‘Qatar a key market for global perfume brand Ex Nihilo’
Ex Nihilo showcases full collections in Doha, including Arab-inspired ‘Babylone’ and exclusive scents
Qatar has become one of the key markets in the Middle East for the internationally-renowned perfume brand Ex Nihilo, receiving a positive response from Qataris since its inception five years ago, cofounder Benoit Verdier said.
“From the beginning of Ex Nihilo, we have great support from them (Qataris) in Paris but also in London where we have a nice community of brand lovers,” he told Gulf Times.
“Qatari customers are very sophisticated and know exactly what they want, but also like to be surprised,” Verdier stated.
“Qataris have this natural sense for perfumes, a very strong culture and from what I experienced by far, they know exactly how to
mix and match fragrances to make it their own. They are not that different from real Parisians,” Ex Nihilo co-founder observed.
Established five years ago by Verdier, together with co-founders Sylvie Loday and Olivier Royere, the Parisian perfume house is now present in about 19 countries in various regions around the world, including the Middle East. Ex Nihilo recently opened its new store in Qatar at Galleries Lafayette Doha, located at the Katara – the Cultural Village. “It made sense for us as we are available from the Galleries Lafayette in Paris, including the new store on Champs Elysees,” he said.
In Doha, Ex Nihilo is showcasing five collections of scents. In addition, the brand had the opportunity to create a limited edition of its bestseller Venenum Kiss customised with a beautiful Musk especially made for a special customer. “It makes sense for us to propose them the most exceptional creations through the best materials we can find (Rose of May from Grasse for instance),” Verdier said. “All of this with a strong personality and immediately addictive to stand out from the crowd.”
One exclusive collection for Arabs that reflect their heritage, and sure to be a big hit, is the Babylone Collection – created by French master perfumer Olivier Pescheux or Shyamala Maisondieu, the co-founder reveals. Babylone’s evocative names such as Amber Sky, Midnight Special or the New Atlas Fever refer to the heritage but as well to a super contemporary Arabic world, very modern and futuristic as architecture can be in Doha today, he pointed out. “Collaboration is in our DNA’s core and we draw our inspiration from many fields in the artistic community such as fashion, architecture, design, photography.”
In terms of materials, Verdier said they only use the best grade of Amber, woods accords, Rose of May or Agarwood.
“We also propose a range of three perfumed oils called the Sublimes Essences that you can use to layer your skin. You can choose as well from an Amber, a beautiful Musk and an Oud. All of them smell very Parisian and very contemporary as our aim is to revisit traditions through a modern twist,” he added. Verdier stressed that Ex Nihilo stands out from other brands, challenging stereotyped luxury and bringing a whole new luxury experience.
“Revisit High Perfumery through a unique Parisian AvantGarde Prism. It means focusing on the best of French craftsmanship as well as bringing the best of technology with a focus on personalisation,” he said.
“If we were a car company, some of our competitors could be easily Bentley or Rolls-Royce, we would be Tesla,” Verdier noted. “We love Concorde or Citroen SM and all this golden era in France in the 70’s, we want to bring back some French Panache today.”