Acqua Di Parma

Acqua di Parma ia almost a hundred years old. It's fascinating history begins in a small perfume factory in Parma, a city of enviable culture and tradition.

One of Italy's most dazzling courts under the Gonzaga dynasty, the city was renowned for its savior vivre at the time of Giuseppe Verdi and Marie Louise of Austria, and was raised to literary fame by french auther Stendhal..

Acqua di Parma was launched in 1916, all the most popular men's fragrances were from Germany and they were powerful, intense and complex in their composition. When Acqua di Parma introduced its new scent, it was greeted like a breath of fresh air with Mediterranean essences of citrus fruits. By the '30s, the cologne had become so popular that its production had to be stepped up and its distribution system expanded.

Acqua di Parma experienced a golden age between the 30's and the 50's. It became "The" perfume of a glamorous era, dominated by the American and European stars of Hollywood. Among its most faithful devotees in the acting community were suave chamers like Cary Grant and David Niven, along with sizzling sex symbols Ava Gadner and Lana Turner. Later the ultra-chic Audrey Hepburn joined that elite galaxy of movie stars with a passion for Acqua Di Parma.

But the winds of change began blowing in the 1960s. Other perfumes challenged the cologne's supremacy, though its long tradition and enduring appeal made Acqua Di Parma the "best kept secret" of high society's genuine connoisseurs.

In September 2001, Acqua di Parma opened up a whole new chapter in its long history. LVMH, the world's number one producer and distributor of luxury goods, bought into the century-old Italian brand. Now, Acqua Di Parma is a sought-after classic that dominates the prestigious luxury goods market. By September 2003, LVMH acquired the 100% of the company, consolidating the brand as the leading protagonist within the international luxury market.