- Acqua di Parma perfumes and colognes:
Country:Italy
Main activity:Fragrances
Brand website:link
Parent company:LVMH
Acqua di Parmabegan as a modest factory in Parma. Its first fragrance,Colonia, was created in 1916 and initially used to scent gentlemen’s handkerchiefs.Coloniaemerged as a defining symbol of Italian chic among American and European celebrities during the pre-war (1930s) and post-war (1950s) eras. Notable admirers included Cary Grant, David Niven, Ava Gardner, and Eva Turner, later joined by Audrey Hepburn. From its humble factory roots, Acqua di Parma grew into a prominent fragrance house with widespread distribution. However, the fickle nature of fashion and the unpredictable whims of fortune soon turned against this Italian legacy—years of immense popularity were followed by a struggle to survive and avoid obscurity.
In the early 1990s, three influential Italians—Diego Della Valle (Tod's s.p.a), Luca Cordero Di Montezemolo (Ferrari), and Paolo Borgomanero (La Perla)—united in a patriotic mission to preserve Italian classicism: to restore Acqua di Parma. They revived vintage fragrances and launched new projects, including the aromatherapy lineBlu Mediterraneo, interior fragrances, and the leather-centricTravel Collection. Seeking strategic investments and international positioning, the trio signed a contract with luxury goods giant LVMH, which acquired full ownership of Acqua di Parma in 2003. This iconic example of Italian style was saved and has since thrived. Hollywood has once again embraced the small yet proud house—today, its celebrity following, passed down from earlier generations, includes Kevin Costner, Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, and more.
Designer Acqua di Parma features 97 perfumes in our fragrance database. As an esteemed perfume house, its earliest edition dates to 1916, with the most recent released in 2025. Acqua di Parma fragrances have been crafted in collaboration with renowned perfumers, including Bertrand Duchaufour, Jean-Claude Ellena, François Demachy, Michel Almairac, Françoise Caron, Francis Kurkdjian, Antoine Maisondieu, Alberto Morillas, Mélanie Carestia, Jérôme di Marino, Joelle Lerioux Patris, Nicolas Bonneville, and Alexandra Carlin.
