ParfumPlus

PP: OUD, MUSK AND AMBER ARE CENTRAL TO YOUR SCENTS. WHAT MAKES THESE INGREDIENTS TIMELESS FOR YOU? KA: They are not merely ingredients; they are archetypes. Oud carries within it a civilisation's relationship with nature and prayer. Musk connects us to something intimate and deeply human. Amber wraps everything in warmth and memory. What makes them timeless is that they resist trends. A well-crafted oud composition feels like it has always existed. There is a depth to these materials that no shortcut can replicate. For us, they are the foundation, not a marketing decision. We source carefully and refuse to compromise, because our customers' skin will reveal the truth of every choice we make. PP: IN A TREND-DRIVEN MARKET, HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A DISTINCT IDENTITY FOR YOUR BRAND? KA: By not mistaking noise for direction. The industry produces endless signals, seasonal trends, collaborations, algorithm-driven predictions and many brands follow each wave efficiently. We choose a different discipline: we ask what our customer genuinely needs and what our heritage uniquely offers before we look at what the market is doing. This is not stubbornness. It is conviction. When we release something, it carries genuine creative intention. Our customers have come to trust that, and that trust is worth more than any trend cycle. Identity is the only truly sustainable advantage. Everything else can be copied. PP: WITH A LARGE PORTFOLIO, HOW DO YOU BALANCE CREATIVE GROWTH WITH CONSISTENCY IN QUALITY? KA: It is one of the most real challenges of operating at this scale. Our answer has been to build a culture around standards of intention, not just production. Every fragrance must answer: Does this bring something genuine? Does it reflect who we are? We have invested in our people across every GCC market team who understand that consistency is not uniformity. A customer in Kuwait and a customer in Doha should both feel they are receiving something exceptional. Growth as a by-product of doing something well — that is the only kind worth pursuing. PP: OPERATING ACROSS CULTURES, HOW HAVE DIFFERENT MARKETS INFLUENCED YOUR APPROACH TO FRAGRANCE? KA: Enormously. Saudi Arabia has exposed us to a market with various tastes. Kuwait shows us an audience that is tradition-rooted but boldly experimental. Qatar reflects an elegant, refined customer who rewards craftsmanship and subtlety. The UAE has become a true meeting point of the world's fragrance cultures, where ❚ KAFEEL AHMED, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN , AHMED AL MAGHRIBI PERFUMES P A R F U M P L U S 56