Acqua di Parma was founded in Parma, northern Italy, in 1916. The original creation was a single fragrance — Colonia — which captured the essence of the Italian countryside: bergamot, citrus, lavender, and sandalwood, presented in the brand’s now-iconic cylindrical yellow bottle. Colonia was an immediate success and became the signature scent of a certain kind of Italian elegance — worn by Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, among others. The brand remained a small, cult Italian house for much of the 20th century, known primarily to those with a deep interest in Italian luxury goods. In 2001, Acqua di Parma was acquired by LVMH, which provided the investment to expand the brand internationally while maintaining the artisanal character and Italian provenance that define it. Today the brand produces a wide range of fragrances across several collections, alongside an extensive range of grooming products, bath and body items, home fragrances, and leather accessories. Everything is still made in Italy and presented in the same handcrafted packaging — hand-wrapped in the distinctive yellow tissue and sealed with the Acqua di Parma label — that has been the brand’s signature since 1916. The brand’s perfumers are based in Grasse, France — the historic centre of European fine perfumery — but the Italian soul of the product is maintained in every formulation and presentation decision.