Fragrance house

Escada

Escada was founded in Munich in 1978 by Margaretha and Wolfgang Ley. Margaretha, a former model and designer trained by Stockholm’s Royal Court Tailor Leja, helped establish a design direction built on bold color, print, detail, and sporty luxury. The brand went public in 1986. Margaretha Ley died in 1992, after which the fashion business declined from its earlier prominence. Escada filed for insolvency in 2009, and its operating business was acquired by the Mittal family, with Megha Mittal becoming the principal figure associated with the transition. In November 2019, the Mittal family sold Escada to Regent; Escada SE in Germany filed for insolvency again in September 2020. Escada’s fragrance history began with Escada by Margaretha Ley in 1990, followed by Escada Collection in 1997. A recurring annual limited-edition summer series began with Chiffon Sorbet in 1993, while Magnetism, launched in 2003, sold very well in every market and Island Kiss repeated the success of Escada Ibiza Hippie.