Heritage
A house, in its own words
Custo Dalmau and his brother David Dalmau established their fashion label in Barcelona in 1981, according to the brand's official materials. The brothers came from creative backgrounds encompassing clothing design, print work, and graphic design. They built the fashion house into a recognized brand with collections for both men and women, distinguished by bold prints and expressive color palettes. The transition from fashion to fragrance came nearly three decades after the label's founding. In 2008, Custo Barcelona launched its debut fragrance, a women's scent developed in partnership with Dreamlabo, the Barcelona-based fragrance development company. This marked a significant expansion beyond apparel. The fragrance line subsequently grew to include dedicated offerings for men, beginning with Custo Man in 2009, followed by the Pure Custo Barcelona collection in 2010. The brand's expansion into perfumery allowed it to translate its fashion identity into an accessible sensory format. By the early 2010s, the fragrance collection had become an established part of the Custo Barcelona brand ecosystem. The Dalmau brothers continued to oversee the creative direction of both their fashion and fragrance lines, maintaining consistency in aesthetic vision across product categories.
The Custo Barcelona approach to fragrance reflects the brand's origins in fashion, where bold prints and vibrant color define its visual identity. Rather than positioning itself within traditional perfumery conventions, the brand treats fragrance as an extension of personal style. The scents aim to communicate the same expressive energy found in the clothing collections. Custo Barcelona fragrances are designed to be noticed and remembered, drawing on the brand's experience with color combinations and pattern work to create olfactory signatures with distinctive character. The partnership with Dreamlabo enabled the brand to develop fragrances that aligned with its fashion philosophy while meeting quality standards in perfumery. Each fragrance launch has corresponded with seasonal fashion collections, reinforcing the connection between what customers wear and how they smell. The brand targets customers who view fragrance as part of a complete stylistic expression rather than a separate luxury consideration.
