Fragrance house

Spezierie Palazzo Vecchio

Spezierie Palazzo Vecchio was founded in Florence in 1989 by Giovanni Di Massimo, a pharmacist and herbalist, and opened its first laboratory and herbalist shop in the city’s historic centre the following year. The house grew from Di Massimo’s work in pharmacy, herbalism, plant research and phytotherapy, joining pharmaceutical tradition with botanical and fragrance culture. Today, it is an independent, second-generation family-owned Florence boutique focused on niche perfumery, artisanal cosmetics and personalised wellness consulting. Its identity is rooted in Florentine Renaissance perfumery and references Caterina de’ Medici, the name of the company’s first fragrance. Vaniglia del Madagascar, available when the herbalist shop opened on 8 December 1990, is described as an early gourmand novelty in niche perfumery and the brand’s best-selling fragrance worldwide. From 2015, Francesca Di Massimo represented the second generation, bringing an emphasis on innovation and sustainability alongside Florentine tradition. In 2019, the creative process incorporated art, culture and emotional storytelling; in 2023, the brand opened a new olfactory laboratory for sensory experience, training and experimentation.