Les Folies du Parfum

The story

Les Folies du Parfum was born in Verona from the idea of Valentina Tecchio and Raul Paronetto, partners in life and in work, after years of experience in niche perfumery. The first fragrance, 22.22, was presented to the public on 22.02.2022: a palindrome date chosen, the maison writes, to celebrate “our Muse”, Marchesa Luisa Casati Stampa. Since then the collection has had its home in the Maison 22 Parfum showroom, in Corso Porta Borsari, in the heart of Verona.

The manifesto is a single sentence: “Celebrate human madness.” The fragrances are “inspired by the private lives of illustrious, many-sided figures”, men and women who wanted to turn their own life into a work of art. The first is Luisa Casati herself, whom the maison calls the “first true female dandy”: she inspires 22.22, Korè and Palais Rose, named after the mansion on the outskirts of Paris where she held her receptions. Beside her stands Gabriele D'Annunzio, with the motto Memento Audere Semper and with his companion in arms Guido Keller, the aviator who in 1920 flew over Rome to drop a chamber pot on Montecitorio, the seat of Parliament. Then come Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen and his Villa Lysis in Capri, Giulia Tofana and her poison, the Countess of Castiglione with the secret code of her diary, Mata Hari.

The nose of the line is Bertrand Duchaufour, one of the best-known perfumers in artistic perfumery and formerly in-house perfumer at L'Artisan Parfumeur: among the fragrances you find here he signs 22.22, Keller, Korè and BX. The art direction is by Giovanni Castelli, from Bologna: after studying architecture and design and a career as a fashion designer, in 2002 he founded Acqua di Stresa and in 2011 he launched Blood Concept. The bottle is the same for the whole collection: fluted glass, a medallion cap and a plate bearing only the name of the perfume. The 22.22 bottle, in dark colours and with a magnetic cap, is handmade in Italy and comes in a wooden box.

At OUD Profumeria Artistica you will find ten fragrances from the Classic Collection, all in 100 ml and made in Italy: four Eau de Parfum and six Extrait de Parfum, with concentrations declared by the maison between 20% and 25%. The most voted by enthusiasts on Fragrantica and Parfumo are 22.22, BX and Acqua Tofana: the floral spicy scent where it all began, the powdery, vanilla-rich extrait dedicated to the Countess of Castiglione, the floral marine scent that bears the name of a poison. Three ways into a collection the maison sums up like this: “A luxury for restless, daring, mad souls.”

The fragrances

At OUD Profumeria Artistica you will find ten Les Folies du Parfum fragrances, all in the 100 ml bottle, and the 22.22 hand and body wash.

• Eau de Parfum: 22.22 (2022, the first fragrance, dedicated to Marchesa Casati: cardamom, mint, gardenia, tuberose, tobacco and vanilla, by Bertrand Duchaufour), Palais Rose (2022, the Marchesa's receptions in her mansion on the outskirts of Paris: rhubarb, lychee, pear, peony and ambergris), Acqua Tofana (2024, the poison of Giulia Tofana: lime, basil, orchid, marine accord and ambergris), Fersen (2024, Villa Lysis in Capri: bergamot, black pepper, salt, ginger and vanilla).
• Extrait de Parfum: Black Mandarin (2026, the legend of Mata Hari: candied mandarin, rose, saffron, myrrh, oud and suede), BX (2025, the secret diary of the Countess of Castiglione: hawthorn, violet, heliotrope, tonka bean and vanilla, by Bertrand Duchaufour), Keller (2025, the aviator Guido Keller: whiskey, saffron, cloves, oud and black amber, by Bertrand Duchaufour), Korè (2025, Marchesa Casati and D'Annunzio at the Vittoriale: incense, iris, leather, tobacco and ambergris, by Bertrand Duchaufour), Arabesian Mind (2025, the streets of the souks: lemon blossom, cedar, rosemary, saffron and oud), Memento Audere Semper (2025, D'Annunzio's motto: chocolate, saffron, rose, caramel and oud).
• For the body: 22.22 Hand and Body Wash, the 500 ml hand and body cleansing gel with bamboo and ginger extracts and the 22.22 fragrance.

OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised Les Folies du Parfum retailer, online and at the store in Nettuno (Rome).

Frequently asked questions

What kind of perfume is 22.22 by Les Folies du Parfum?
22.22 is the maison's first fragrance, presented on 22.02.2022 and dedicated to Marchesa Luisa Casati Stampa. It is a floral spicy Eau de Parfum signed by Bertrand Duchaufour: cardamom, bergamot and mint leaves in the opening, gardenia, tuberose and honeysuckle in the heart, tobacco, vanilla and musk in the base. The same fragrance also scents the hand and body gel 22.22 Hand and Body Wash.

Is 22.22 a perfume for women or for men?
It is a unisex perfume: the spicy freshness of mint and cardamom and the tobacco base make it perfect on him, the heart of gardenia and tuberose on her. Almost the whole collection is chosen by taste, not by gender; the only fragrance the maison presents as feminine is Palais Rose, which is just as good on him.

Which are the best loved Les Folies du Parfum perfumes?
The three we recommend to start with are 22.22, Black Mandarin and Palais Rose. 22.22 is the floral spicy scent where it all began, Black Mandarin the amber citrus extrait dedicated to Mata Hari, Palais Rose the floral fruity scent that tells of Marchesa Casati's parties. Among enthusiasts on Fragrantica and Parfumo, BX and Acqua Tofana are also highly voted.

What does Memento Audere Semper mean?
It is Latin and means remember to always dare: it is the famous motto of Gabriele D'Annunzio, which inspired the maison's Memento Audere Semper. The perfume is a spicy amber Extrait de Parfum with chocolate, cardamom and saffron in the opening, rose, cinnamon and caramel in the heart, amber, sandalwood and oud in the base.

Is Acqua Tofana really the name of a poison?
Yes: acqua tofana is the poison linked to the name of Giulia Tofana, which the maison recalls as “the poison created to arouse no suspicion”. Acqua Tofana takes its name and its mystery, not its danger: it is a floral marine Eau de Parfum with lime and basil, orchid and a marine accord, salt and ambergris.

Is it spelled Arabesian Mind or Arabian Mind?
The official name is Arabesian Mind: that is how it is written on the maison's website and on the bottle. Many people look for it as Arabian Mind, and it is the same perfume: a woody spicy Extrait de Parfum born, the maison says, in the streets of the souks, with lemon blossom, cedar, rosemary, saffron and oud.

What does BX mean?
It is a code from the secret diary of the Countess of Castiglione, who recorded her encounters in cipher: the maison quotes it like this, “BX for an almost total intimacy”. BX is the Extrait de Parfum born from it, signed by Bertrand Duchaufour: hawthorn and violet, heliotrope and tonka bean, vanilla, sandalwood and cedar.

Where can I buy Les Folies du Parfum perfumes?
OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised Les Folies du Parfum retailer: you will find the fragrances online and at our store in Nettuno, in the province of Rome. Shipping is free in Italy on orders over €60, and over €100 we add 10 complimentary samples.