Acqua di Parma looks to its heritage and reinterprets the traditional technique of Spugnatura for a new limited edition fragrance, Arancia la Spugnatura. Highly technical and practised by only a few artisans in Italy, Spugnatura has traditionally been employed to obtain the rare essence from bergamot fruit. Here, however, Acqua di Parma uses the ancient method on a new fruit, the Arancia Vaniglia — whose name speaks to the bittersweet citrus-vanilla combination that the scent embodies.
This fragrance shows Acqua di Parma’s commitment to upholding traditional techniques that are in danger of becoming extinct. Sponging is an entirely manual, precise, and detailed process, where the orange rinds are pressed onto sea sponges — which are then squeezed to release the essential oil into a terracotta container, collecting the elixir. The multi-step, delicate technique results in limited waste, utilising parts of the fruit that are typically discarded, as well as a limited quantity of the product.
Arancia la Spugnatura evokes Italian sunshine, joy, and a soft freshness all its own. Citrus, yellow mandarin, almond, and black pepper compliment the key Arancia Vaniglia note to create an intriguing bittersweet olfactory experience. In a beautiful blue Art Déco porcelain bottle, adorned with motifs of the citrus notes, the fragrance shines.
