Hello, I’m Elena Cobez. I am an author and botanical perfumery researcher based in Trieste, Italy.
My work begins with aromatic raw materials — plants, resins, woods, flowers, roots, seeds and essences — and follows them through botanical research, cultural history, sensory observation and olfactory composition.
My path grew from a long search for meaning: Ayurveda, Aromatherapy, Reiki, and an encounter with the Japanese tradition of Kodo, the art of sacred fragrance. I spent twenty years in Milan teaching aromatherapy and botanical perfumery, and facilitating private groups and team building sessions. Then I chose to return to Trieste, my birthplace, to live in a more natural environment without losing my connection to my national and international work.
Today my work takes three forms:
Materia Viva, an independent publication devoted to aromatic raw materials, published in Italian and in an international English edition.
Online courses in botanical perfumery, where research and composition meet through direct experience with natural materials.
Selected live events and private collaborations, created for small groups, cultural spaces and organisations.
From my studio in Trieste, I work across writing, research and olfactory creativity, connecting archives, botanical materials and contemporary sensory culture.
You can read more about Materia Viva here.
For enquiries, collaborations or to receive the first English issue of Materia Viva, write to:
You can also reach me via WhatsApp or request the newsletter.
