Henry Jacques Revisits Sheikh Zayed’s Private Fragrance Collection
French perfume house Henry Jacques is paying tribute to its longstanding relationship with the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan through three fragrances preserved in its archives, offering a rare glimpse into the personal fragrance collection of the UAE’s Founding Father.
The relationship dates back several decades, beginning with founder Henry Jacques Cremona’s fascination with the UAE during the 1960s. Over the years, the house developed 64 bespoke fragrances for Sheikh Zayed, both for his personal use and as gifts for those close to him. According to Henry Jacques, more than 1,000 perfume flacons were delivered to his palace.
Three compositions from that collection, Dar Zayed, Abu Dhabi and White Saffron, are now available in limited quantities.
Dar Zayed opens with saffron before moving into Cuvée Dehen el Oudh, myrrh and patchouli leaf. Damascena rose, one of Sheikh Zayed’s favourite ingredients, brings a floral dimension, while white musk and amber complete the composition.
Abu Dhabi takes a woody, aromatic direction, beginning with chamomile and Egyptian geranium. Honey, pine needle and leather introduce warmth before tobacco, labdanum and sandalwood form its deeper base.
White Saffron offers a brighter interpretation of the spice, combining it with orange blossom, Egyptian jasmine and Damascena rose. White musk and ambergris give the fragrance its softer finish.
Each is presented in a specially designed set containing a 15ml Essence and a 75ml Brume, available exclusively at the Henry Jacques boutique in The Galleria, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi. Prices range from AED 10,270 to AED 19,145.
Clive Christian Explores Transparency With UNCOVERED
British perfume house Clive Christian has taken an unusual approach to its latest limited edition fragrance, UNCOVERED, a floral musk built around the idea of transparency.
Created by perfumer Elise Pierre, the composition was selected as the winning interpretation of a creative brief presented to 14 perfumers at the CPL Fragrance House Conference. The resulting fragrance contains 164 ingredients at a 40 per cent perfume concentration.
Fresh aldehydes, eucalyptus, pink pepper and bergamot open the composition, followed by immortelle absolute, orris, a salty accord and ylang-ylang. White musk, sandalwood, moss and amber form the base, bringing warmth to the fresher opening.
Three materials are particularly important to UNCOVERED’s identity, aldehydes, immortelle and white musk. Their contrasting characteristics give the fragrance its progression from crisp freshness to a warmer, musky finish.
The concept extends to the bottle, where sculpted transparent glass takes inspiration from a frozen block of ice. Its presentation explores the relationship between light, reflection and transparency, with the fragrance itself remaining visible through the glass.
UNCOVERED is available in limited quantities from November 2026 to January 2027, priced at AED 1,980. Once the edition sells out, it will not be replenished.
Jusbox Finds Inspiration in Jazz Improvisation With Off The Cuff
Jazz improvisation and the familiar sound of vinyl records provide the inspiration for Off The Cuff, a woody ambery fragrance by Italian perfume house Jusbox.
Created by perfumer Bruno Jovanovic, the composition explores spontaneity through an unusual ingredient: a Vinyl Record NaturePrint accord developed to evoke the distinctive character of a vinyl record.
The fragrance opens with bergamot and lime before cistus and cypress introduce aromatic and resinous notes. The vinyl accord sits at the heart, bringing a textural quality to the composition, while sandalwood, cedarwood, styrax and Amberever provide a warm, woody base.
The inspiration also has a personal connection to Jusbox’s founders, Andrea and Chiara Valdo, whose father introduced them to jazz through stories of concerts and his collection of vinyl records. Those early encounters with music helped shape the house’s continuing exploration of the relationship between sound and scent.
Off The Cuff is presented as a 22 per cent concentration Eau de Parfum, extending Jusbox’s catalogue of fragrances inspired by different musical genres and cultural movements.
Siyate Revisits Childhood Memories Through Fragrance
A cup of karak, a childhood breakfast and an evening at the cinema provide the inspiration for three fragrances from Siyate’s Nostalgia Collection. Created by founder and perfumer Minal Siyal, the collection explores the relationship between scent and memory, translating familiar experiences into compositions with some rather unexpected ingredient combinations.
