Heritage
A house, in its own words
Jeffrey A. Stein, John H. Lasker, and Howard Himelstein founded Camp Beverly Hills in 1977 as a lifestyle clothing brand that sold casual wear inspired by the glamour of the Los Angeles suburb. The founders positioned the label as a bridge between high‑fashion aesthetics and everyday wear, opening a flagship store on Sunset Boulevard in 1978. By the mid‑1980s the company sought to diversify its product range and entered the fragrance market, launching Camp Beverly Hills perfume in 1986. The scent combined top notes of citrus and rose with a heart of sandalwood, reflecting the brand’s sunny, relaxed vibe. In 1988 the company introduced Camp Beverly Hills The Men’s Cologne, a woody aromatic that featured notes of bergamot, lavender, and cedar. Both fragrances were produced for the U.S. market and distributed through department stores and specialty boutiques. The clothing line struggled against larger competitors and ceased operations in the early 1990s; the perfume line followed suit, with production ending by the mid‑1990s. Despite its brief lifespan, the brand’s visual identity—pastel colors, playful typography, and a stylized camp‑tent logo—has endured in collector circles and on social media, where vintage bottles are frequently showcased. The brand’s brief foray into scent illustrates a moment when California‑inspired lifestyle brands experimented with extending their image into olfactory territory, a trend that resurfaced in later decades. Camp Beverly Hills expressed a philosophy that blended California optimism with accessible style. The founders believed that everyday moments could feel special if surrounded by bright colors, relaxed silhouettes, and a scent that evoked a sun‑lit patio. Their fragrance line aimed to translate that feeling into a bottle, offering a scent that was neither overly formal nor purely utilitarian. The brand emphasized inclusivity, targeting both men and women who wanted a fragrance that matched a casual, confident attitude. Marketing materials from the era highlighted the idea of “living the camp life,” encouraging wearers to embrace leisure and social gatherings with a scent that complemented a laid‑back wardrobe. While the company did not publish a formal manifesto, contemporary reviews note that the perfumes were positioned as affordable alternatives to high‑end niche scents, reflecting a value‑driven approach that prioritized everyday wearability over exclusivity.