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Scent of Opulence:

A Journey with Amouage

A high perfumery company renowned for creating some of the most finely crafted perfumes in the world,
Amouage has redefined the Arabian art of perfumery and crafted a global reputation for bringing innovative
modernity and true artistry to all its creations. At The Retail Summit event in Saudi Arabia, we spoke with
CEO Marco Parsiegla to better understand the business’s heritage and avant-garde opulence.

ounded in the Sultanate of Oman in 1983 by the Albusaidi
Ffamily, the vision behind Amouage was to be ‘The Gift
of Kings’. Started by the inspirational his late Majesty Sultan
Qaboos bin Said Al Said, the House was designed to develop a
fragrance that could serve as a gift to the world to showcase the
perfume being perfected in Oman. 2
“We often say Amouage is Oman and Oman is Amouage;
we are very closely interlinked,” highlights Marco Parsiegla,
CEO of Amouage. “We are very grateful for the inspiration
we take from Oman and we see it as our responsibility and
role to showcase the beauty of the country in all our markets
around the world.”
Over the last couple of years the House has undergone
somewhat of a transformation as it delved deeper into its
DNA. So better understanding its roots in Oman and taking
inspiration from this, they have complemented their products
and fragrances with a timeless, modern take and making
them relevant around the world. So while their roots may be in
Oman, they have grown to become the most prominent luxury
beauty House from the GCC region and a beacon for perfume
lovers around the globe.
While they are in constant dialogue with their clients, they
are actually at the centre of bi directional communication and
ideas. For Amouage, it is all about creativity first and they often 3 4
have open dialogues between perfumers, clients, packaging 1,2. Mall of
designers and multiple other people such as Chief Creative standalone boutiques and over 1,000 points of sales worldwide. fragrance market, Amouage stands out from the crowd through Oman,
Muscat, Oman
Officer Renaud Salmon within the ongoing creative collective. “As an example; we have just opened a new monobrand the quality of its craft and its ground-breaking creativity. They 3. Zhang Yuan,
Shanghai,
As our conversation with Parsiegla moves onto how the store in Shanghai and the inspiration for this goes all the way were one of the first to introduce higher oil concentrations, China
company offers its luxury experience beyond just the product back to when Omani sailors were travelling from Oman to called ‘Exceptional Extras’. The aging process is another element 4. The
Amouage
itself, he comments this is an aspiration for them moving forward, China. So when you enter the shop, it will feel as if you are that sets them apart, as giving perfumes time to develop before Perfume
Manufacture
particularly in their retail environment which currently stands at 17 actually under the water. For us it is very important that our being sent out makes a huge difference to the quality. and Visitor
stores are unique and offer a deep connection with the House “Finally, I would highlight our essences, a new product that Centre, Seeb,
Oman
as this company was born to build bridges and connect people we have just launched which is double-infused and shows how
1 around the world,” explains Parsiegla. we have taken inspiration from the past, where fragrances were
Social media is an alternative way that the company extends infused,” comments Parsiegla.
its experiential offering. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok Within their operations, sustainability is deeply embedded. In
play a very important role in engaging with their clients and Oman, they have one lighthouse project. In the south of the
portraying the Amouage story. A lot of their content creation is country Amouage has taken the reins of a UNESCO World
done in-house and they believe producing it this way, as well as Heritage Site and are the proud caretakers of around 5,000
featuring videos from thousands of their clients highlighting their frankincense trees.
experiences of Amouage creations, is what makes a difference. “We want to be a role model and showcase how we can
The CEO feels that, in terms of expansion, Saudi Arabia actually do good for the community, whilst at the same time
is a market where there is huge potential and they have seen build incredible products. Of course there are other efforts
phenomenal results in the last 12 months, almost tripling their in our sustainability operations, such as installing solar panels
retail sales in this country alone. The US is an important market within our operation, these are small steps and there is much to
as well and in recent times they have improved their standing do moving forward.”
their considerably. As we discuss the future of the business, Parsiegla says that
“South Korea is another beacon for us as well. By illustrating they are proud to be Omani; they want to be an ambassador for
these three markets to you, it showcases we are a global Oman and leave a legacy.
House. While we are deeply rooted in Oman and a champion “We want to showcase the tradition and mastery this part
for the GCC region, our true potential lies in being a global of the world has in perfumery. In terms of our company, we
powerhouse.” aspire to be one of the best and biggest Houses in the high
A growing presence in the increasingly competitive luxury perfumery industry.”

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