Started as an extension of a (probably unrealized) logo design for a friend’s company named Aesthetic. [Benguiat at TYPO Berlin 2000] Announced in 1977 and publicly released in January 1978. Condensed styles arrived later that year.
The original had alts for ‘A’ and ‘M’ and various ligatures which are not available in today’s digital version.
See also ITC Benguiat Gothic.