The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice was created in Venice by the Vidal family, who have worked in perfumery for more than a century. Their Venetian company Mavive was founded in 1987 by Massimo Vidal as an offshoot of the family firm Vidal Profumi, and the brand is run under licence from Mavive. The name and the range look back to the Venetian merchants whose ships, on trade routes called the Mude, brought spices, resins and essences from the East.

Its bottles take their patterns from Murano glassmaking. The Murano Collection holds six eaux de parfum, each tied to the old trade routes, and the Accordi di Profumo line is built on single materials named for where they come from, such as Indonesian patchouli and Australian sandalwood, sourced through Givaudan's Sourcing4Good programme. In 2013 the family and the city's museums foundation opened perfume rooms at Palazzo Mocenigo, a museum in Santa Croce, and the partnership won the first Premio Cultura + Impresa that year.

In Venice the house has its flagship store on Campo San Fantin, San Marco 1895, and its store list also names Libreria Studium at San Marco 337 and Spezieria All'Ercole d'Oro on Strada Nova. A 30 ml Accordi di Profumo eau de parfum costs about €50. Pair a visit to the flagship with the perfume rooms at Palazzo Mocenigo, then try Sandalo Australia first: a creamy sandalwood with amber, distilled from wood sourced with the help of Aboriginal communities.