Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1480737
BAL HARBOUR 121 COURTESY OF SANTA MARIA NOVELLA ne might assume that a legendary 800-year-old beauty brand would have nothing new up its sleeve. However rooted in tradition and quality, Santa Maria Novella takes a methodical approach to everything they do, consistently waiting until the time is right to launch an innovative product. "We wanted to craft something in line with our heritage and our Florentine legacy. So, when it came to launching our first eau de parfum, we decided to invest in researching how to make one of the most prestigious ingredients in the perfume industry—the butter harvested from the Iris flower—the basis for an eau de parfum that could become our symbol," says Gian Luca Perris, the recently placed CEO of Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. "The Iris has been the emblem of Florence for a thousand years. It's a sign of purity and protection and its butter is a refined ingredient of a complex plant. We believe that combining this precious Iris butter, using Florentine Iris only, with floral heart notes of Jasmine, Magnolia and Geranium with some green and spicy top notes will represent our being multifaceted, graceful and elegant." The new eau de parfum accompanies the Italian house's already revered line of colognes, which are available in everything from Rosa Novella to Tabacco Toscano and have been popular with its devotees across the globe. However, Perris notes that, among its Bal Harbour Shops patrons, some of the more popular items include the Terracotta Scented Pomegranate in the Melograno fragrance, as well as classic fragrances reimagined as hand-made scented wax tablets, perfect for hanging on doors or tucking away to freshen a drawer. And, just to show how the centuries-old brand can still be ahead of the curve, it might also be worth revisiting some of Santa Maria Novella's first creations. "Acqua di Rose was first introduced in 1381 as a perfumed water," says Perris. "During the Black Plague that affected Florence and the rest of Europe in the 14th century, it was also used as a disinfectant for the body and home." Indeed, what is old is relevant again. Storied apothecary Santa Maria Novella enters a new chapter with its first-ever eau de parfum. BY SAMANTHA BROOKS Luck of the Iris