ENTREPRENEUR
THE PERFUME SHEIKH Sheikh Majed Al Sabah talks to GC about his passion project, The Fragrance Kitchen TFK was established in 2012. The Sheikh mixes his scents or Sheikh Majed Al Sabah, a member of Kuwait’s by hand at home then sends the winning formulas to Grasse, royal family, fragrance is a family affair. His beloved France, where they are reproduced by perfumers. His three grandmother showed him how to blend precious oils daughters and many nieces and nephews help coin catchy names purchased at Kuwait City’s old Souk Al-Mubarakiya using for his creations, such as the best-selling War of the Roses and recipes passed down through the generations. “My grandmother Arab Spring. TFK itself consists of four collections: Exclusive, had a great nose,” recalls Al Sabah . “I lived with her and picked the core of the line; My Collection, Al Sabah’s personal scent up her love of blending fragrances.” wardrobe; Tribute, an ode to his favourite cities; and Modern Al Sabah is a pioneer in the field of Middle Eastern fashion and Heritage, an olfactory celebration of the Arab world today. beauty. In 1992 he founded Villa Moda, a luxury department store in Kuwait City. He was the first to Al Sabah is also a veritable fashion influencer. With over 352,000 Instagram bring Western designers like Donna Karan, followers and nearly 2 million on Snapchat, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren to the “We want to he can certainly draw a crowd. When his region. He later rolled out his designercommunicate the young, fragrances launched in April of last year bazaar concept to other Middle Eastern fun face of the Middle at the iconic New York department store countries before leaving the company in East to the world” Bergdorf Goodman, Al Sabah was in the 2009. But despite being a formidable fashion centre of a mob of over a thousand fans taking selfies and kissing babies. entrepreneur, it was following a lunch with The line is also carried in other prestigious global department long-time friend Tom Ford that Al Sabah truly felt the selfstores, such as Selfridges and Neiman Marcus. Al Sabah sees assurance to start his own fragrance line. And it was Al Sabah his line as a something of an ambassador for the Middle East. who recommended that Ford break into the Middle Eastern “We want to communicate the young, fun face of the Middle market with his fragrance first. “I developed Arabian Wood East to the world,” he explains. “In the Middle East people love for his private collection, and it became one of his best sellers. This fragrance gave me the confidence to start The Fragrance newness. They love diversity and change. We want that aspect Kitchen,” he explains. to be known worldwide, that young, fun, approachable face.”
2017 / SUMMER
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