The holiday Antelao collection is a celebration of Italian luxury, bringing the grandeur of the Dolomites to life through perfume, design, and artisanal techniques. The iconic fragrance house Acqua di Parma partnered with Milan-based designer Cristina Celestino to create limited-edition pieces inspired by Mount Antelao, the second-highest peak in the Dolomites and the “King of the Dolomites.” This exclusive range transforms Alpine heritage into objects that belong equally on your mantelpiece and your vanity, blending century-old craftsmanship with a contemporary vision.
This collaboration comes at a time when luxury consumers are seeking meaning behind their purchases. Instead of releasing just another seasonal collection, Acqua di Parma and Celestino have built an entire narrative around the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its geological significance and breathtaking natural beauty. Standing at 3,264 meters above sea level, Mount Antelao represents serenity, majesty, and the enduring spirit of Italian artisanship. These qualities are evident in the collection’s pieces, which honor traditional Alpine decorative techniques through a modern lens.
The creative vision behind the Antelao collection
Cristina Celestino founded her Milan studio in 2013 after graduating from the IUAV University of Venice. She approaches design with both playfulness and intellectual rigor. Her portfolio includes collaborations with Fendi, Moooi, Maison Matisse, and Fornace Brioni. These projects have earned her recognition from AD100 and the title of Designer of the Year from Maison & Objet in 2022. For this project, Celestino revisited traditional Alpine decorative methods, such as hammering and brushed finishes, which were historically used on wood and metal, and applied them to ceramic surfaces. The result is fresh yet rooted, familiar yet unexpected.
Celestino drew inspiration from the stube, the traditional Alpine living room made of wood, reimagining it with ceramic elements. This choice creates a visual and tactile experience that honors Italian craftsmanship while pushing boundaries. The chalet becomes the emotional center of the Antelao collection, representing warmth, togetherness, and the holiday spirit. Celestino personally signs each masterpiece in the range, underscoring the artisanal nature of these limited offerings.
The Masterpieces collection
The Antelao Masterpieces are the crown jewels of the collection. The refillable porcelain perfume bottles come in five colors that reference the mountain landscape: Blu Fedaia, Verde Cembro, Rosso Tovel, Giallo Cima, and Bianco Dolomia. Their hammered textures and stained wood caps pay tribute to Alpine woodworking and metalworking traditions. Priced at 500 euros each, these bottles transcend their functional purpose to become sculptural objects.
The candle and diffuser collection introduces three seasonal scents. Torrone captures the comfort of winter with notes of roasted pistachio, sesame, and soft nougat. Bosco evokes Alpine forests with its blend of fir, eucalyptus, and clove. Panettone honors the famous Milanese dessert with notes of luminous citrus and warm vanilla. The candles are housed in brushed-effect porcelain containers adorned with hand-applied pennellato motifs and have engraved wooden lids that double as stands. The candles retail for 450 euros for 500 grams, and the diffusers cost 500 euros for 500 milliliters. The diffusers themselves are shaped like Alpine bells and combine hammered porcelain with artisanal blown glass.
Art of living creations
The Antelao collection extends beyond fragrance to include lifestyle objects that showcase exceptional Italian craftsmanship. The Alpine Holiday Advent Calendar transforms Acqua di Parma’s signature hatbox into a collectible piece. Handmade in Italy, it features white bouclé fabric and a calfskin leather interior. Exclusive gifts are revealed behind camel leather flaps and natural canvas compartments, which are accented with signature yellow stitching and hot-embossed details. This calendar retails for 510 euros.
The Alpine Holiday Chess Set reimagines the timeless game through Italian woodworking artistry. The board is made of Canaletto walnut and cherry wood and conceals a lined storage box containing 32 hand-carved pieces. Some pieces are lacquered in Acqua di Parma’s emblematic yellow, while others showcase natural cherry and pear wood. Marquetry, CNC-machined interior finishes, and perfume vials hidden inside the queen, king, and bishop elevate every match to a luxurious experience.
