The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
La Lavanda di Leonardo began as a recipe hidden in the margins of the Atlantic Codex, according to Essenzialmente Laura's description. The house presents it as a perfume of roses and lavender brought together in one gesture, the result of an exploration led by a wise hand. That historical framing gives the composition an immediate point of view: not a simple floral pretty, but a study in balance. Laura Bosetti Tonatto, the perfumer behind the fragrance, works within a Roman house whose fragrances often turn places, atmosphere, and memory into wearable stories. Launched in 2015, La Lavanda di Leonardo carries that same sense of a moment being translated into scent.
The central pairing is purposefully simple. Lavender brings an aromatic, herbal edge that keeps rose from becoming overly pretty, while rose adds warmth, depth, and a soft floral confidence. The accord data places the composition in a fresh, sweet, fruity, spicy, herbal register, giving the duo more movement than a flat floral. There is no need for a parade of extra notes here. The tension between rose's lush softness and lavender's cool, bracing character is the point.
The evolution
The fragrance begins with a cool, herbaceous impression, as if lavender has brushed against damp garden air. Rose then arrives, not as a heavy bouquet, but as a polished warmth moving through it. Over the first hours, the two materials trade places: sometimes lavender takes the lead, sometimes the rose becomes more apparent, and the result keeps a soft aromatic tension. The sweet, fruity side becomes more legible as the scent settles, giving the composition a gentle gourmand turn without losing its herbal clarity. Through the middle of the wear, it stays close rather than loud. By the final hours, the rose-lavender accord has softened into a gentle floral skin-scent, with a moderate trail that lingers through the end of a workday.
Cultural impact
Essenzialmente Laura sits in a distinctly Roman register of perfumery, where beauty is framed through place, memory, and atmosphere rather than loud spectacle. La Lavanda di Leonardo reflects that cultivated approach through a floral pairing that feels historically minded and quietly intellectual. Its rose-and-lavender conversation belongs naturally within the house's broader garden and sensory landscape, appealing to wearers who prefer fragrance that speaks in a lowered voice.
The House
Essenzialmente LauraEssenzialmente Laura is a Roman perfumery brand founded by master perfumer Laura Bosetti Tonatto. Based in Italy, the house creates artisanal fragrances that draw deeply from the sensory heritage of Rome, translating the city's gardens, churches, palaces, and courtyard atmospheres into wearable scent compositions. The collection spans 55 fragrances organized across seven families according to the Classification officielle des Parfum system. Bosetti Tonatto's work bridges private commission work for royalty and a publicly accessible collection available through her Roman boutiques.
The Creator
Laura Bosetti TonattoTonatto's signature lies in her command of Italian raw materials and her commitment to bespoke creation as a foundational practice, not a luxury sideline. Her technical palette draws from classical French parfumerie while her sensibility remains distinctly Italian.
