Heritage
A house, in its own words
The story of Strega del Castello begins in Genoa, where the Roncati family operated a pharmacy since the early 1900s. This establishment served as the foundation for what would become a niche perfumery house with deep ties to the region's botanical and medicinal traditions. The family's involvement in pharmacy meant access to natural ingredients, aromatic compounds, and the knowledge to work with them in concentrated forms. The transition from pharmacy to perfumery reportedly began in the 1970s, when Gingi Roncati began exploring the family's aromatic heritage through the creation of the first perfumes. This evolution mirrored broader trends in Italian perfumery, where artisan houses often originated from apothecary or pharmaceutical roots. The Genoese location proved significant for ingredient sourcing, as the city had long served as a Mediterranean trade hub connecting Europe with eastern markets, North Africa, and beyond. Strega del Castello emerged from this specific cultural and commercial context, carrying forward the family's expertise in natural materials while developing a distinct artistic vision. The brand name itself draws from Genoese folklore, referencing local legend and cultural memory. The house continues to operate from its Genoese origins, maintaining the artisan character that defined its beginnings. Available fragrance releases include Acqua de le Colonie (2020), Pan (2020), and Violetta Mannara (2023), among others in the broader collection. Strega del Castello approaches fragrance as a means of reliving forgotten memories. The brand designs each scent to function as a deliberate trigger for recollection, encouraging wearers to encounter moments previously stored in sensory experience rather than imagined scenarios. This philosophy shapes the creative process, where formulation decisions prioritize emotional resonance over market trends. The brand describes its fragrances as steps of a journey, with each release representing a distinct destination along paths that lead toward orange groves, oriental markets, cedar and oak woods. These destinations are not abstract ideals but specific places and experiences rooted in Mediterranean geography and cultural history. The approach reflects a belief that fragrance can serve as a vehicle for memory retrieval, making the invisible past tangible through olfactory experience. Strega del Castello maintains this philosophical framework across its collection, creating scents that anchor wearers to particular times, places, and sensory associations. The brand avoids broad appeal in favor of targeted emotional connection, designing fragrances for those who seek specific olfactory narratives rather than generic pleasantness. This commitment to memory and place defines the brand's creative identity and distinguishes it from houses that prioritize versatility or mass accessibility.