Fragrance house

Borsari 1870

Borsari 1870 traces its foundation to 1870, when Lodovico Borsari began producing perfume in Parma. Its foundational fragrance identity is tied to Violetta di Parma, a violet perfume inspired by Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma and second wife of Napoleon I. In 1870, the violet essence recipe was obtained from friars, reformulated as Violetta di Parma, and produced on a larger scale for a wider audience. Lodovico Borsari established an industrial enterprise in 1897. The company expanded its fragrance range and became associated with Bormioli glass containers and packaging influenced by Liberty, Art Déco, and twentieth-century design. In 1900, it split into Borsari & Figli di Ludovico Borsari and Borsari & Co.; Borsari & Figli closed in 1970, while Borsari & Co. later merged with La Ducale and Trionfale to form Profumi di Parma. Violetta di Parma is Borsari’s clearest fragrance legacy: it is described as the company’s first and most popular fragrance and as its signature industrial-era perfume. Production stopped around December 2014, and Jewel’s Joy relaunched its own version at the end of 2015. A U.S. trademark filing entered on June 4, 2024 identifies MICYS COMPANY S.P.A. as the owner of the BORSARI mark for perfumery and cosmetics.