Laboratorio Olfattivo

Laboratorio Olfattivo emerged in Italy in 2009 through the initiative of Roberto Drago and Daniela Caon. The project was conceived as a platform for artistic perfumery, where research into formula and raw materials matters more than one recurring accord. The name emphasises the practical nature of the idea: a laboratory brings together different concepts and authorial methods.

The founders' roles are distinct. As Creative Director, Roberto Drago frames the initial idea and develops each composition with an invited perfumer. Daniela Caon directs the brand image: she selects the colour palette associated with a fragrance and works with the bottle form, packaging, and materials. Scent and its physical presentation are consequently created in parallel.

Invited Italian and international perfumers receive room to work freely. The catalogue does not require them to reproduce one recognisable template; the connecting element is the method, a route from an idea, journey, or material to an independent composition. The author of each fragrance therefore matters, helping distinguish individual signatures within the shared Laboratorio Olfattivo system.

Nerotic was created by Cécile Zarokian and opens the dark Laboratorio in Nero collection. Bergamot, grapefruit, and red fruits provide a lively opening, while geranium, coriander, and saffron form a spicy centre. A dry woody-amber accord, sandalwood, leather, and smoke carry the composition into a denser, more contrasting base.

Pierre Guéros's Nektar grew from impressions of Wadi Darbat in southern Oman and the honey produced by bees from the flowers of the sidr tree. Clary sage, Calabrian bergamot, grapefruit, and elemi open the fragrance; a honey material is joined by leather, olibanum, davana, and cinnamon. Tonka bean, Madagascar vanilla, vetiver, cedarwood, and patchouli keep the honey theme from becoming simply sweet.

Sacreste demonstrates a different approach to resins. Luca Maffei builds it around two incense materials supported by labdanum, elemi, cardamom, and saffron. Cypriol and black pepper strengthen the dry spice, while Virginia cedarwood, guaiac wood, cashmeran, Ambermax, and musk form a woody base.

Comparing these three fragrances explains the structure of the catalogue. Nerotic moves from citrus and saffron towards leather and smoke, Nektar from fresh and resinous notes to honey, vanilla, and patchouli, and Sacreste from spices to incense and dry woods. The shared brand does not erase the differences between Cécile Zarokian, Pierre Guéros, and Luca Maffei.

The object and retail history develops the same system. Products are packed by hand; the first mono-brand store opened in Turin in December 2015, followed by stores in Rome in 2019 and Milan in 2022. Laboratorio Olfattivo combines the creative freedom of its invited authors with consistent work on colour, packaging, and the way each formula is presented.