Nejma

Nejma was founded around 2005 by Marie-Lise Bischoff, who grew up near Grasse and spent years distributing fragrances from Place Vendome before deciding to create her own house. The name comes from an Arabian tale about a heroine of radiant, elusive beauty - a story Bischoff encountered during travels in the Far East that also introduced her to oud long before it became fashionable in European perfumery. The Heritage Collection, seven spicy warm florals built around agarwood as a connective thread, established Nejma's signature: high-quality raw materials, Middle Eastern-influenced accords rendered with Grasse-trained precision, and numbered presentations that avoided the biographical naming conventions of many niche houses. The house is based in Grasse and works closely with perfumers who have formal training in the region. Alice Lavenat became associated with Nejma after winning France's Young Perfumer of the Year award in 2014; her winning composition - a blackcurrant bud accord - became Le Parfum d'Alice, named in her honour. Bischoff has made a point of giving Lavenat access to expensive raw materials without the cost constraints typical of commercial briefs.