ACQUA DI PARMA: GROWN-UP FRAGRANCES FOR THOSE WITH DISCERNING TASTES

Acqua di Parma is an Italian luxury perfume house founded in 1916 by Carlo Magnani in the city from which the brand takes its name, Parma. The company is known for its classic, elegant and delicate fragrances that are inspired by the Italian countryside. Their most famous fragrance is Colonia, which is a citrusy fragrance that is perfect for everyday wear and has a loyal and dedicated fanbase. Today the brand is within LVMH’s stable and is a globally recognised marque.

For more than one hundred years, Acqua di Parma has been a preferred perfumier to Italy’s most discerning and genteel clientele. From the outset, the house was different to its competitors. Whilst most fragrance makers adhered to the traditional, heavy scents, Acqua di Parma began with a much more subtle and discreet fragrance that was significantly less obnoxious than the rest.

Historically, perfumes were heavily aromatic by necessity. You see, up until the early 1900s, most households did not have running water, let alone hot water. The norm for most people was to bathe once a week or less. Indeed, in the Victorian era, many Europeans believed to bathe more than once a month would result in “the vapours”. With questionable personal hygiene (certainly by modern standards), society was odorous. Consider too that, in urban areas, there was no sewage system or litter collection service… waste was often emptied into the streets and rivers where they would mix with the manure of passing carriage horses.

The wealthy did not have to suffer this indignity, they continued the tradition established by Central and Far Eastern Asian civilisations over millennia: they masked their scent with musk. Thus the wearing of perfume, considered to have some therapeutic properties, was also a great demonstration of wealth. The rarer the essential oils and ingredients, the greater the display.

The very wealthy would also have access to bathing facilities, regularly indulging in the practice. They had less need for heavy fragrances and so, the lighter scents were indicative of greater social status and wealth. With the advent of indoor plumbing and central heating, personal hygiene of the general public would also improve, with perfumiers adapting with gentler aromas using more exclusive ingredients.

Acqua di Parma was one of the first to offer sensual and soft perfumes with lighter but defined notes when Carlo Mangnani released Colonia, manufactured at his small factory in Parma, Northern Italy. The fresh, zingy and delicious fragrance was very well received, fast becoming a go-to scent for Italy’s upper classes and has earned a place on our Luxury Goods Registry.

Magnani was a refined gentleman of great taste, a baron descended from a great noble family whose roots trace back to lands in Parma and Piacenza (hence the brand’s embrace of the arms of both cities in its logo). He had a penchant for the finer things in life and sought to create a product suited to people of sophistication, such as himself.

The brand flourished, selling Colonia and other fragrances to customers across Italy and a growing international market. with their distinctive yellow branding (mirroring the traditional Parma yellow that was the preferred colour for the fascias of the grand buildings of the city – a nod, it is understood, to an ancient custom inspired by the wedding of Isabella of Bourbon and the painting of houses along the procession route in a golden yellow). The brand would also offer colognes, shaving balms, aftershave and grooming products to their gentlemen customers. As the fragrance house’s fortunes grew, so too would their product range, expanding into bathwear, accessories, diffusers, candles and leather goods.

With the brand’s pedigree firmly established, a consortium of well-known investors (including a former Chair of Ferrari, the CEO of Tod’s and a key investor in La Perla), acquired the marque in 1993 with a view to transform it into a global luxury brand. Mission accomplished. Under this new direction, the firm would open a network of luxury boutiques in global fashion centres, including Milan and Paris.

In 2001, the brand would be acquired by the powerhouse luxury goods conglomerate, LVMH. It’s headquarters would be moved to Milan where LVMH has consolidated it’s Italian marques and would continue to grow opening more international boutiques, kiosks and concessions and having access to the wider LVMH distribution agreements. This acquisition would cement the brand’s status as one of the world’s pre-eminent luxury labels.

Acqua di Parma’s fragrances are known for their high quality, luxurious ingredients and their ode to the Italian countryside. The company’s signature fragrances are made to recipes using carefully curated botanicals, florals, citruses and woods, concocted and crafted carefully by experienced perfumers with a keen sense of balance. In addition to their flagship Colonia scent, the brand has also had enormous success with their Blu Mediterraneo series. Their range of car diffusers have quickly found themselves as a must-have for luxury car owners too.

In addition to fragrances, Acqua di Parma continues to offer a wide range of other products, including colognes, soaps, candles, diffusers, essential oils, air fresheners, balms, and accessories. As is their founding motif, the company’s products are all inspired by the Italian lifestyle, and they are designed to create a sense of luxury and sophistication.

From the brand’s inception, Acqua di Parma has been enormously popular with high society, aristocrats, socialites, celebrities and fashionistas alike. The company’s products are often seen on the red carpet and in fashion magazines, as well as being found in premium luxury retail destinations, in fashion capitals, and high-end malls and department stores. You can also purchase online, directly, from the brand’s webstore or through online shopping sites such as Amazon and eBay.

Acqua di Parma is a luxury brand that is known for its classic fragrances and its commitment to quality. If you are looking for a fragrance that is both stylish and sophisticated, Acqua di Parma is a great option.

Do you prefer an Acqua di Parma scent as your favourite? Let us know about your experience with this brand or feel free to tell us about other luxury scents that you are fond of in the comments below.

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