Officina di Santa Maria Novella

Officina di Santa Maria Novella, formally known as the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, is a Florentine fragrance, cosmetics, personal-care, and herbal-products company whose institutional history is linked to the Dominican convent of Santa Maria Novella. The brand is based in the former convent complex at Via della Scala 16 in Florence, where its historic sales rooms, apothecary furnishings, scientific instruments, and botanical heritage remain central to its identity. Its origins are conventionally traced to 1221, when Dominican friars established their community in Florence and cultivated medicinal plants for religious and charitable use. The friars prepared distilled waters, ointments, balsams, essences, and other remedies from the convent’s botanical resources. Documentation records the sale of rose water by the Dominicans in 1381, while a small convent pharmacy is attested in 1508. In 1542, the activity had an autonomous administrative structure, marking an important transition from an internal religious service to an organized commercial operation. The year 1612 is traditionally regarded as the public opening of the Officina. During the seventeenth century it became known beyond Florence and received the title Fonderia di Sua Altezza Reale from Grand Duke Ferdinand II de’ Medici in 1659. Its preparations were exported as far as India and China during the eighteenth century. The business developed from a monastic apothecary into a broader producer and retailer of fragrances, medicinal and herbal preparations, cosmetics, and personal-care goods. The company’s heritage is expressed through long-established preparations and distinctive historic spaces. Acqua della Regina, also called Acqua di Santa Maria Novella, is traditionally associated with the sixteenth century and Catherine de’ Medici. Rose water, potpourri, herbal preparations, soaps, body products, and fragrances connect the contemporary assortment with the Officina’s botanical and pharmaceutical traditions. The brand also sells products for interiors, extending its fragrance expertise beyond personal use. During the nineteenth century, major restructuring created much of the current architectural arrangement. The historic complex passed to the Italian state in 1866, was assigned to Cesare Augusto Stefani for management in 1867, and became the property of the Municipality of Florence in 1871. Between 1847 and 1852, architect Enrico Romoli reorganized the premises and created the monumental Via della Scala entrance. The Grand Sales Hall, Green Room, Ancient Apothecary, Sacristy, cellars, distillery, and botanical areas together form a significant part of the brand experience. During the twentieth century, the Officina progressively adopted a corporate production structure while preserving traditional recipes, presentation, and retail rituals. Some manufacturing activity moved away from the historic site, which continued to serve as a representative store and identity center. From the second half of the century, the company expanded through international distribution and mono-brand stores in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. The Officina entered the Italmobiliare group in 2020, and Italmobiliare acquired the entirety of its capital in 2021. In the following years, the company continued developing its international retail and distribution network, reaching more than 400 points of sale in over 30 countries according to the supplied reference material. In July 2025, Ludivine Pont, previously Chief Marketing Officer at Balenciaga, was appointed chief executive officer. The brand’s current positioning combines luxury, Florentine cultural heritage, botanical tradition, historic architecture, and selective international distribution.

The history of Officina di Santa Maria Novella begins with the Dominican settlement at Santa Maria Novella in Florence in 1221. The friars cultivated medicinal plants and prepared remedies for members of the religious community and for the sick. Rose water was being sold by the Dominicans by 1381, reportedly for disinfecting purposes during epidemics. The convent’s gardens supplied botanical material for distillation and the preparation of essences, elixirs, ointments, and balsams. A convent pharmacy is documented in 1508, and an autonomous administrative organization was recorded in 1542 through an income-and-expense book. The traditional date of the public opening is 1612. At that time the operation was associated with the lay apothecary Simone Marchi and the Dominican friar Angiolo Marchissi. Under Marchissi’s direction, the institution gained wider recognition and in 1659 received the grand-ducal title Fonderia di Sua Altezza Reale. By the eighteenth century, its products circulated internationally, including in India and China. The nineteenth century brought institutional and architectural change. Under Fra’ Damiano Beni, the premises were reorganized and expanded. Architect Enrico Romoli’s work between 1847 and 1852 established much of the present arrangement, including the monumental entrance on Via della Scala. The property passed to the state in 1866, was entrusted to Cesare Augusto Stefani in 1867, and became municipal property in 1871. The historic complex contains rooms with different religious, commercial, and manufacturing functions. The Grand Sales Hall was formerly a chapel and was converted into a customer-facing sales space during the nineteenth-century expansion. The Green Room previously housed distillation equipment and later served as a reception room. The Ancient Apothecary was the principal sales room from 1612 to 1848. The Sacristy was used for storing distilled waters and retains medieval frescoes, while cellars, a distillery, and botanical areas preserve links to the production tradition. In the twentieth century, the Officina became increasingly corporate and expanded beyond Florence. Production was progressively organized on a larger scale, and some manufacturing moved outside the historic premises. The original site remained the company’s symbolic and commercial center. International growth accelerated from the second half of the century through selective distribution and mono-brand stores in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. The company joined the Italmobiliare group in 2020, followed by the acquisition of all its capital in 2021. It subsequently expanded its international distribution network. In 2025, Ludivine Pont became CEO. The modern company continues to operate in perfumery, cosmetics, herbal products, personal care, and interior fragrance while presenting its products through the visual language and architectural setting of a historic Florentine apothecary.

