Within the myriad world of Perfume there exists those rare places and experiences that enfold us, mark us and leave their traces indelibly written on our lives. So it was, last September, in Firenze.

I have visited Florence every year for the past 10 years for various reasons, my personal and professional interests in History, Architecture, Art, the Renaissance and of course, Perfume and to attend Pitti Fragranze, the annual Perfume fair held in Florence. It is a second home, I know this beautiful city inside out, her many facets and whispered secrets, held close in narrow passageways and stones that breathe time. So, it was a delightful surprise to me to be able to experience something exceedingly unique within these familiar streets. Stealing oneself to forge a path over the river, leaving the swathes of tourists to their well-trod haunt, one crosses into the Oltrarno, the other side of the city, it's here where one can discover a glimpse of a living, vibrant Florence inhabited by locals who have centuries of Florentine influence running in their veins, the ones who live in this city, day by day and still create her inimitable culture. Away from the tourist guide hotspots, we find interesting boutiques and cosy eating places. As the world of artistry within Perfumery grows some are broadening this creativity to embrace a new experience, one in which all our senses can be attuned.

Casa Profumoir and the Profumoir are projects that developed from the friendship and shared visions of Daniele Cavalli, an aesthete and polymath whose passions and vision within the worlds of creative endeavor, fashion, and art encompass a love of beauty, noble raw materials, imagination and alchemical references. His lifelong immersion and, as the son of Roberto Cavalli within the fashion and design realms, led him to this point of convergence with the Master Perfumer Sileno Cheloni whose work embraces the depth of the unseen, mystical reference and a dedication to the creation of perfumes that elevate and transport, crafted with the highest quality materials. I first met Sileno when he was the Master Perfumer for the Florentine based house, Aquaflor. My friendship with the then Artistic Director - Antonio Artese - opened the doors for me to explore Sileno’s world and I was therefore more than delighted when Sileno opened his own boutique and atelier over the Arno on the Via St Niccolo, which has now developed into the Profumoir Olfactory Library and the Casa Profumoir, two parts of the same whole that offer the curious and devoted visitor an unapparelled experience, stepping between the pleats of daily life and unfurling into a liberated enclave. A return to the culture of Perfume creation in this city, not to pander to the taste of mass tourism but to mark a tightening again of the ancestral thread, to revive something precious in this most ‘golden’ of cities.

There are many aspects to Profumoir, many experiences to delve into. My stay began at the Casa Profumoir, more than a place to stay: it is an immersive cocooning, every detail crafted to elevate the senses and recalibrate us to beauty, a place of nourishment and experiential focus. It carries within its walls a ritualistic reverence for the Art of Perfumery.

A simple, ancient wooden door, a discrete entrance into a dimly lit passageway, possessing that atmosphere of arriving, traversing from the ordinary (in Florentine terms) to the extraordinary, this is the chance to deeply exhale after surviving the masses of tourists and busy perfume fairs.The team at the Profumoir were wonderful hosts, escorting me around the house that was to be entirely mine for a day and a night. The way through the passage leads firstly to an interior courtyard where I am greeted by the sound of water and the scent of earthy greenery, resplendent with seating that invites lounging at leisure akin to times past where the interior gardens lent relief from crowded and unpleasant Renaissance streets.

Everything about the Casa interior speaks of elegant, richly embedded cultural attention, notable Florentine artisans were commissioned to add the finest details in the tradition of fabrics, marble and glass design the opulent antique brass bed, a marvel and delight to sleep in, every aspect of the house intimacy has been taken care of, it really is a sumptuous yet discrete hideaway. Each room is a new pleasure, a hedonistic voyage of utmost taste. Timeless atmosphere that shrouds me in a familiar comfort, objects that carry a presence; living within this space becomes a ritual in itself.

I am completely encapsulated as the several rooms of this Renaissance property stretch back to a large outdoor dining terrace and the garden beyond, which is private and inviting. Flowers and fragrant plants are matched in wonderful profusion with various seating areas that beg me to linger, intimate spaces for dining, a veritable oasis of verdure and perfume. One finds it hard to imagine we are in the midst of a city as the high walls and planting make for the impression that you are situated in the countryside far from the crowds, the only noise, birds and at the end the Casa’s very own alchemical extraction laboratory for this is a place imbedded through with Perfume at every turn.

The laboratory may be glimpsed via prior arrangement, aromas envelop as you enter, astounding, I could have breathed in that place for hours. At Casa Profumoir the perfumed experience is everywhere, incense blends formulated in house are offered for you to burn as you wish on fabulous burners, art and antiques tastefully curated and arranged. The entire house can be booked or just the Bedroom which is spacious with bathroom and access to the interior courtyard garden.

