Honoring Hispanic Heritage Through Family and Fragrance

Hispanic Heritage Month is more than a moment on the calendar. It is a reminder to look back, to honor the people and stories that shaped us, and to carry those lessons forward.

For me, it brings me back to my very first job at just eight years old, working alongside my Grandpa on my dad’s side, Alejandro Peña, in the cotton fields my mother’s parents, Vernon and Wanda McRee, owned in Western Oklahoma. Those fields stretched wide under the sun, and the rows of cotton seemed endless to a boy my age. What I remember most wasn’t the heat, the weight of the hoe, or even the long hours. It was the early mornings, the rhythm of the land, and the work ethic of those who devoted their lives to the fields.

Grandpa Peña was quiet but steady, a man who believed in the dignity of hard work and the responsibility of caring for family. He married my grandmother Maria, a woman whose presence was as strong and radiant as the roses she loved. Together, they built a life rooted in resilience, love, and family. Their story continues to inspire me, not just as their grandson, but as a creator seeking to honor where I come from.

Maria Reyna Peña is the inspiration behind one of the fragrances in our collection, La Reina. She adored roses, always wearing rose-based perfumes and filling her home with their bloom. La Reina was created to honor her spirit—warm, elegant, and deeply nurturing. Every time I smell it, I am transported back to her kitchen, filled with the comforting scent of fresh tortillas and the joy of home-cooked Mexican food.

That first job in the cotton fields taught me what it means to earn something with your hands, to respect the land, and to see labor not just as work but as a connection—to family, to heritage, to identity. And in my grandmother’s love of roses, I learned how scent carries memory, weaving together beauty and legacy.

As I reflect during Hispanic Heritage Month, I think about how these experiences, rooted in the fields of Oklahoma and in the love of my grandparents, connect to a much larger story—of generations who worked hard, who built, and who created space for the next to dream bigger. It is a story not only of my family but of countless families whose heritage remains a living thread in the fabric of this country.

This month, I honor my grandfather Alejandro, my grandmother Maria, and the community that raised me. I carry their legacy in my work, and I invite you to reflect on the people and places that shaped you. Heritage is not just about the past. It is about how we carry it forward, every single day.

XX,
Dillon

Alejandro Peña

Alejandro, his brothers and friends

Grandma and Grandpa Peña celebrate 50 years.

Grandma Maria Peña