Acqua di Parma has unveiled its new holiday collection, created by India Mahdavi.
The French-Iranian architect and designer (named Wallpaper’s Designer of the Year in 2023) is renowned for her expressive use of vivid colour, which spans furniture, interiors and hospitality.
India Mahdavi designs Acqua di Parma’s 2024 holiday collection using colourful Murano glass
In 2022, Mahdavi refreshed her work for Sketch London’s Gallery, transforming the pastel pink decor with a wash of warm yellow to mark the viral restaurant’s 20th anniversary.
Of course, Acqua di Parma does not shy away from colour either. The storied fragrance company’s own shade of yellow – referencing the ochre façades of Parma’s buildings – is instantly recognisable. Recent projects celebrating this signature shade include the Acqua di Parma Yellow Cafe in Seoul and the ceramic ‘Chapeau!’ candle, both by Dorothée Meilichzon.
For the 2024 holiday collection, Mahdavi has expanded Acqua di Parma’s palette, and reinterprets codes of Italian architecture through a set of patterned, limited-edition Murano glass fragrance bottles.
‘There is a parme colour, a lilac shade which I reimagined in my own way, which also nods to the brand’s name,’ Mahdavi tells Wallpaper*. ‘Amber and yellow both capture the brand’s identity and Italy’s vibrant sun. Tartan, dots and stripe patterns evoke the origins of Acqua di Parma, which began as a tailor’s perfumery in 1916. I drew inspiration from some of the traditional geometric patterns found in the suit flannels. Geometric patterns are also part of my grammar.’
There are 12 bottles in total, all crafted by Salviate, a Venitian glassblowing furnace dating back to 1859. ‘Acqua di Parma has a longstanding tradition of working hand in hand with Italian craft for their holiday season,’ says Mahdavi. ‘Salviati is one of the best glassblowers in Murano with a rich heritage. [The Acqua di Parma holiday collection] is the encounter of two famous Italian houses that meet through my vision.’
The range also expands to home fragrances and decor, with 25 individually numbered vases and a set of three glass baubles, plus glass jars for candles and diffusers. The latter features coloured stripes, which correspond to three exclusive holiday scents: yellow for ‘Panettone’, amber for ‘Caminetto’ and green for ‘Bosco’.
‘A collaboration is always two worlds in dialogue, a conversation between two identities,’ concludes Mahdavi. ‘Acqua di Parma is perceived as a timeless Italian brand, and I was interested to see if I could take it on an artistically crafted journey, working with the best master blowers from Murano.’
