Acqua di Parma presents Colonia Limited Edition, designed by Dr. Samuel Ross

A reimagining of its signature fragrance bottle by SR_A, Ross’ London-based, industrial design studio.

As the first iteration of a three-year partnership between Acqua di Parma and SR_A, the iconic Colonia — presented at Design Miami — is an artistic play on duality. A project of both conservation and renovation, Colonia Limited Edition by Samuel Ross reshuffles the design codes of each Maison to create an entirely new blueprint.

London’s urban brutalism is represented in a hyper-flat, uber-pigmented yellow that absorbs the light: a reimagining of Acqua di Parma’s signature colour, which formed the starting point for this collaboration. It is a jolt to the senses: this optimistic hue synonymous with Acqua di Parma is imprinted with SR_A’s visual handwriting. Sun_Rise_Yellow will be juxtaposed with primary shades of Grass_Blade_Green and Ultra_Orange, an industrial nod to Samuel Ross’ own practice. This evolution of palette forms a new design language that pays homage to the heritage of Italian and British modernism.

The iconic Art Deco bottle remains: the juice itself, consistent as an Italian golden citrus blend since its first unveiling in 1916, is a timeless masterpiece, and the bottle a scaffold for display. Aligned with the architectural ethos, varying vantage points and perspectives are explored, like a looking glass — the bottle is a window, a synergetic metaphor for this collaborative sharing of ideas. This is further demonstrated through the stripping of the label, with lithographed lettering: in peeling back the layers, a new-found focus emerges.

It’s a distillation of the Maison’s codes in its purest form. Prismic points of interest are discovered as light refracts off its angles: Colonia Limited Edition designed by Samuel Ross is a tangible sculpture created with a digital-first audience in mind. Hold the bottle up to the light and watch it transform. The object becomes interactive, creating thoughtful images to cherish throughout the day as one might recall a moment of sunlight — think midday sunlight refracting off The Centre Pompidou, or The Shard. Such beauty is in the eye of each beholder.