Original Penguin

Original Penguin began in 1955 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as a menswear label created by Munsingwear, a company then known for underwear and military uniforms. The brand’s origin story centers on Munsingwear salesman Abbot Pederson, who bought a stuffed penguin from a taxidermy shop during a trip to New York; a joking remark from a flight attendant about the bird becoming a shirt logo helped inspire the now-familiar penguin emblem. In subsequent decades, Original Penguin became closely associated with sportswear, particularly shirts for golf, tennis and bowling, competing with Lacoste in the American market. The brand has remained primarily focused on menswear while gradually expanding into womens polo shirts and lifestyle accessories.

Since 1996, Original Penguin has been part of Perry Ellis International, which also owns labels such as Perry Ellis, Callaway, Cubavera and Rafaella. The fashion brand entered fragrance in 2011 with Original Penguin for Men, a woody aromatic scent built around apple, neroli, lavender, pepper, pine, vanilla, patchouli and musk. Subsequent releases, including Original Blend, Premium Blend, Iconic Blend and Ice Blue, have continued this masculine, casual direction, sold through the brand’s own website and global retailers. Original Penguin fragrances share branding with the clothing line, featuring the penguin logo on bottles and positioning themselves as accessible, everyday scents that align with the company’s relaxed American style.