Italian perfumer Luca Maffei visits Kuwait. In this feature, Abdulwahab AlRefai, CZAR Fragrances, speaks with Luca about his path, process, and the cultural dialogue inside the new scent.

Abdulwahab AlRefai, CZAR Fragrances: Luca, please introduce yourself, where you are from, how you entered perfumery, and a bit about your career path.
Luca Maffei: Hello everyone, I’m Luca Maffei, an Italian perfumer based in Milan, and founder of Atelier Fragranze Milano. I grew up in a fragrance family, my father led one of the world’s major fragrance companies, so scent surrounded me from childhood. I did not plan to be a perfumer, it happened naturally, the first day I smelled raw materials I could memorize and recognize them with ease, that pushed me to study perfumery in France. In 2011 I returned to Milan and opened Atelier Fragranze Milano to compose my own creations.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: Outside the lab, what do you enjoy, any favorite sports or players?
Luca Maffei: I train almost daily, CrossFit, paddle, and the gym. I love football and support Inter Milan, and I follow tennis, Jannik Sinner is doing an amazing job representing Italy. I also enjoy international cuisine, food can be great inspiration for new accords.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: What inspired LINK, how did the idea spark?
Luca Maffei: I wanted a real connection between Italy’s eau de cologne heritage and Kuwait’s rich fragrance tradition. Southern Italy gives the best citrus and bergamot, while Arabian perfumery offers warmth and depth. LINK is a bridge, when you smell it you feel embraced by both cultures.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: How has the collaboration between CZAR Fragrances and AFM been for you? Luca Maffei: I am very proud, it is my first project with a Kuwaiti brand. CZAR allowed me to bring my style to your country, and our shared focus on craft and quality makes me confident this will be a long story.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: What do you see, CZAR and the future between international brands?
Luca Maffei: CZAR is an amazing brand. There is deep attention to detail, packaging, labeling, glass quality, and of course the fragrance itself. For LINK I selected the finest naturals and key modern molecules to build something rich and precise. With this level of quality and vision, I am sure CZAR can be a significant player in the global niche market, a strong partner for future international collaborations.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: How do you see the perfume industry in the Gulf and Middle East?
Luca Maffei: The Middle East is one of the most important regions for perfumery, especially niche. The future is a strong relationship between European craftsmanship and Gulf taste, together they create truly unique fragrances.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: Tell us about the olfactive composition of LINK.
Luca Maffei:The top notes are Italian Bergamot, Ginger, Cardamom, Timur Pepper. Then we have the Heart notes which are Petitgrain, Clary Sage, Jasmine, Italian Chamomile.
Finally the Base notes are Vetiver Java, Oakmoss, Galbanum, Cedarwood.
It starts bright and spicy, moves to a green floral heart, and settles into an elegant woody mossy base, fresh yet powerful.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: Why should people try LINK, how does it perform, and is it unisex?
Luca Maffei: Traditional colognes are fresh but short lived, I wanted freshness that lasts. By pairing citrus and spice with ambery power and modern musks and ambroxan LINK keeps its brightness with real persistence. It is fully unisex, on a blotter it lasts over 24 hours, on skin around 10 to 12 hours.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: As CEO of AFM and a creator, how do you balance management and creativity?
Luca Maffei: Mornings are for creation when my nose and mind are fresh, usually after early sport, afternoons are for business and management. That balance keeps the company moving while protecting creativity.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: A lighter question, what cars do you love?
Luca Maffei: I love sports cars, Ferrari and Lamborghini are icons, and I am also a big fan of German cars such as Audi and Porsche, driving brings the same mix of precision and emotion I enjoy in composing.

Abdulwahab AlRefai: You visited Kuwait in October, how did you feel?
Luca Maffei: Very excited. Every trip gives a perfumer new perspectives. Kuwait inspired ideas for future creations with CZAR Fragrances.

Luca’s final message is that “LINK is not just a perfume, it is a connection between people and cultures, between freshness and depth, between Italy and Kuwait.”

As a thank you for reading, CZAR is extending an exclusive offer. Use code bzr on the CZAR website or mobile app to receive a special discount. Find your new favorite fragrance at czarfragrances.com. Follow @czar.kw, @lucamaffei and @atelierfragranzemilano, @embassyofitalyinkuwait on Instagram for the latest news.