Davines in Italy: An Exploration of Parma’s Culture, Art & History

In Parma, everything is rose gold. Maybe it’s the way the light illuminates the small Italian city just right, or the pink marble of the sacred Battistero in the Piazza Duomo, or the soft street lamps that blink on when the sun sets. It’s magic, and the perfect backdrop for “The Night of the Third Day,” a cultural exhibition underwritten by the Davines Group (whose headquarters in Parma are a cultural touchstone in themselves) where visitors explored historic sites and experienced concerts, exhibits and performances. For one enchanted evening, BTC had the privilege to experience Parma through its charm and mysticism—follow us on our journey.

We spend the evening as treasure-hunters, using a map to navigate our way while also feeling pleasantly lost. A wrong turn only leads to more magic. Stepping into the Chiesa San Marcellino, a church built in 1074, we discover a quartet of classical guitarists playing before a giant ship surrounded by books. It’s an unexpected site that surprises us, but feels right—like this scene was just waiting for our discovery. We wander into the Palazzo Pallavicino, one of the city’s largest buildings with beautiful stucco, mirrors, marble fireplaces and a courtyard out of the early Renaissance. In the Duomo di Parma, a nearly 1,000-year-old cathedral, the Parma City Choir’s song reaches the heights of the cupola, Renaissance frescoes on the wall coming alive with every note. Our only beacons in the night were the large full moons hung around the city, a symbol from the Davines Group that promised, if we followed the moons, we would find something otherworldly inside.

If it sounds too good to be true, we know—how can this place exist? Recently named Italy’s 2020 Capital of Culture, Parma is a dynamic, alluring city. Curiosity is rewarded in Parma, making it the ideal location for the new Davines Village. If you are familiar with Davines, then you know the brand is synonymous with exceptional quality and a slow approach to manufacturing that promises only the finest products created with the utmost of care from the most Earth-friendly ingredients and practices. It’s a company that celebrates the inquisitive, encouraging its chemists to tend to the Davines Village grounds and create new formulas. It’s no wonder that Davines is focused on sustaining the gift of Mother Nature—with its close cultural ties to Parma, of course President Davide Bollati and CEO Paolo Braguzzi want to preserve and enhance the magic and mysticism of the city. The special evening of exploration coincided with the Davines World Wide Hair Tour 2018, giving attendees the chance to honor and admire the city.

The Night of the Third Day celebrates a unique exhibition, “Il Terzo Giorno,” held at the Pallazo del Governatore in the Piazzi Garibaldi. As underwriters of the exhibition, Davines tapped curator Didi Bozzini to reflect on themes of the environment, sustainability, and the relationship between man and nature. Entering the exhibit of 115 works by 40 international artists showcases the power of nature in creation, the genesis of the world (those familiar with the Bible will recognize Genesis 1:13: “And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day.”) Moving through the exhibit brings visitors to destruction, encouraging reflection on man’s relationship with nature and the risk of losing it. As a company with hyper-awareness of its effects on the planet and the people who call it home, it was natural for the Davines Group to support a project of local involvement like Il Terzo Giorno.

We ended the Night of the Third Day sharing a bottle of wine on marble steps watching the Piazza Garibaldi fill with people for the grand finale: “vertical dancing,” in which dancers used the face of the Palazzo del Governatore as their stage. Maybe it was rose gold light, the cold wine, or the hushed awe of so many spectators around us, but in those moments, our perceptions were turned sideways—and we fell even more deeply in love with Parma.

Experience the Night of the Third Day and Il Terzo Giorno through the eyes of BTC, and feel yourself get lost in the magic.

Click through for more photos.

An exhibition by Claudio Parmiggiani in the Chiesa di San Marcellino in Parma, part of the Night of the Third Day Exhibition.

A glimpse inside the Duomo di Parma with a view of the exquisite ceiling. Photo via @thecolorpusher.

Look up in the Battistero to see the jaw-dropping cupola, frescoed in the 13th century. Photo via @paigeebarkerr.

At nightfall, a video art show was projected onto the Battistero. Photo via @mcandi73.

Warrior by Leon Golub, 1963. The painting is part of The Third Day exhibition.

Igloo by Mario Merz, 1991. The installation is part of The Third Day exhibition.

The Piazza Garibaldi packed with spectators for the grand finale show. Photo via @davinesofficial.

The large gold sphere in front of the Palazzo del Governatore is a site-specific installation that will eventually hang in the Davines Village. Photo via @cafelule_danzaverticale.

The finale showcased vertical dancing off the face of the Palazzo del Governatore. Photo via @cafelule_danzaverticale.