Heritage
A house, in its own words
The history of Autentica di Felsina begins with Pietro Bortolotti, a pharmacist and perfumer working in Bologna. On May 21, 1827, he presented acqua di felsina to the city's Board of Health and received permission to produce and sell it. This documented milestone links the house to one of the most recognizable fragrance traditions associated with nineteenth-century Bologna. Acqua di felsina was created as a fresh citrus preparation intended for personal use, and it later became closely identified with the city. The fragrance developed into white and red versions, each presenting the fresh foundation in a different register. Autentica di Felsina describes itself as the continuation of a fragrance made in Bologna since 1827, positioning the company as the latest custodian of this local perfumery lineage. The name Felsina also carries historical weight. It is the ancient name associated with the city now known as Bologna. The house's background archive states that Bortolotti was the last creator of the scents, a direct statement that connects the contemporary brand to the original maker. Rather than framing its story around a modern invention, Autentica di Felsina draws its identity from the documented origin of acqua di felsina and the culture of the city where it was born. This gives the brand a precise Italian setting and a story grounded in a named person, a recorded date, and an established fragrance category. Autentica di Felsina's creative direction centers on preserving the character of acqua di felsina while presenting it for contemporary perfume use. The house's own archive frames the brand as the expression of a fragrance tradition made continuously in Bologna since 1827. That language suggests continuity rather than a constant reinvention, with the historic preparation serving as the point of reference for each composition. This approach fits the original purpose of acqua di felsina. Bortolotti created it as a personal fragrance, placing freshness at the center of the experience rather than building the composition around opulence or display. For Autentica di Felsina, the emphasis falls on immediacy, cleanliness, and the sensory pleasure of citrus fragrance. The use of the full name Autentica, meaning authentic, reinforces the brand's commitment to its inherited formula and city-based identity. At the same time, continuity does not mean that the fragrances remain fixed in the past. Bianca, introduced in 2017, translates the house's central idea into a modern release. The resulting philosophy is compact but clear: begin with Bologna's documented olfactory heritage, retain the freshness associated with acqua di felsina, and offer it as a personal fragrance with a distinctly Italian sense of place.