An Interview with Irene Forte | Special Feature

Could you tell us a bit about your skincare line, and the decision to rebrand the spas in line with the skincare?

I launched Irene Forte Skincare at the end of 2018. I had been working at Rocco Forte Hotels for a number of years, overseeing their spa and wellness offering (amongst a few other things), and only recently became a consultant for them to focus on my line. During that time and through my experience working with the spas, I saw the opportunity for natural and experiential formulations to be improved by scientific insight. I also wanted to create a business with sustainability at its core. I had the perfect base from which to start a natural line with Verdura's organic farm in Sicily, but I knew that I needed a brilliant scientific mind to help me formulate. After a lot of research in Italy, I came across my formulator in early 2014: Dottoressa Francesca Ferri, who had started formulating clean cosmetics and food supplements over 35 years ago. Her philosophy lined up with mine, and I thought that she was the perfect fit to help me bring a ‘natural skincare line made better by the guidance of science’ to life. After a number of years of development, as well as then trying and testing them with elite spa professionals at Rocco Forte Hotels, we launched:

• Natural, clinically proven formulations inspired by the Mediterranean diet, using ingredients grown at our organic farm in Sicily
• Products that combine outstanding fragrance and feel with low allergenic potential (we use a lab-formulated allergen-screened fragrance, and the products are certified for sensitive skin)
• A brand with sustainability at its heart (we are B Corp certified, and accredited by Positive Luxury)

Irene Forte Spas came a little later. It was important for me to establish the skincare brand a little before being able to have branded Irene Forte Spas at Rocco Forte Hotels. But now, it makes total sense - the Rocco Forte teams were indispensable in the creation of my treatments/ products, and I had designed/ imagined all the?now?Irene Forte Spas aligned to my brand ethos and branding.

What will be the most defining feature of Irene Forte Spas?

Irene Forte Skincare is quintessentially Italian; this is highlighted through our packaging, the ingredients we use, the Italian product names we use, and much more. Irene Forte Spas are inspired by Italy too, and I feel this is very unique.

Spaces integrate colours inspired by Sicily; they match the colours of the Irene Forte Skincare packaging: sea/ sky (our navy box); sunsets/sunrises (our orangey red box); soil (our brown box); plants/ nature (our green box). They also integrate handmade Sicilian ceramics, Italian stones and woods, and other natural references. You'll also notice the spa team's uniforms are uniquely Italian, with a floral trim colour or floral print. Our spa treatments (and their names) are also inspired by Italy.

A Mediterranean scent diffuses the air. All our treatments include the inhalation of an orange blossom scent. We also ring Burgio Bells to start and end all of our treatments. These handmade bronze bells are made at the Virgadamo Bell Foundry in Burgio,?a family run foundry that has been around since the 16th Century. The Virgadamo’s handmade production process remains faithful to old traditions. Burgio’s bell Foundry is a 20-minute drive from Verdura Resort. We also use hand-painted Sicilian ceramics in our treatments for inhalation bowls and foot bowls.

You’ve recently joined as Sustainable Spa Association as a member and achieved a Gold Standard Award?– how important is sustainability and the environment to you and what was the driving force behind the decision to join the SSA?

Sustainability is incredibly important to me. I’m proud of the fact that we built sustainability into Irene Forte Skincare's DNA from its inception; it was not simply an afterthought, and we consider environmental and social impact with every decision we take. Hence why we have achieved our B Corp Status.?

Of course, given that sustainability is so vital to my brand, it was also vital for the Irene Forte Spas. Some examples: design has been built with sustainability in mind (sustainable materials, sourcing locally, working with artisans, etc.); we have a recycling scheme with First Mile for professional products; we only retail sustainable and local brands, e.g, we work with ‘Back Label’ that is B-Corp Certified; we only print on 100% recycled paper; we have eliminated almost all single use plastic, etc.?

This is why we decided to join Sustainable Wellness. The Sustainable Wellness Accreditation also helps to provide a framework, and thus helps us find areas in which we can improve. I believe that sustainability is a journey, and one is never fully sustainable, so the Sustainable Wellness Accreditation helps us find ways to constantly improve/ develop new initiatives.

Are you currently working on any other projects to improve your sustainability and environmental offering in the Hotels and Spas?

Yes, many!?

We have two items left with single-use plastic: flip-flops & water bottles. We are working on a flip-flop redesign. We are also now installing water fountains so that we don't need single-use plastic bottles. We are also trying to become water equal, so that we donate the water that we consume via aqueducts in communities without access to water. We are looking at ways to reduce paper (even if 100% recycled), and become more digital. We are launching refillable dispensers across all rooms and spas in 2023. These are just a few examples.

What more do you think can be done in the spa industry to be more environmentally friendly?

When approaching sustainability, I always look at three pillars: People, Community and Planet. In my view, people come first; I believe a company should do everything possible to support the wellbeing and career development of their team,?particularly given that a spa should be all about wellness.

Championing local communities is also incredibly important. This can be done step by step; one could start by supporting one local charity, engaging with the community on one sustainable project, working with a local artisan/ farmer/ supplier, or simply employing locals.?

Planet is all about championing and protecting the environment by monitoring and reducing waste. Again, little steps can be taken to start with.?

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