Heritage
A house, in its own words
Manuel Pertegaz Ibáñez was born on 18 May 1918 in Olba, Teruel. In 1927 his family moved to Barcelona, where he began an apprenticeship in the textile trade. By 1940 he opened a modest workshop in the city, laying the groundwork for a couture house that would officially launch in 1942. The post‑war era saw Pertegaz attract a clientele that prized understated luxury, and in 1948 he opened his first retail space on Madrid's Gran Vía. The shop quickly became a destination for Spain’s emerging elite, offering ready‑to‑wear alongside bespoke pieces. In 1965 Pertegaz entered the fragrance market with Diagonal, a citrus‑spicy eau de toilette that marked the first perfume conceived by a Spanish designer and distributed internationally. The success of Diagonal encouraged a series of releases throughout the 1970s, including Muy Pertegaz Parfum (1975) and its eau de toilette counterpart. The brand maintained a steady output during the 1980s and 1990s, adapting to shifting consumer tastes while preserving the founder’s commitment to craftsmanship. Manuel Pertegaz remained active in fashion and design until his death in 2014, leaving a legacy that includes more than two dozen perfumes documented by independent fragrance databases. Recent years have seen a revival of archival scents and the introduction of new compositions such as Séducteur (2018) and Pertegaz Belle (2022). The house continues to operate from its historic Madrid headquarters, honoring the founder’s original vision while engaging a new generation of scent enthusiasts. The brand approaches perfumery as an extension of sartorial discipline. It treats each fragrance like a garment, considering structure, balance and the way a scent unfolds on the skin over time. Manuel Pertegaz believed that a perfume should echo the clarity of a well‑cut suit: precise, adaptable and unmistakably Spanish. This perspective drives the house to source ingredients that evoke the Mediterranean coast, the Andalusian orange groves and the pine‑laden hills of the interior. Creativity at Pertegaz is guided by respect for tradition and an openness to contemporary interpretation. The house collaborates with perfumers who understand the language of classic French and Italian noses, yet it encourages them to introduce local accords that reflect Spain’s diverse flora. Sustainability has become a growing concern; recent releases prioritize responsibly harvested raw materials and transparent supply chains. The brand’s values emphasize durability, quiet confidence and a refusal to chase fleeting trends, aiming instead for scents that age gracefully alongside their wearers.