Santa Maria Novella is one of the oldest and most respected beauty houses in the world, with a history dating back to the 13th century. Located in Florence, Italy, the historic ‘apothecary’ is renowned for its exceptional quality and craftsmanship in producing a wide range of fragrances, skincare, home scents and herbal remedies. The company represents a fascinating fusion of centuries-old traditions with modern innovation and scientific advancements, earning it a prestigious reputation among connoisseurs of beauty, health and wellbeing.
Today, the apothecary still sells their iconic products, as well as fragrances, candles, skincare and other luxury goods, which serve as a testament to their enduring commitment to quality and excellence.
An extraordinary history
The Santa Maria Novella Apothecary was founded in Florence, Italy, in the early 13th century by Dominican friars, on land gifted by the Italian government. Initially, the apothecary was a small workshop within the monastery, where the monks would produce balms, salves and medicinal herbs to treat sick and infirm members of their community.
Over time, the apothecary’s reputation for creating high-quality remedies grew rapidly. They began to receive requests and orders from Europe’s aristocracy and most esteemed families. It was during this period that their formulations became more refined and luxury-oriented, catering to the tastes of the elite clientele.
The apothecary gained international fame thanks to the visits of famous historical figures, such as Caterina de’ Medici, Queen of France from 1547 to 1559, who is said to have commissioned a signature fragrance to commemorate her engagement to Henry II. The scent, Acqua della Regina (which translates to ‘the Queen’s water’), is still in production today.
In 1612, the monks officially opened the apothecary to the public, giving rise to the ‘Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella’ (Perfume and Pharmaceutical Workshop of Santa Maria Novella), as it is known today.
A part of Florence’s cultural heritage
The original chapel used by the friars is now the museum and main Santa Maria Novella store in Florence. It looks more like the Sistine Chapel than the neighbourhood church. It is covered in paintings and frescos painted by famous Florentine artist Mariotto di Nardo di Cione (fl. 1388–1424). Many thousands of people visit this store each year to see the chapel itself and all its artistry as well as to purchase from the comprehensive range of Santa Maria Novella products.
The Santa Maria Novella apothecary is not just a commercial establishment but a symbol of the historical union between art, science and religion in Florence.
The legacy continues
The Dominican monks who first ran the apothecary were experts in botany and chemistry, and their innovative methods earned them recognition as pioneers in the field of herbal medicine. And this rich academic tradition continues.
The recipes and techniques used by Santa Maria Novella have been passed down through generations, ensuring the preservation of centuries-old knowledge. The apothecary’s legacy is present in every product, offering customers an authentic experience and a little slice of history with each product,
All of the products are made from natural ingredients sourced from all over Europe. Much research goes into every product before it hits the counters. Ideally, the formulators try to work with ingredients which have stood the test of time to preserve their links with the past as well as using the latest technologies for their development.
To herald the introduction of a new and unique range of fragrances called I Giordini Medicei, the CEO of Santa Maria Novella recently visited Australia, along with his marketing team. Gian Luca Perris is not just the CEO; he is also a master perfumer and very involved with the development of this fragrance range.
The range consists of four distinctly different but equally dazzling fragrances containing ingredients available in the Medici era – L’Iris, Bizzaria, Gelsomino and Magnolia.
L’Iris is a vibrant Floral, with top notes of galbanum, timur pepper and neroli, middle notes of geranium, magnolia champaca and sambac jasmine, and a base of musk, ambergris and, above, all the iris fiorentina concrete. This unique iris butter is an incredibly precious raw material, obtained after 6 years of decantation from the rhizomes of iris flowers cultivated on the Florentine hills.
Bizzaria’s main accord stems from, befitting its name, the bizzarria citrus tree. First discovered in the Medicean gardens in 1644, it has characteristics of bitter orange, lemon and etrog. When mixed with middle note of orange blossom and ginger and base notes of musk and cedarwood, the scent is truly captivating.
Gelsomino’s olfactory family is floral jasmine, featuring Goa jasmine originating in Persia, where it was used to make scented oil. A beautifully delicate, sweet and lush scent, it is combined with ylang-ylang and geranium and may very well become your new signature scent. It smells as natural as if you were wearing a garland of jasmine flowers.
Floral, fruit and ambery, Magnolia opens with white rose and geranium, a heart of magnolia and sambac jasmine, and base notes of amber and musk give the final burst to this inebriating perfume. This unisex floral pays homage to the Magnolia Grandiflora, an evergreen tree with roots dating back to prehistoric times.
The new I Giordini Medicei collection of perfumes are housed in beautiful hand-painted boxes with the main ingredient hand-painted inside the box. The bottles are the finest glass with the Santa Maria Novella emblem carved on the top.
When Gian is in Florence and not travelling to source new ingredients and meet customers from all around the world, his office is above the chapel. While the global presence of Santa Maria Novella continues to expand, the brand stays true to its roots and long-standing tradition of offering quality products, crafted with natural ingredients and centuries-old recipes, to discerning customers around the world.
Discover more at https://au.smnovella.com/ or do yourself a favour and experience the Santa Maria Novella grandeur in person, with apothecary-style stores at the Strand Arcade in Sydney and the Royal Arcade in Melbourne.
