For the past few years, the Middle Eastern culture of scents has been gaining an even bigger popularity in the United Arab Emirates than before, with a modern twist and experimental aspect to it. Let’s be real, we can’t complain, but in such a deliciously-smelling frenzy, where do you even start?
Arcadia by Amna Al Habtoor is a niche perfumery that has totally captured the international scene’s attention through its modern, minimalistic bottles, with stunning scents that are meant to bring you back specific emotions and memories. In their own words, Arcadia houses sentimentalists and preachers of nostalgia through unisex, unconventional, high-quality notes.
Each special composition has a tell-tale name, for which we mention their candle collection: Loud Silence, Trapped Freedom, and Controlled Chaos. The notes range is very diverse, from woody, balsamic scents to musky, powdery amber.
Out of Amna’s fragrances collection, we mention Year 50, a special ode to the UAE anniversary, with hypnotizing spicy fruity notes, like saffron, pear, rose water and indian wood.
Amna Al Habtoor and her sophisticated nose
The UAE-born entrepreneur and perfume creator Amna Al Habtoor has always found scents inspiring and nostalgic, especially as specific notes would be reminiscent of her late mother, bringing up memories she’d always cherish. She wanted to make sure that anybody can understand this feeling, the wonderful gift of being completely absorbed by your senses around perfume. This inspired her to start her own business in 2015, with her first scent being created for her wedding day. She started marking and celebrating special moments from her life this way, including a scent for the birth of her daughter and a scented candle for her son.
The contemporary brand is meaning to break gender and cultural barriers while creating unique scents that can be worn by both men and women. Arcadia also pride themselves on being a cruelty-free niche brand, being packaged in sustainable materials and choosing environmentally-friendly practices.
One of their biggest milestones has just been achieved by launching a special collaborative edition honoring legendary Muhammad Ali on the 20th of January. Amna took inspiration from six core principles to craft this exclusive new fragrance: confidence, conviction, dedication, respect, giving, and spirituality. The product of this collaboration is an invigorating scent that reflects the character, personality, and spirit of the world-renowned boxer.
You can find Arcadia’s flagship store in Dubai, Dar Al Wasl, the perfect place for premium shopping.
Needless to say, we see a bright, mesmerizing future for the brand! Have you tried it?
Photos courtesy of Arcadia. Check out their shop here.