Fragrance house

Proraso

Proraso traces its origins to Ludovico Martelli’s cosmetics company, founded in Florence in 1908. In 1948, Piero Martelli created Proraso’s pre-shave cream in Florence; barbers adopted it, and it became the foundation of the brand’s shaving identity. Proraso later developed into a complete shaving and beard-care system for professional barbers and home users, while retaining a family-linked identity across four generations. Its enduring identity is rooted in traditional barbering, professional-quality shaving, and the continuation of Italian shaving rituals. In June 2021, Nuo Capital’s stake in Ludovico Martelli became part of Nuo, a 50/50 joint venture between Exor and the Pao family’s World Wide Investment Company; the Martelli family remained the operating company’s controlling shareholder.