by Carlyn Mobbs
September 05, 2025
The Pause That Awakens
An Exclusive Conversation with WA:IT Founder, Raffaella Grisa & Sweet Fern
In a world that rewards the rushed, WA:IT invites us to slow down, to inhale deeply, feel fully, and live with intention. Blending the quiet purity of Japanese ritual with the soulful elegance of Italian craft, WA:IT is more than a fragrance brand. It’s a philosophy.
We sat down for an intimate conversation with WA:IT’s founder, Rafaella Grisa, to uncover the story behind the scents, the rituals that shape them, and how fragrance can be a gateway to presence.
WA:IT blends Japanese ritual with Italian elegance. Can you tell us about a moment that sparked this fusion for you personally?
"I remember it vividly. It was September 2018, and I was in Tokyo for work. After a long day at a trade show, I let my feet guide me. They took me to the forest surrounding Meiji Shrine. There, in the stillness, under the canopy of ancient trees, I felt something open. A presence, an energy, quiet, sacred, timeless. It reminded me of how I used to feel as a child in the hills of Monferrato or the woods of Val di Susa: held, connected. In that moment, I understood that the ritual purity of Japan and the soulful beauty of Italy could coexist in harmony. That was the seed of WA:IT."
Many of your fragrances feel meditative, almost like a pause in the day. What kind of headspace do you hope to create with each scent?
"A space where time softens. Where you remember to breathe. Each fragrance is designed to invite you back to yourself, to that quiet place within where emotions are honest and thoughts become clear. I want WA:IT to act like a doorway: one that opens into presence, calm, and intention. Fragrance, for me, is a form of silent guidance. A subtle but powerful way to reset your energy."
How do you want people to feel when they wear WA:IT?
"Seen. Safe. Reconnected. I want them to feel like they are embracing themselves, fully and gently. WA:IT is not about seduction or trend. It’s about alignment. It’s about wearing something that resonates with your soul—not just your skin."
Your fragrance names, HITO, HARU, LUCE, AKA, feel more like mantras than product titles. Can you share the meaning behind them?
"Yes, they are absolutely mantras, each one received, not invented."
HITO means “person” in Japanese. It honours the sacred individuality of every being.
HARU means “spring,” but not the obvious kind. It came to me in a dream just before losing my father. HARU is the rebirth that follows letting go.
LUCE is “light” in Italian, a tribute to clarity, to the architecture of silence and space.
AKA means “red”, a transformation, an awakening, a return to life.
"Each name reflects a threshold, a shift, a vibration."
WA:IT is more than scent, it’s a philosophy. How do you personally practice this slower, intentional way of living?
"By listening. To my breath. To nature. To the subtle messages life whispers when I stop rushing. I spent many years moving fast, achieving, pushing. But WA:IT came to me in stillness. So now, I try to honour that gift. I wake early. I walk barefoot in the grass. I create space for silence. And I trust that everything unfolds when we’re truly present."
What’s a daily ritual you never skip?
"Stillness in the morning. Even just a few minutes of conscious breathing with a touch of fragrance on my skin, it’s how I realign before stepping into the day. That first pause is sacred. It sets the tone for everything that follows."
For those discovering WA:IT for the first time, where do you suggest they begin?
"Begin with breath. That’s why I suggest HITO or HARU, they are like anchors. HARU holds you in transition; HITO grounds you in who you are. But truly, follow what moves you. WA:IT isn’t linear. It’s intuitive."
How do you see fragrance evolving in today’s wellness culture?
"Fragrance is becoming more than just something that smells good. We’re remembering its ancient purpose, healing, connecting, transforming. Scent bypasses logic and speaks straight to the soul. In this overstimulated world, fragrance is becoming an act of return."
If WA:IT were a place, what would it look, sound, and smell like?
"It would be surrounded by nature, wild yet harmonious. Maybe a house on a hill, open to the wind, with light filtering through linen curtains. You’d hear birdsong, silence, and the gentle echo of your own breath. It would smell like yuzu and fig leaves in the morning, sandalwood and neroli by evening. A space where your nervous system exhales."
What does “WA:IT” mean to you today, has its meaning evolved since you first created it?
"At the beginning, WA:IT was a whisper, a vision I received in a moment of grace. It meant peace (WA), and Italianity (IT). It meant harmony. But today, it has become a mirror. It reflects everything I’ve grown into. It means presence, truth, beauty, and deep connection. It hasn’t shifted, it has deepened."
WA:IT has committed to a negative carbon footprint. Do you think this has added to the interest in the brand from a cosmetic perspective?
"I believe it’s opened the hearts of those who seek integrity. Sustainability is not a marketing claim for us, it’s a responsibility. When you hold a WA:IT product, you’re not just holding scent. You’re holding intention, care, consciousness. Beauty today isn’t just about how something looks or smells, it’s about how it feels to your conscience, your values, your future."
Discover WA:IT in-store at Sweet Fern, or online at sweetfern.com.au.
Your pause begins here.
Carlyn Mobbs
Author