GUESS is a renowned American fashion brand that was founded by four brothers: Georges, Armand, Paul, and Maurice Marciano. Originally from Morocco and raised in France, the Marciano brothers relocated to California in 1977 with the aim of establishing their own business. They received initial funding from the family who owned Jordache Jeans.

The first GUESS jeans, known as the “Marilyn,” gained attention for their stone-washed appearance and distinctive ankle zippers. The introduction of these jeans perfectly coincided with the trend of designer jeans in the late 1970s, continuing into the early 1980s. GUESS made its entrance into the American market through the renowned retailer Bloomingdale’s. Advertising played a crucial role in the brand’s success, propelling it to become one of the top-selling denim brands of the 1980s. In 1985, GUESS unveiled its iconic black-and-white ads, featuring models such as Claudia Schiffer, Anna Nicole Smith, Laetitia Casta, Carla Bruni, and Naomi Campbell. These ads showcased a heavily stylized aesthetic, reminiscent of starlets from the 1950s and 1960s.

In addition to women’s jeans, GUESS expanded its offerings to include men’s jeans in 1983. The brand also achieved great success with its line of GUESS watches during the mid-1980s. While a home accessories division briefly existed during the 1990s, GUESS managed to navigate the fluctuating landscape of the fashion world during that time. In the 21st century, the brand successfully reconnected with the youth market, aided by advertising campaigns featuring prominent figures such as Paris Hilton.

Presently, GUESS provides apparel through three distinct lines: GUESS, which focuses on denim and casual wear, Guess by Marciano, offering modern ready-to-wear and accessories, and Guess Kids. The brand’s fragrance venture began with the introduction of “Original” Guess for women in the late 1980s, a collaboration with Revlon. From 2003 to 2009, Parlux held the fragrance license for Guess, after which Guess began working with Coty to produce fragrances for both men and women. Designer Guess boasts an extensive assortment of 45 perfumes in its fragrance base. The earliest fragrance was created in 1990, with the most recent addition being introduced in 2023. The perfumers behind Guess fragrances have included esteemed names such as James Bell, Clement Gavarry, Firmenich, Maurice Roucel, Claudette Belnavis, Steve DeMercado, Ellen Molner, Gabriela Chelariu, Bruno Jovanovic, Jacques Huclier, Laurent Le Guernec, Honorine Blanc, Christine Hassan, Barbara Zoebelein, Antoine Lie, Francis Kurkdjian, Veronique Nyberg, Guillaume Flavigny, Pierre Negrin, Jérôme Epinette, and Bernard Ellena.