A small group of 22-year-olds, fresh out of university and with no real fashion industry background, started Pompeii in Spain in 2014 out of a straightforward love of shoes rather than any spotted gap in the market. The founders' shared background between southern England and Madrid shaped the brand's look from the start, and the range has since grown from footwear into ready-to-wear. The brand describes its approach as refined streetwear built around personal taste rather than a single fixed style.