From automobiles to perfumery: Amna Al Habtoor
She has challenged traditional thinking by working in the automobile industry – looked upon as a man’s territory. She feels women bring sensitivity and practicality to even a decision like buying a car, evaluating its long-term purpose. And women can bring depth and sensitivity to running a business, irrespective of its nature. We are talking about Amna Al Habtoor. From the world of the automobiles to creating fragrances, Al Habtoor has done it all. Moving over from the family business, Al Habtoor Motors, she has given her passion a concrete shape by creating her own niche perfumery brand, Arcadia. Having gone through an intense fragrance creation course from The Cotswold Perfumery in the UK, Al Habtoor launched Arcadia in 2017. “I wanted to break away from the safety net and challenge myself to create something of my own. And the men in my life – my father and my spouse – have encouraged me to do so. My father was confident that I could be part of the family automobile business. My husband believed in my vision and encouraged me to set up my own business,” she shares.
That fragrance is deeply entrenched in the Middle Eastern culture is evident from Al Habtoor’s recollections and creations – with each fragrance having a strong association with her personal life. “From a young age, I’ve always had a passion for perfumes. I followed through by training as a perfumer, applying my experiences and skills to fulfil my dream by launching Arcadia. Now and then, I go back to The Cotswold Perfumery to brush up my skills and also learn about new trends in fragrance creation,” she says.
Having been drawn to the idea of art and senses, Al Habtoor has and continues to work closely with some very talented artisans to fulfil her vision of crafting unique scents based on memories, evoking a sense of nostalgia.
“To me, scent is a powerful means to capture and relive memories,” she states. “So, when I create a fragrance, it needs to remind me of a place, time or a very precious emotion. I have created a scent for each of my children. I had created a fragrance called ‘Infinity’ that I gave away as a gift to guests on my wedding – which eventually turned out to be an inflection point for the conceptualisation of Arcadia. Through each scent, I try to create a narrative that triggers emotions relatable to everyone, no matter where they are from and what journey they are on. And mind you, these emotions can be happy as well as dark. Through Arcadia
perfumes, I try to capture raw human emotions – my own feelings of joy and sadness are reflected in the notes of the fragrances. I spend a lot of time at the lab in my office, trying to mix different notes, especially ones that usually wouldn’t go together and blend them in.”
Through Arcadia, Al Habtoor continues to defy conventional norms and breaks down gender and cultural barriers. “From the beginning, I wanted to create a brand for everyone – irrespective of gender, religion, social backgrounds. I wanted Arcadia to be unique but not intimidating, and that reflects in our pricing, packaging and the perfumes itself,” she confirms. “Above all, I want each scent within Arcadia to tell a story, inspired by genuine encounters – that’s the uniqueness of my brand,” she adds.
Not only did Al Habtoor create a unique, home-grown label, but Arcadia – as a relatively young brand – has performed “exceptionally well,” having collaborated with top international brands including Farfetch, Bentley and Grand Hyatt, among others. “These collaborations are a testament to the brand that Arcadia is and our quality,” Al Habtoor avers.
As a brand, Arcadia is experiencedriven. As such, some inflection points for Arcadia over the last three years have come through experienceled events, centred around the launch of every fragrance. “In the past every time we have launched a new edition, we celebrated the occasion with tailormade events, creating a room that represented the scents,” Al Habtoor elaborates.
For every such launch, as opposed using its own brick-and-mortar space, Arcadia converted a warehouse into an immersive, scent-oriented theatre. The idea is to leverage imperfection to create a perfectly beautiful, multisensory set-up. Al Habtoor explains. “These are time-consuming projects, but at the end highlight what appears to be dingy from outside is actually a delightful space inside.”
When asked how difficult it is to create a strong brand presence for a home-grown business, especially in a segment where there are several local and international names, Al Habtoor admits, “It is quite difficult. But Arcadia has managed to stand out for its simplicity despite being unique. From our packaging – which is now eco-conscious – to design of the stores, all aspects are simple, friendly yet highly inspiring and experiential. Also, our fragrances – neither Arabic nor Oriental – have an international appeal and allowed us to create a strong presence.”
In terms of retail presence, Arcadia recently launched its e-commerce site towards the end of 2019. The brand has built a strong retail presence locally and regionally through organic growth, while also foraying into select international markets. “We have strong enough presence in the UAE – in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah – through standalone stores as well as in One & Only Hotels. Now, Arcadia is also present in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman. Internationally, we have entered Germany and will soon expand to London and Japan,” Al Habtoor shares. ■