Fragrance house

Mark Cross

Established in Boston in 1845 by Henry W. Cross, Mark W. Cross & Co. began by making leather goods for horse-and-buggy riders. By the late nineteenth century, it had become a major horse-furnishing business; after Patrick Murphy acquired it, the brand expanded with stores in New York, London, Paris, and Milan. Gerald Murphy took over in 1934 and broadened the range to luggage, cigarette cases, pet accessories, and evening bags. Gerald and Sara Murphy were associated with the expatriate cultural circle of the 1920s, and F. Scott Fitzgerald modeled the protagonists of Tender Is the Night on the couple. Mark Cross also appeared on screen when an overnight case was carried by Grace Kelly’s character in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film Rear Window. The brand later became dormant under Coach management, before its intellectual property changed hands and it was re-established in 2011; the first relaunch collection reached retail in 2012. GF Capital acquired Mark Cross in 2016. In 2024, its creative direction was renewed under Sean Spellman and Dizon, alongside an archive-inspired identity centered on craftsmanship, leathers, and restrained hardware and logos.