Heritage
A house, in its own words
Pepe Jeans London opened its first shop in 1973 on the bustling Portobello Road, founded by three friends who wanted affordable, trend‑forward denim. The label quickly became associated with casual streetwear, expanding across the UK in the 1980s and entering European markets in the 1990s. In 2000 the company launched its inaugural fragrance, marking the first time a denim‑focused fashion house entered the scented arena. The perfume was produced in collaboration with perfumer Rosendo Mateu, a partnership that the brand has continued for subsequent releases. Throughout the 2000s Pepe Jeans grew its retail footprint, opening flagship stores in major cities such as Madrid, Paris and Milan, while maintaining its core identity of casual, street‑level style. A corporate restructuring in 2015 moved the headquarters from London to Sant Feliu de Llobregat in Catalonia, Spain, reflecting the brand’s increasingly international ownership. The fragrance line followed a steady cadence: after the 2000 debut, the brand introduced Pepe Jeans for Him and for Her in 2018, refreshed its catalogue with Black Is Now for Him in 2020 and London Calling in 2021, and rolled out a series of seasonal scents—SoBold Intense (2024), Vintage Vibes (2025) and Jeans & Tonic for Her (2026). Each launch coincided with a broader marketing push that tied the scent to the brand’s denim collections, reinforcing the idea that scent can be another layer of personal expression. Today, Pepe Jeans London operates in more than 70 countries, and its perfume range sits alongside clothing, footwear and accessories as part of a unified lifestyle offering. The brand treats fragrance as an extension of its denim ethos: casual, accessible, and unapologetically youthful. Rather than positioning its scents as exclusive luxury items, Pepe Jeans aims to create everyday aromas that complement a street‑style wardrobe. The creative brief for each perfume often references a moment of urban life—whether it is a late‑night coffee on a London rooftop or a sun‑lit walk through a market. This narrative focus aligns with the label’s broader commitment to authenticity and self‑expression. In interviews, the company has said it wants its scents to “celebrate life” and to be worn without pretense, echoing the same straightforward attitude that defines its jeans. The fragrance team works closely with perfumers, notably Rosendo Mateu, to translate these concepts into scent structures that balance fresh citrus, aromatic herbs and warm woods. Sustainability also features in the brand’s philosophy; product pages note that many bottles use recyclable materials and that a high proportion of ingredients are sourced from natural origins. By keeping the scent portfolio approachable, the label reinforces its belief that style—whether in clothing or fragrance—should be inclusive and effortless.