LONDON — Florentine fragrance company Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, otherwise often known as Santa Maria Novella, has partnered with Harrods on its first department store partnership.

The brand operates two London stores, one in Piccadilly Arcade and one other on Walton Street.

“Harrods is certainly one of the leading luxury malls on the earth. It’s a milestone for Santa Maria Novella to enter this space, to bolster the retail presence in London and increase our brand awareness throughout the London customers and all international clients visiting Harrods,” said Gian Luca Perris, chief executive officer of the 800-year-old brand.

“Harrods is a logo in London, just as Santa Maria Novella is a logo of Florence and Florentine savoir-faire. People entering Harrods know they will find essentially the most premium and best brands, and Santa Maria Novella is a must on this discovery,” he added.

The Italian brand will occupy an area on the bottom floor of Harrods, where the shop’s beauty departments are situated, with its signature Florentine interiors of wood and marbles. 

Luca Perris said the space was inspired by Santa Maria Novella’s flagship museum in Via della Scala in Florence, where the brand was founded in 1221 by Dominican friars.

The brand offers greater than 600 different products including skincare, soaps, pomades, colognes, candles, ambient fragrances and liqueurs, all delivered in its signature, old-school packaging.

“We’re amid a worldwide expansion: wherever we go, we meet with clients that love Santa Maria Novella, as a brand and for our premium products,” Luca Perris said.

In January 2020, Italian investment company Italmobiliare acquired a 20 percent stake within the business, followed by an investment of 120 million euros to accumulate a further 60 percent holding, becoming the brand’s majority investor after which taking full control in October 2021.

Santa Maria Novella employs greater than 100 people and sells high-end products in 300 stores on the earth.

In 2019, Santa Maria Novella registered a consolidated pro-forma turnover of greater than 31 million euros with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of around 13 million euros.

Santa Maria Novella was Italmobiliare’s first investment within the perfume and cosmetics industry. 

In 2016, Italmobiliare acquired the Clessidra Sgr SpA private equity fund for roughly 20 million euros, while the next 12 months it finalized the acquisition of a 40 percent stake in outdoor footwear and ski equipment specialist Tecnica Group for 60 million euros.

Founded in 1960 by the Zanatta family, the latter controls a variety of specialised labels, including Nordica, Moon Boot, Lowa, Blizzard and Rollerblade.

Italmobiliare has invested greater than 400 million euros in Made in Italy brands, enriching its portfolio that currently rep resents an aggregate turnover of around 1.6 billion euros.