The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Pepè was launched in 2017 by Laura Bosetti Tonatto, an Italian perfumer. The official description calls it young, colorful, rhythmic, and surprising, with pepper at its center. Orange and Pepper are named as the dominant notes, giving the composition its clear identity from the start. Orange contributes a bright, fruity impression, while pepper adds a warm, spicy presence. The two notes create a lively contrast that moves easily between brightness and warmth. There’s also a dedication to Pedro and his beautiful voice, which adds a human, expressive frame to a scent already built around movement and contrast. This isn’t a quiet meditation or a heavy evening ritual. It’s a fragrance with bounce, designed to catch attention early and keep things moving.
The point of interest in Pepè is its simple collision of orange and pepper. Orange brings brightness and fruit, while pepper contributes a warm, spicy character. Together, they give the composition a fresh-fruity and spicy profile with distinctly warm and woody edges. The orange remains recognizable within the blend, while pepper adds contrast and structure. The result suits anyone who wants one clear idea, expressed with rhythm rather than decoration. It feels youthful in the best sense, though the woody finish gives it more substance.
The evolution
Pepè begins with a clean burst of citrus, immediately sharpened by pepper. The first impression is lively and fruity, almost like biting into orange peel before a dark spice hits the air. As the scent settles, the pepper becomes more tactile and woody, leaving a warmer, more textured trail than the opening suggests. The orange doesn’t vanish so much as become part of the blend, its brightness moving beneath the spice rather than sitting on top of it. By the later hours, the profile is quieter, closer to skin, and gently woody. The progression moves from a vivid citrus opening into a warmer balance of orange, pepper, and wood. As it wears, the fresh and spicy character remains recognizable, while the woody quality gives the composition a steadier and more enveloping finish.
Cultural impact
Essenzialmente Laura is an Italian fragrance house with more than 70 fragrances created by Laura Bosetti Tonatto. Pepè brings youthful energy and a strong sense of rhythm to that collection through its clear orange-and-pepper profile. The fragrance is colorful and surprising from the start, pairing fresh fruit with warm spice and woody depth. Its dedication to Pedro and his beautiful voice adds a personal, expressive dimension, giving the composition a memorable identity beyond its opening brightness.
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.
