Fragrance house

Gravel

Founded in New York in 1957 by Swedish-born Michael B. Knudsen, Gravel’s identity is tied to the city and to pebbles placed in its bottles as symbols of origin, memory, and authenticity. Knudsen developed Gravel A Man’s Cologne with help from his friend Hazel Guggenheim; the fragrance was identified as the first men’s perfume in the United States. Gravel’s first bottle was sold through F. R. Tripler’s store on Manhattan’s 46th Street. After Knudsen’s death, production stalled and the brand disappeared from the market for several years. Georg and Christian Blessing pursued the rights from Knudsen’s heirs, and Christian Blessing relaunched A Man’s Cologne in late November 2018 after acquiring a license to the discontinued fragrance. Gravel introduced American Dream and Across the Ocean in 2019. Since 2018, Blessing has overseen further development combining original compositions with new work created with experienced perfumers and younger talents. Reported in 2025, the Transcendence Collection was presented as the first fully independent fragrance line since the revival. A Man’s Cologne is especially associated with Gravel and was the centerpiece of its 2018 relaunch.