A Bologna house back after sixty years
The Fabbrica di Profumi C. Casamorati was founded in Bologna in the 19th century. In 1888, at the Grande Esposizione Emiliana, Claudio Casamorati presented his perfumes to Queen Margherita of Savoy, who gave him a gold brooch. The house prospered until the early 20th century, when financial difficulties led to its closure. For more than sixty years its perfumes disappeared from the market; then in 2009 the Turin house Xerjoff acquired the rights and relaunched it, keeping the bottle and the double-C logo. Its stated aesthetic reference is Art Nouveau.
The fragrances in our catalog
The historic recipes
According to the house, some compositions have stayed close to the original recipes of more than a century ago. One is Fiore d'Ulivo, a fresh scent that pairs olive blossom with minty lemon and ambrette seeds and draws on the hills of the Mediterranean coast. Another is Mefisto, an aromatic that opens with lavender and bergamot, has a heart of rose and Florentine iris, and closes on sandalwood. Alongside it is Mefisto Gentiluomo, which the house presents as a cologne created in 1888 for traditional Italian barbershops, with their wooden floors and leather chairs, where beards and hair were groomed. Bouquet Ideale, on the other hand, is a modern reinterpretation built on surviving Casamorati samples: a warm floral with vanilla, cinnamon, labdanum and a cashmere accord that, according to the house, recalls the Mediterranean sun and breeze.
Opera, art and Italian landscapes
Then, according to the house, there are the compositions created after the relaunch, such as La Tosca, Dolce Amalfi and Casa Futura. La Tosca pays tribute to Puccini's opera and to Art Nouveau, with an opening of lemon and eucalyptus followed by violet and rose. Dolce Amalfi is inspired by the narrow streets of Amalfi and smells of lemon and quince. Casa Futura, finally, is dedicated to Futurism, the Italian art movement active between 1908 and 1944, fascinated by aviation, cinema and the dynamism of the modern age.
Stories of balls, palaces and seas
Other perfumes grow out of a story. Levar del Sole ("sunrise") is inspired by the phoenix, a symbol of renewal, and combines citrus and rose. The Palermo palace that hosted the great Sicilian families is the origin of Quattro Pizzi, which opens sweet and spicy with rum and davana. Gran Ballo takes its cue from 18th-century aristocratic balls. Regio is inspired by a sea voyage between breeze and storm, contrasting the warmth of ylang ylang with the freshness of bergamot.
The citrus scents
Among the citrus scents is Fiero, with a masculine character, which the house describes as virile and vigorous. It opens with minty bergamot and lemon, continues with neroli and has a retro touch of vetiver.
The gourmands and the spicy scents
Lira plays on caramel, citrus, lavender, cinnamon and licorice: sweet, with a fresh touch. Dama Bianca is built on vanilla, with kumquat peel, delicate flowers and iris. Italica starts from milky accords: Sicilian almonds, saffron, vanilla, toffee, then cedar, sandalwood and white musk. Finally there's 1888, named after a leap year, the year of the gramophone, which combines saffron, fresh pepper and carnation with ylang ylang and rose.
The hair perfumes
Bouquet Ideale, Gran Ballo and Lira also come as Hair Mist, in a 30 ml size. According to the house, the Bouquet Ideale hair perfume leaves hair soft, light and shiny and scents it with the notes of the eau de parfum of the same name. The Gran Ballo and Lira versions are described as sprays that add volume and shine and leave hair fragrant.
Frequently asked questions
Which Casamorati perfumes are floral?
The warm floral in the collection is Bouquet Ideale, with vanilla, cinnamon and labdanum. Then there's La Tosca, which follows an opening of lemon and eucalyptus with violet and rose, and Levar del Sole, which pairs rose with citrus. Finally, in 1888, carnation, ylang ylang and rose sit alongside saffron and pepper.
What is the connection between Casamorati and Xerjoff?
Casamorati is a 19th-century Bologna house that the Turin house Xerjoff relaunched in 2009, after acquiring its rights. Xerjoff kept the bottle and the double-C logo and revived some original recipes, such as Fiore d'Ulivo and Mefisto, alongside new compositions such as La Tosca and Dolce Amalfi.
Which Casamorati perfumes follow the original recipes?
According to the house, the fragrances closest to the recipes of more than a century ago are Fiore d'Ulivo and Mefisto. Bouquet Ideale is instead a modern reinterpretation of the surviving historic samples. Casa Futura, Dolce Amalfi and La Tosca, finally, are recent creations that combine period inspiration with contemporary techniques.
What does Casamorati Lira smell like?
Lira is a citrus gourmand, with caramel, citrus notes, lavender, cinnamon and licorice. The house describes it as a femme fatale, meaning a sweet perfume with a bold impact. Besides the eau de parfum, it also comes as a Hair Mist, the house's hair perfume.
What's the difference between Dama Bianca and Italica?
Dama Bianca is built on vanilla, with hand-cut kumquat peel, delicate flowers and Italian iris. Italica, on the other hand, has a milky opening of Sicilian almonds and saffron, continues with vanilla and toffee, and closes on sandalwood. Both are eaux de parfum.
What's the difference between Mefisto and Mefisto Gentiluomo?
Mefisto is one of the house's historic recipes, an aromatic that opens with lavender and bergamot, has a heart of rose and Florentine iris, and closes on sandalwood. Mefisto Gentiluomo, instead, is presented as a cologne created in 1888 for Italian barbershops. Both are eaux de parfum.
Which Casamorati perfumes are meant for men?
The two fragrances the house associates with a masculine imagery are Mefisto Gentiluomo and Fiero. The first was created for 19th-century Italian barbershops, while Fiero is described as virile and vigorous, with minty bergamot, lemon, neroli and a touch of vetiver.
Does Casamorati make hair perfumes?
Yes, Casamorati offers a Hair Mist in Bouquet Ideale, Gran Ballo and Lira, in a 30 ml size. For Bouquet Ideale the house points to a conditioning effect that leaves hair soft, light and shiny, while Gran Ballo and Lira are described as sprays that add volume and shine.
