A LOVE OF SICILY & ORTIGIA
I first discovered Ortigia Sicilia around fifteen years ago on one of my many trips to London. I just happened upon this beautiful shop in Duke of York Square & was immediately drawn in like a magnet. Here I found a world of delicious scents & unbelievably gorgeous packaging. My first purchase was a large bottle of Coral Shell, a heady aromatic fragrance of herbs & flowers (sadly no longer available) & it was the start of my love affair with Sicily…
When we took over Abrahams in 2015, Ortigia was one of the brands I most wanted to stock so I found the UK agent & hey presto we have been selling a wide & varied range ever since. In fact, it is one of our most popular brands!
Ortigia was founded in 2006 by Sue Townsend, a successful British designer & entrepreneur with a deep passion for Sicily, it’s history & culture. The range consists of luxurious EDP fragrances, oils, soaps, creams & lotions, all formulated using natural products indigenous to Sicily – olive oil, vegetable glycerine & organic colours. All products are paraben & silicone free & are not tested on animals. They are made by small Italian family businesses whilst the packaging is designed by Sue, based on Sicilian images & colours. The brand has developed the range of products offered to us over the years. We now stock a range of beautiful, lacquered trays, colourful ceramics, accessories & in past years we have sold a selection of handmade Dolce, the traditional sweet biscuits created by famous Italian pasticcerias.
I too was bewitched by the beauty of Sicily whilst holidaying several years ago with my family. We visited Ortigia, the small island at the edge of Siracusa & close to Mount Etna on Sicily’s southeastern coast. Like all the beautiful baroque towns in Sicily, the streets of Ortigia are crumbling façades of great splendour & the Piazza del Duomo is considered one of the most beautiful in Italy.
I was interested to find out that there are hundreds of orange & lemon groves in the area & it is the only place where blood oranges grow due to the rich volcanic soil. Grapefruit trees, saffron, almonds & olives also grow in abundance. Fico D’India, Ortigia’s most popular fragrance is not derived from the fruit as many believe but comes from the ‘Prickly Pear’ Cactus found growing all over the island.
JAC & I are returning to Sicily later this year & cannot wait to rediscover the rich & layered culture that is unique to this glorious island!
With love Josie, JAC & the Abrahams team XX
PS I am thrilled to tell you that we have just received our latest order from Ortigia. We are fully stocked once again AND we have a new fragrance to offer you – Rose Antiche, a glorious mix of Damask & Alba rose oils. It is truly divine!