Chai Karak draws inspiration from the familiar aroma of spiced tea, beginning with cardamom, clove, cinnamon and pink pepper. Assam tea absolute, rose sugar and nutmeg form the heart, followed by burnt sugar, smoked vanilla and amber woods. The composition went through 28 iterations before reaching its final form.
Breakfast Club recalls childhood mornings through pistachio cream, honey and heliotrope, followed by cereal milk, steamed rice and saffron. Tonka bean, sandalwood, musk and vanilla complete its creamy, nutty profile.
Last Show turns to cinema visits, combining warm popcorn, salted butter and toasted corn with caramel, almond brittle and vanilla. Amber, burnt sugar and creamy musk bring depth to the composition.
All three fragrances are available as 75ml Extraits de Parfum, priced at AED 240 each.
KAYALI Brings Yum Vanilla Cupcake to Magnolia Bakery
Mona Kattan’s childhood memories of vanilla and birthday celebrations provide the inspiration for KAYALI’s Yum Vanilla Cupcake | 108, a gourmand Eau de Parfum built around the familiar aroma of freshly frosted cupcakes.
Lemon sugar introduces brightness before white caramel and vanilla frosting bring the composition into sweeter territory. The dessert references extend to the bottle, with a limited-edition 50ml version featuring colourful sprinkles.
KAYALI has also partnered with Magnolia Bakery on a limited-edition collection of cupcakes inspired by the fragrance. The collaboration features Magnolia’s signature vanilla cupcakes, decorated with coloured sprinkles and a custom KAYALI white chocolate plaque.
Customers purchasing a qualifying box of six cupcakes receive a complimentary 1.5ml sample of Yum Vanilla Cupcake | 108 and a KAYALI sticker sheet, while stocks last.
The collaboration runs at participating Magnolia Bakery locations across the UAE from November 5 to December 6. Yum Vanilla Cupcake | 108 is available in 100ml, 50ml and 10ml formats through KAYALI and Sephora Middle East.
Kenz de Rasasi Takes Hawas Frost to New Heights
Kenz de Rasasi has chosen two of the world’s most recognisable landmarks for an ambitious campaign surrounding Hawas Frost, connecting Mount Everest with Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
The fragrance was scheduled to make its debut on November 2 through a Guinness World Records attempt associated with Mount Everest, before a second presentation at the Burj Khalifa on November 6. The Dubai event includes a planned attempt to achieve the highest perfume presentation on a man made structure.
The contrast between the two locations forms the central idea of the campaign, taking the fragrance from the natural heights of the Himalayas to the architecture of Dubai. Hawas Frost follows the introduction of Kenz de Rasasi at Beautyworld Middle East, where the Dubai house presented eight fragrance collections drawing on Rasasi’s established perfumery heritage.
The campaign also reflects Kenz de Rasasi’s international ambitions as it develops a separate identity within the Rasasi family of fragrance houses.
ARMAF Takes Club de Nuit Timeless to Historic Toledo
Dubai born fragrance house ARMAF has turned to the Spanish city of Toledo for Club de Nuit Timeless, a new composition inspired by the passage of time and the enduring appeal of history.
The fragrance was presented at Puy du Fou España, a historical attraction known for its elaborate productions depicting different periods of Spain’s past. ARMAF took over the venue for two days, culminating in a performance of El Sueño de Toledo, which traces 1,500 years of Spanish history through music, choreography and visual effects.
Toledo’s history as a meeting point of different cultures provided a fitting setting for the fragrance. The city has long been associated with exchanges between European and Middle Eastern traditions, a connection that also reflects ARMAF’s origins in Dubai and its growing international presence.
Club de Nuit Timeless opens with spice before developing into warmer notes of wood and leather. Its sage grey bottle features a champagne gold cap, with Roman numerals and clockface detailing carrying the theme of time into the design.
The fragrance is now available through ARMAF’s official website.
