Fragrance house

Romeo Gigli

Romeo Gigli first appeared in New York in 1979 and presented his debut collection in 1983. That collection introduced body-hugging jersey dresses, cropped jackets, and an undefined color palette, establishing a design language centered on reworking the proportions of the female silhouette. Drawing on multiple cultures and historical periods, Gigli developed a poetic, multidimensional approach that helped redefine 1980s fashion aesthetics. A dispute with business partners Donato Maino and Carla Sozzani led to a separation in the early 1990s; Maino and Sozzani retained the perfume and sunglasses businesses, while Gigli retained intellectual-property rights for garments and accessories. On 28 April 2004, IT Holding sold its controlling stake in the Romeo Gigli brand. After years of absence attributed to financial difficulties, the brand was revitalized under Eccentric ownership, with Alessandro De Benedetti appointed creative director from the Spring/Summer 2020 womenswear collection. The relaunch preserves the historical identity through draping, layered ruffles, asymmetric bows, and updated garment construction. In fragrance, Romeo di Romeo Gigli was the company’s first perfume, released in 1989 as a floral composition in an inverted-cone bottle designed by Romeo Gigli.