Anfas

Anfas is a UAE-based niche fragrance house founded in 2014 by Asim Al Qassim, identified as the first certified perfumer in the United Arab Emirates. Al Qassim trained as an architect before turning to fragrance, and the dual background is evident in the precision and visual intentionality of the Anfas identity: bottles edged with palm leaf motifs, lids centered with a flowering detail presented as if on a hospitality tray. The name Anfas derives from the Arabic for "to inhale" or "to immerse." The brand frames itself as a meeting point between Arabian tradition and contemporary craft — each fragrance combines traditional regional ingredients such as oud, incense-adjacent accords, and rose with modern Western perfumery technique. Al Qassim collaborates with perfumer Christian Carbonnel. The resulting compositions evoke the specific sensory culture of Arab hospitality: coffee, incense, warm spice, and the sweetness of dried fruits. Anfas distributes through specialist niche retailers internationally, with particular visibility in European niche perfumery boutiques.