I spent a wonderful evening browsing and eating very well in the vicinity unencumbered by hordes and knowing I had this exclusive haven to return to. Breakfast courtesy of Floret Artisan Kitchen, just next door and delivered, was delicious. There was now the chance to enter another sphere of the Profumoir, within the atelier, part of the same building, again, decorated to assimilate you into its rich fabric. One of the varied Bespoke tailoring’s offered by the house, to create my own perfume at the Olfactory Organ assisted by Leone, a Perfume specialist, (there is also the opportunity to create with Master Perfumer Sileno Cheloni).

Seated at this organ with its array of bottles was a moment apart, for there are no names on the bottles, no familiar visible raw materials named to search for and this is very deliberate. The bottles have red or dark blue numbers ranging up to 198, some noble raw materials, others essences, bases or accords, prepared by Sileno. The process is instinctual and relies on the person responding to each material offered, purely with their sense of smell and intuition. A few questions are asked at the beginning by the perfume specialist who is accompanying, then they slowly start to place a few of the bottles in front of you, to smell, to choose, yes, no or maybe. A little disconcerting at the beginning as you have no points of reference to rely on, just the stepping forward of your sense of what pleases you and what does not. A process of elimination that allows us to tune into the sense of smell deeply, to close our eyes and trust the responses without the hindrance of preconception. It was, for me, an intimate engagement with myself, personally relishing the opportunity to tone down my other senses and almost meditatively engage with each material as it was presented to me. The resulting formula, aided by Leone is wonderful, I adore it, it wears like it's truly a part of me. It was an inspiring moment, time to listen intuitively and not second guess my choices. It is a process of exploration and a liberation in trust.

Presented in a beautiful bottle personalized with your choice of Carrara marble cap, the formula is uniquely yours and is stored at the Profumoir for future refilling, should you wish.

Across the street in a similarly ancient building is the boutique of Master Perfumer Sileno Cheloni housing various artifacts and vessels for the burning of incense, incense blends, the Venenum Collection of perfumes, the O.R.I.G.I.N.E collection of 7 essences integral to Perfumery and the Biblioteca Olfattiva, a selection of 40 raw essences and blends that can be applied and layered to suit. Here dwelling within Renaissance walls is the tradition that Florence has always been steeped in, of artistry and beauty, of cultural legacy, Casa Profumoir and Profumoir are exemplary expressions of this heritage and at the vanguard of offering the Perfume enthusiast and devotee, a carefully curated voyage, taking a High Art into an artistic experience, (Sileno Cheloni was awarded a Global Excellence Award in 2023 as ‘Best Artistic Perfume Brand-Italy’ by Luxlife ) - his broad scope ranges from his large body of work for Aquaflor, to his creations for Maestro Profumiere Sileno Cheloni Firenze and his own collections including Venenum Collection - A tribute to the history, myth and art of Renato Bianco - Caterina de’ Medici’s perfumer, Venenum means Poison but as Sileno says - «Everything is poison: nothing non-poisonous exists. Only the dose prevents the poison from taking effect. »

I personally own a few of this collection, Sangue Blu and Satanel, in particular, an Alchemy, they are somewhat beyond definition in the usual terms. Sileno has a mastery of that place that exists beyond our definitions of sacred and profane, good and bad, pleasant and unpleasant, these perfumes seize us from dichotomy, they are daring and ask us to explore without the boundaries of convention. He creates in his collections, rites of passage, these rituals of perfumed adventuring draw deeply on his naturally introverted nature and contemplation alongside extensive travelling and curiosity. His collections are created to convey us into his high artistry whereas the components he has created, essences, raw materials of quality, blends and accords for the bespoke experiences are designed to allow each individual free rein, they are singularly direct and clear, inviting a freedom of expression, each participant passes into a creative space usually reserved for the Perfumer, here we become our own artist, drawing directly from our intimacy and preferences, feeling into each smell we encounter.

My thoughts are that this is just the beginning: Daniele and Sileno, along with the entire team have created something of note that has expanded to fill a void that those of us who are passionate about perfume were yearning for. Their aim to reinvigorate the Art of Perfumery in Florence is well and truly realized.

This whole experience also leads me, as I am not a neophyte, to appreciate even more the olfactory creations that a master perfumer manages to develop after countless trials and attempts, offering something never smelt before and capable of making olfactory poems that are unique.

If you love Perfume and are thirsty for the well of beauty to be replenished in a busy modern world, staying at the Casa Profumoir and partaking of their bespoke experiences or offering as a gift, may be just the reset required, it is also the perfect counterbalance to days of visiting this ever popular yet always fascinating eternal city, Firenze.

Casa Profumoir - Via di San Niccolò 85

50125 Firenze (FI) casa@profumoir.it

Sileno Cheloni - Via di San Niccolò 72R, Firenze, 50125, info@silenocheloni.it

Visit and Book Casa Profumoir here

The Profumoir here, including all the bespoke experiences

Disclaimer – I personally paid for my stay and was offered the Bespoke Creation by Profumoir.