r brands. Other recent acquisitions of the French beauty conglomerate include the purchase of British skincare brand Elemis in 2019 for US$900 million cash, Brazilian-inspired US beauty business Sol de Janeiro in 2021 and Australian natural beauty brand Grown Alchemist in 2022. L’Occitane also acquired a 50 per cent stake in Singaporean skincare brand Erborian in 2012. These acquisitions reflect the group’s strategy for building a geographically balanced brand portfolio of premium beauty and fragrance brands. Based in Florence, Dr Vranjes Firenze is a global brand with 21 flagship stores across Italy, a retail store in the Dubai Mall, four stores in Japan and authorised retailers globally, including David Jones, which is currently its only retail partner within Australia. Who is Dr Vranjes Firenze? Dr Vranjes Firenze was founded by Dr Paolo Vranjes in 1983 from a small shop in the heart of Florence.  The characteristic “Duomo” construction of its diffuser and candle ranges draws inspiration from the Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence and exudes quality and artisanal design. Known for its home fragrance diffusers, the brand has expanded its product range to include personal and body care products, car fragrances and candles, following changes in consumer demand. The brand is selective in choosing partners with which to create aligned ranges and enter new markets. Its work with premium Australian department store chain David Jones is an example of this.  Dr Vranjes Firenze entered the Australian market with the retailer in 2023, just in time for the holiday season. The partnership was facilitated by Southeast Asia luxury beauty and fragrance distributor Prestige Group, which also facilitated the brand’s first retail footprint in Thailand in March last year with the opening of a concession in the exclusive Gaysorn Shopping Village. “Our strategy has always been and still is to be at the most exclusive point of sales,” Cristina Rebollini, Dr Vranjes Firenze’s export manager and international business developer, told Inside Retail. “Worldwide wherever you travel, you will find Dr Vranjes Firenze only at the most exclusive retail locations. From the very high-end department stores [such as] Harrods in London, to the very high-end niche boutique. So for us, it was kind of natural to partner with David Jones,” expressed Rebollini. “We are very happy and proud of the path we have done so far. We are going to roll out in a few more doors,” she said. The brand is available through select stores within the David Jones network, including its Elizabeth Street flagship in Syndey and Bourke Street flagship in Melbourne, as well as online. Rebollini said that Dr Vranjes Firenze has outperformed the category since launching in the Australian market five months ago and that customer feedback suggests the brand is resonating with local shoppers.  A five-year plan to obtain a greater share of the local market includes taking a targeted marketing approach and exploring other avenues to reach consumers, not just the classic department store distribution channels. Since joining the company almost five years ago, Rebollini told Inside Retail that the revenue had doubled from €12 million to €24 million. “The developments have been huge, but we are always keeping the distribution very selective. We don’t want to be everywhere,” Rebollini said. Developing Dr Vranjes Firenze The brand’s founder and ‘nose’, Maestro Paolo Vranjes, works with over 2200 exquisite notes to create the right alchemy for each fragrance. The company operates on 90 per cent renewable energy and is committed to environmental and social governance (ESG). “We have a very short supply chain because as a company we care about local communities so we want to support the local small producer that can bring us the highest quality components. We don’t want to be mass,” Rebollini said. “Every time you buy one of our products you are bringing to your everyday life a piece of Florence, it’s a piece of art.” The brand uses high-quality materials from suppliers, 90 per cent of which are based in Tuscany.  While the brand is firmly rooted in Europe, its future is global, Rebollini said.  “Step by step the growth started outside Europe from Asia, the US, later Latin America and now Australia,” she said. Italy, the Middle East and Japan are currently the three main markets for the brand. Prestige Group has played a pivotal role in its expansion in the Apac region and has also facilitated the opening of a boutique in Manila. “We are distributed almost everywhere worldwide with approximately 440 authorised retailers,” Rebollini concluded.