1. 2025Ludivine Pont appointed CEO

   Ludivine Pont became chief executive officer in July.

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2. 2021Full acquisition by Italmobiliare

   Italmobiliare acquired the entirety of the company’s capital.

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3. 2020Italmobiliare investment

   The company became part of the Italmobiliare group.

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4. 2012Four-hundredth anniversary restoration and Italian stamp appearance

   The historic premises were restored, and the Officina appeared in an Italian postage-stamp series dedicated to Made in Italy.

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5. 1871Municipal ownership established

   The property became owned by the Municipality of Florence.

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6. 1866Complex passes to the state

   The historic complex became state property.

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7. 1659Grand-ducal title granted

   Grand Duke Ferdinand II de’ Medici granted the institution the title Fonderia di Sua Altezza Reale.

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8. 1612Traditional public opening date

   The Officina is traditionally considered to have opened its pharmacy to the public.

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9. 1542Autonomous administration recorded

   An income-and-expense book documents the pharmacy’s independent administrative organization.

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10. 1508Convent pharmacy documented

    Historical records attest to a small pharmacy operating within the convent.

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11. Dominican convent established at Santa Maria Novella

    The Dominican settlement provides the institutional and botanical origin of the later apothecary.

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12. Rose water documented

    The Dominicans are recorded as selling rose water, including for disinfecting use.

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Luxury heritage fragrance and personal-care brand rooted in Florentine apothecary, Dominican botanical, and artisanal traditions.

• Acqua della ReginaFragrance1533

  The Officina’s oldest fragrance, traditionally associated with 1533 and with Catherine de’ Medici’s marriage to Henry of Valois. It is also known as Acqua di Santa Maria Novella and represents the brand’s connection to Renaissance Florence and historic perfumery.

• PotpourriHome fragrance

  A signature botanical home-fragrance product associated with the Officina’s use of dried plant material, aromatic herbs, and traditional preparation methods. It expresses the brand’s apothecary heritage in a format intended to scent domestic interiors.

• Rose waterHerbal and personal care

  A historically documented preparation sold by the Dominican apothecary by 1381. Rose water illustrates the continuity between the convent’s medicinal and botanical practices and the contemporary product tradition.

• Soaps and body carePersonal care

  The brand’s personal-care assortment extends its traditional formulation language into soaps and body products, combining fragrance, botanical references, and the restrained presentation associated with the Florentine apothecary.

• Skincare and cosmeticsSkincare

  Contemporary skincare and cosmetic preparations form part of the company’s broader transition from pharmacy to luxury beauty brand. These products sit alongside fragrances and herbal goods within the Officina’s selective retail assortment.

• 2021Complete acquisition by ItalmobiliareM&A

  Italmobiliare’s earlier investment culminated in full ownership of the company.

  What changed. Italmobiliare acquired the entirety of the company’s capital.

  Aftermath. The company continued expanding its retail and distribution network internationally.

  Source
• 2020Join the Italmobiliare groupM&A

  The historic Florentine company sought to develop its international business while retaining its heritage positioning.

  What changed. Italmobiliare acquired an investment in the company.

  Aftermath. The transaction was followed by Italmobiliare’s acquisition of the entire capital in 2021 and continued international distribution expansion.

  Source

• 2025Ludivine Pont appointed chief executive officer

  Ludivine Pont, formerly Chief Marketing Officer at Balenciaga, was appointed CEO in July 2025.

  Leadership change
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• 2021Italmobiliare acquires the entire capital of Santa Maria Novella

  The investment group completed its acquisition of the company’s full capital.

  M&A
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• 2020Italmobiliare acquires a stake in Santa Maria Novella

  Italmobiliare became involved with the historic Florentine fragrance and cosmetics company.

  M&A
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• 2020Santa Maria Novella becomes part of Italmobiliare

  The company entered the Italmobiliare group in 2020; the group later acquired the entirety of its capital in 2021.

  M&A
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• 2012Santa Maria Novella premises restored for the four-hundredth anniversary

  The historic Via della Scala rooms underwent restoration connected with the four-hundredth anniversary of the traditional 1612 public opening.

  Other
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• 2012400th anniversary of the public opening

  The brand commemorated the four-hundredth anniversary associated with its public opening in 1612, including restoration work at the historic Via della Scala premises and inclusion in an Italian Made in Italy postage-stamp series.

  Other
  Source

1. Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
2. Official Santa Maria Novella website