Michael Fassbender celebrates the ‘art of living Italian’ for Acqua di Parma’s 110th anniversary

Exploring the sun-dappled streets of Parma, Italy, and the hidden luxuries that abound, Michael Fassbender is taking life at his own pace in his latest starring role. As Acqua di Parma‘s first ambassador, the Oscar-nominated actor is starring in a new campaign film alongside Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore to celebrate the fragrance brand’s milestone 110th anniversary.

At the heart of the campaign is Colonia, Acqua di Parma’s classic fragrance, first created in 1916. It has since become synonymous with timeless sophistication, with an alluring blend of Calabrian bergamot, lemon, orange, lavender, rosemary and woody base notes that make it coveted by men and women alike.

“Sophistication, beauty and elegance lie in simplicity,”  says Michael, who embodies the ‘art of living Italian’ in the first episode of the campaign, by enjoying a morning espresso, admiring a classic car, sampling fresh lemons at local produce stores and dining with friends. “For me, that is what personifies Italy and brings Italian philosophy to life. It is embodied in its food, culture and art.”

Shot on film by British director Talia Collis and photographed by Brett Lloyd, the campaign features six episodes and one feature video, all bringing the atmosphere and feeling of Parma to life – and celebrating a trio of Colonia expressions celebrating the brand’s milestone.Alongside the Colonia and 2025’s Colonia Il Profumo eau de parfum – with creamy ylang-ylang and a warm base of patchouli and vetiver – Acqua di Parma has also released the new limited-edition Colonia Profumo Millesimato. The Millesimato reinterprets the 1916 Colonia based around an exceptional 2024 harvest of Yang-Yang White from Nosy Be in Madagascar.

“The intention was not to add complexity, but to reveal a deeper dimension of what already exists”” says Acqua di Parma CEO Giulio Bergamaschi. “It was the ideal way to honour the fragrance: by choosing an element whose richness is felt, but whose effort remains invisible.”

For Michael, these scents epitomise the brand’s legacy. “Aqua di Parma’s Colonia captures that essence within a fragrance. A true reflection of its heritage and birthplace,” he says.

It’s a feeling returned by Giulio, who tells Tempus: “Michael embodies our approach through attitude”.

“It is not about look, nor about image,” Giulio explains. “He represents a very Italian idea of sprezzatura: the art of concealing effort, of mastering complexity so completely that it appears effortless. Beyond his remarkable acting skill, he does not perform discreet elegance – he inhabits it.”

This discreet mastery of craft has been seen on screen in a carefully curated selection of projects since Michael’s return to acting in 2023, including 2025’s Black Bag and the 10-part spy thriller The Agency, which mark a departure from his previous blockbusting turns in the X-Men and Alien franchises.“I did make a conscious decision of taking a break,” he told Indiewire at the release of Black Bag. “I was doing three, four films a year, sometimes. That wasn’t by design. Sometimes you sign up to something and there’s a delay. The next thing you know, three films are back-to-back. But I wanted to get into racing, and approach it seriously and give my time to it. And obviously it’s impossible for me to do a race season and film, just for insurance reasons alone. It was good for me to take a break and get some perspective and try something totally different.” 

Michael, who has been married to fellow actor Alicia Vikander since 2017, turned to his love of racing during his acting hiatus, undertaking the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany in 2019, and starring in Porsche’s documentary Road to Le Mans. He finished fourth in the European Le Mans Series in 2021 with his Proton Competition team, achieving his first podium – and personal best finish – at the series’ last race in Portimão, where his team achieved second place.

In 2023 he told talkshow host Graham Norton, “[Racing is] an obsession and feels so right as I have no affinity with any other sport. It’s not just about the speed; it is about getting into a place where you’re not thinking of anything else. I love it.”THE SOUL OF SPREZZATURA

“For me, everything starts with the why of Acqua di Parma,” says Giulio, making a clear link between product, philosophy and friends of the brand. “Our fragrances are built on a dialogue of contrasts: elegance and vibrancy, simplicity and light-heartedness. This tension is what gives them life. It is what we call vibrant sophistication – the ability to understand complexity deeply, but to express it with ease… The effort is never visible.”

It is this dedication to understatement that Giulio credits with Acqua di Parma’s enduring charm. “Our scents do not shout: they stay close to the skin,” he says. “They are not complex, but they are never banal. What keeps them fresh today is precisely this balance: simplicity that hides depth, freshness that carries structure, and creativity that feels natural rather than demonstrative.”

This is what he defines as the ‘art of living Italian’, the very heart of the new campaign, which blends universal values of elegance, presence, curiosity and lightness.

“Michael Fassbender was a natural choice: a two-time Oscar nominee with a timeless sense of style and quiet charisma. His presence carries a rare elegance – never overstated, always intentional,” he says of his search for an ambassador who could effortlessly embody such values. “We were not looking for a face to promote products, but for someone who could carry values. Michael approached it with great intelligence and restraint, fully understanding that this campaign was about meaning rather than visibility. That alignment made the work feel natural and precise.“Paired with Sabrina Impacciatore, who brings leggerezza, a natural lightness of spirit, they form an unexpected balance. Together, they express something deeply Italian: confidence without display, depth with ease, and a way of living that feels both timeless and entirely contemporary.”

Acqua di Parma’s legacy began with understated fragrances before expanding into complementary craftsmanship – including small leather goods and fine tableware – inspired by Italian living. Giulio explains that these, too, share the same “logic of contrasts… revealing the exceptional within everyday moments”, and speak to his polysensory approach to the maison.

“What we do are polysensorial objects – fragrances, leather pieces, design elements – that bring pleasure to simple gestures and daily rituals,” he explains. “Exceptional know-how and traditional expertise are present, but they are deliberately concealed within a contemporary and vibrant expression.

“Across all categories, the maison expresses the same idea: elegance, simplicity, and light-heartedness are not opposites. They coexist. That coherence is what makes every expression of Acqua di Parma feel immediately recognisable, regardless of form.”Reflecting on 110 years of Italian elegance, what does Giulio believe drives Acqua di Parma’s continued appeal?

“Longevity is not about remaining unchanged – it is about remaining recognisable. Acqua di Parma has always been guided by a clear philosophy: an Italian idea of elegance expressed through light, discretion and quality. What allows that philosophy to endure is the ability to reinterpret it with intelligence and restraint.

“We observe how lifestyles evolve, how people relate to fragrance and objects today, and we respond without compromising our values, Guilio says. “Balance comes from knowing what must remain constant. and what can evolve with sensibility and intention.”

Images: Acqua di Parma and Focus Features

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