John Richmond

John Richmond is a British fashion house founded in 1987 by the English designer of the same name, known for blending punk, rock and biker references with sharp tailoring [5]. The label describes itself as "a British luxury brand with a non-conformist attitude" [1]. Since 2017 the fashion business has belonged to ARAV Group, an Italian fashion holding company [8], while a separate fragrance line carrying the John Richmond name has been produced under license by the Parma-based perfume company Italart since 2021 [2]. The brand remains active across both fashion and fragrance, with its most recent scent released in early 2025.

The name therefore covers two layers that are easy to confuse. The John Richmond brand identity dates to 1987, when the designer launched his eponymous collections; the fragrance line specifically began in 2021 under Italart's license [2]. This article covers both.

John Richmond, the designer, was born on 8 January 1960 in Manchester, England, and graduated in fashion design from Kingston University in 1982. In 1984 he co-founded the Richmond-Cornejo label with designer Maria Cornejo. From 1987 he produced three lines under his own name: the main John Richmond line, the second line Richmond X, and the denim line Richmond Denim [5]. The work became associated with rock and punk culture, and the designer dressed musicians and public figures including Madonna, David Bowie, Mick Jagger and George Michael over the course of his career.

The John Richmond fashion house belongs to ARAV Group, an Italian fashion holding managed by chief executive Mena Marano and chairman Giuseppe Ammaturo, which acquired it in 2017 [8]. ARAV Group also owns the labels Silvian Heach and Marco Bologna and holds the license for Trussardi Junior.

The fragrance line operates under a separate arrangement. In 2021, Italart Co. SRL — a Parma-based perfume company structured as a benefit corporation (Società Benefit) — acquired the John Richmond fragrance license and launched its first scents under the name [2]. Italart, founded in 1984 and now in its third generation of family ownership, produces fragrances for several licensed fashion brands. These two relationships are distinct rather than contradictory: ARAV Group owns the fashion house, and Italart holds the fragrance license.

According to the company, John Richmond draws on "an eclectic range of sources, from post-punk to tribal motifs," and is influenced by the energy of young people and street culture [1]. Italart describes the brand as combining "rebellion and tradition, excess and discipline, energy and stillness." Across its fragrance work the name is positioned in the luxury and niche segment.

The fragrance portfolio under Italart spans several lines. The Black Metal pairing arrived first — Black Metal Woman in 2021 and Black Metal Man in 2022 — each carrying the rock-influenced aesthetic with studded design details. In 2022 the brand introduced Unknown Pleasures, a higher-positioned collection of eau de parfums (including Acid Bomb, Secret Woods, Lost Rose and Hidden Amber) presented as genderless scents that can be layered. The collection was created with perfumers Jordi Fernandez, Veronique Nyberg and Guillaume Flavigny, and launched on 1 July 2022 [6].

Later releases include Never Forever, a women's fragrance from 2023, and Hardcore Religion to a Dance Beat, a men's fragrance available in perfumeries from February 2025. The packaging across the range uses a reusable shell with an aged metal-effect finish, which the company says is intended to reduce environmental impact [1].

Italart, which produces the fragrances at its plant in Montechiarugolo, near Parma, states that it works toward minimal environmental impact through natural fragrances, recyclable packaging materials and a local supply chain. The company has described the Never Forever fragrance as made with 94 percent biodegradable ingredients, framing it as an expression of responsible luxury.

Black Metal Man was named a finalist by the Accademia del Profumo (Perfume Academy), an Italian industry institution, among three men's perfumes selected as the best olfactory creation of 2022 [7]. The Unknown Pleasures launch was covered by the trade publication WWD in 2022 [6].

The brand is active in both of its layers. The fashion house, under ARAV Group, was reported in 2023 to be sold through around 300 stores worldwide, with mono-brand locations in Milan and Dubai and current seasonal collections [8]. The fragrance line continues to expand, with releases in 2021, 2022, 2023 and a men's scent reaching perfumeries in February 2025. Distribution is concentrated in Europe, with stated plans to extend into the Middle East, China and the United States.