Conceptual – Co-founders of Area Beige

WORDS: DAN ROBINSON

Conceptual

What does it take to build a one-of-a-kind multi-sensory experience? Mohammad Badri (MB) and Issa Al Nuaimi (IN), co-founders of Area Beige, have done exactly that and share their incredible story with us

What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like? MB [In-house perfumer]: A typical day is usually starting the day by sitting down with my team to go over the inventory and understand customer feedback, responses, and preferences with the sales team. As I do own several other businesses, I prioritize my time managing them all. IN [In-house artist]: For me, art is more personal, and it is a creative process. So, no two days are alike. I spend most of the time at my studio. What inspired you to launch Area Beige and how did you know it was the right time? MB: Area Beige is a project so dear to us in different ways. Area Beige means that my passion and love for niche perfumery finally came to life after more than a decade of really understanding, researching, and studying the craft, be it on a corporate level, a B2C level or a personal level. I finally felt ready to take this venture to the next level by exploring endless opportunities in the world of fragrances. Area Beige wants to nurture that and provide a platform to look through new perspectives, which will ignite creativity, innovate, and inspire a new generation of artists and designers. IN: As an artist, having my art displayed in a gallery is a dream come true. Along with an added retail space with my illustrations printed on different art products, appliances, and even apparel is just icing on the cake with many projects to follow. We were able to fulfil our dreams and goals in ways we had waited for so long. Having things planned thoroughly and having all the pieces come together to finally breathe life into Area Beige and see it unfold right before our eyes. Has opening your own concept space always been something you have wanted to embark on? MB: Definitely, this might seem like a business venture to our customers, but in reality, it has stemmed from a passion and years of planning, contemplating, studying, and experiences in each of our respected industries – perfume and art. These are not just hobbies, these are fields and sectors we genuinely appreciate, and we’re constantly growing and evolving, keeping up with industry trends and technologies to ultimately give our customers the best of the best in each market. What piece of advice would you give your younger selves? IN: Always trust your instincts. Don’t hold back when you know you’re capable of doing or managing something you’ve always dreamt of. Do not listen to naysayers. Always trust yourself and your strengths and reach out to professionals to help with any weaknesses or obstacles that

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could come your way. It is up to you to keep that door open and explore what’s waiting for you or keep it closed, be too hesitant and eventually have your dreams fade out. MB: Do not give up. Always look forward and know that when you put your mind to something and utilize that power, you will eventually achieve what you’ve always longed for. Your space brings together the elements of fragrance, art and design. How did the three come together to bring the vision to life? IN: All elements complete each other in incredible ways. Perfume is art in a bottle; the way you have different raw materials blended in a bottle to appeal to your sense of smell is an incredible thing. Art can mean anything; it can be interpreted in different ways. It is how we view or relate to an illustration. This is what I want my art to reflect – empower and inspire creativity and innovative thinking. Our independent design studio, Studio D04, designed such a beautiful space for us to emphasize the beauty of our products, both perfume bottles, and a painting. It is a complete 360-degree experience under one roof. What is the process for handpicking the fragrances, how do you know which brand and scent is right for the store and customer? MB: All the fragrances on display at Area Beige take me back to a specific memory, whether it’s a memorable trip, a particular occasion etc. These are brands that I have shortlisted and hand-picked myself and are very special to me. I wanted to bring such unique and niche fragrances to the market in the UAE for people to discover these brands and hopefully appreciate them as much as I do.

We are focused on niche perfumery and handpicked international brands from different parts of the world. We have imported such brands exclusively to the UAE by having over 100 different types of unique fragrances from brands like Mirko Buffini from Italy, 1907 from Slovakia, Maison Violet from France, and NCP from Sweden.

We’ve ensured that Area Beige is your go-to niche perfume boutique in the region if you’re genuinely a perfume enthusiast looking for rare, unique, and niche perfume houses. We are also committed to adding local brands to our portfolio, hence why we carry the exclusive range of perfume oils and bakhoor by a new and up-coming Emirati brand called Amberscent. We are constantly looking to add more Emirati brands in the future. What have been the biggest challenges to date and how did you overcome them? IN: Some of the challenges were mainly to do with renovation and processes, as well as to train our employees to ensure they can show growth and understanding along the way. Getting things

Which brand or scent would you recommend for gifting? MB: Perfume is more personal, and I recommend knowing the person to choose the right one. At Area Beige, you can still buy an affordable niche perfume brand like Spezierie Palazzo Vecchio, which has over 40 different fragrances. If you want something very premium, you can go for Jul et Nad, which offers very high concentrations of perfume, or Miya Shinma, a beautiful Japanese-themed brand born in France by an incredible Japanese perfumer. This is The Pioneer Issue – what key aspects have you learnt from launching your own concept? MB: Dubai is a market that’s evolving rapidly, and with such evolution, customers’ buying habits and expectations are quickly changing too. Customers look for new, unique, out-of-the-box, immersive shopping and retail experiences. By introducing a unique concept store like Area Beige, we have made sure to stand out in a market that has still not reached its maximum potential in the region. Since the opening, we have been so grateful to have so many repeat customers acknowledging the uniqueness and appeal of Area Beige. We try our best to cater to all segments and demographics as art and perfume can appeal to all ages and genders, but having a limited range will not help you reach that maximum potential of customer diversity. Always ensure you have a wide and broad spectrum in terms of quality and cost by sticking to core values and making as many customers happy as possible.

“Do not give up. Always look forward and know that when you put your mind to something and utilize that power, you will eventually achieve what you’ve always longed for.”

approved and checked beforehand is helpful, and ensuring we had all the required documents ready and checked before we ventured into this industry. These were some of the ways we took proper advantage of time and avoided delays as much as possible. What sets you apart from the large luxury fragrance market? MB: We carry exclusive brands you can only find at Area Beige and are not available at any store in the Middle East.