Three new editions of the sculptural Chapeau! candle have arrived for the season: Buongiorno Gstaad, Buongiorno Courchevel, and Buongiorno Cortina transport wearers to three legendary Alpine destinations with their unique scents. Representing different facets of winter, these candles feature scents ranging from glacial wormwood and pine needles to smoky vetiver and creamy woods. Each candle is priced at 750 euros and reinterprets Acqua di Parma’s Art Deco bottle silhouette as a two-in-one creation topped with a ceramic, hat-inspired lid in vibrant colors.
The Holiday 2025 range
The Antelao collection includes an Advent calendar that transforms the countdown to the holidays into a daily sensory journey. Gift and exclusive sets celebrate the house’s most beloved collections, including Colonia’s timeless sophistication, Blu Mediterraneo’s luminous energy, and Signatures of the Sun’s artistic elegance. Seasonal candles and diffusers complete the collection.
The design language of these pieces reflects Cristina Celestino’s aesthetic universe with graphic patterns, hammered effects, crackled surfaces, brushed gold finishes, and her distinctive signature adorning every box. The Colonia Gift Set retails for 170 euros, and the Buongiorno Gift Set retails for 160 euros. Hand and body ritual sets for Mirto di Panarea and Colonia are priced at €126. Smaller offerings include the Blu Mediterraneo Mini Fruttini Citrus Soaps gift box for 95 euros, the Surprise Pouch for 82 euros, and miniature sets for 116 euros.
Follow all the latest news from Fashionotography on Flipboard, or receive it directly in your inbox with Feeder.
You might also read
Acqua di Parma’s heritage
Acqua di Parma was founded in 1916 by Baron Carlo Magnani. It began with Colonia, a fragrance created for his personal use and a select circle of friends. This original composition was a departure from the heavy perfumes of that era, offering a light, refreshing alternative built around natural Italian citrus. Colonia became synonymous with Italian style and was distributed through tailor shops, where gentlemen would spritz their pocket squares with the scent as a finishing touch.
The brand entered a golden age during the 1930s and 1950s, gaining popularity among high society and celebrity clientele. After a period of dormancy, Acqua di Parma was revived in 1993 by Luca di Montezemolo (former chairman of Ferrari), Diego Della Valle (president and CEO of Tod’s), and Paolo Borgomanero (minority shareholder of La Perla). LVMH acquired the company in 2001, and Acqua di Parma now operates from its Milan headquarters.
Acqua di Parma currently has boutiques in Milan on Via del Gesù, in Paris on Rue des Francs Bourgeois, in Rome on Piazza di Spagna, and in Miami at Brickell City Centre. The brand also operates luxury spas in Porto Cervo, Sardinia and at the Gritti Palace in Venice. All products are exclusively made in Italy and distributed across 43 countries.
Cristina Celestino’s design philosophy
Celestino was born in Pordenone in 1980. She graduated from the School of Architecture at IUAV University of Venice in 2005 and then worked with prestigious design studios. In 2009, she moved to Milan and founded her furniture brand, Attico Design, before opening her own studio in 2013. Her work spans residential, hospitality, and commercial interior architecture, creative direction, and product design.
She has earned international recognition through numerous awards, including the Special Jury Prize at the Salone del Mobile.Milano Awards in 2016 and multiple Elle Decor International Design Awards in 2017, 2019, and 2020. Publications such as Elle Decor, Wallpaper, and AD have celebrated her work. AD included her in its AD100 roster. Celestino’s design approach combines historical references with a contemporary vision. She explores materiality, geometry, and scale through a rigorous yet playful investigation.
Her curiosity and analytical thinking produce objects and spaces that resonate with emotional and tactile clarity. Her versatile and profound portfolio ranges from the “Happy Room” collection for Fendi at Design Miami/ 2016 to wall coverings for Bottega Veneta and ceramics for Fornace Brioni. Celestino lives and works in Milan, where she continues to push the boundaries between architecture, design, and creative direction.
The partnership between Acqua di Parma and Cristina Celestino honors Italian heritage while embracing contemporary expression. Traditional Alpine techniques are given new life through modern applications, resulting in pieces that appeal to collectors who appreciate history and innovation. The collection invites you into a world where fragrance, design, and craft converge and holiday traditions gain fresh relevance through thoughtful reinterpretation.
