The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The Founder wears its name with the gravity the bottle suggests. Badr Harqan, the Saudi Arabian perfumer behind Founder, gives the release a direct identity through its concentrated woody profile and forceful note structure. Spicy notes, green cardamom, orange, and black pepper establish an energetic opening, while oak wood and cedar guide the composition toward a drier, more substantial center. Beneath them sits a dense foundation of amber, smoke, Arabian oud, vetiver, patchouli, and sandalwood. The result is an Arabian woody fragrance built around contrast: bright citrus and sharp spice give way to dry timber, smoky warmth, and resinous depth. Its character is immediately legible, then slowly deepens as the opening settles into the darker base.
The Founder separates itself through the force with which its upper notes meet its woody foundation. Spicy notes and green cardamom arrive with green, almost sharp clarity, joined by orange and black pepper. Oak wood and cedar then pull the composition into deeper, drier territory, giving the early brightness a firm wooden frame. As the fragrance settles, amber and smoke soften that structure without diminishing its weight. Arabian oud, vetiver, patchouli, and sandalwood form a dense, resinous base, with sweetness, smoke, and dry wood continually overlapping.
The evolution
Founder by Badr Harqan evolves from a bright opening of spicy notes, green cardamom, orange, and black pepper into a structured heart of oak wood and cedar. The citrus lift remains threaded through the drier wood, creating contrast while the spice gradually takes on a warmer character. As the fragrance settles, amber and smoke add depth around Arabian oud, vetiver, patchouli, and sandalwood. The composition shifts from fresh citrus and sharp spice to smoky resins, dry timber, and a dense base. Community feedback describes longevity as above average, while the note progression suggests a fragrance that develops gradually rather than staying fixed at its opening.
Cultural impact
Founder wears its name as a statement of scale and concentration. Its opening uses green cardamom, orange, black pepper, and spicy notes to create brightness, but the composition quickly moves toward the darker register associated with Arabian woody perfumery. Oak wood and cedar provide a dry center, while amber, smoke, Arabian oud, vetiver, patchouli, and sandalwood deepen the final impression. Community recommendations place it among fragrances suited to presence rather than a light daily signature, and feedback describes its performance as above average in longevity.
The House
Badr HarqanBadr Harqan is a Riyadh-based perfume house built around the singular vision of its founder and nose, Badr Harqan. The brand's debut, Salvador, appeared in 2022, followed by a steady stream of releases including Hitman, Hitman Rose, Gravity, Ajwa, Van Gohg, and Before. By 2025, the catalogue had expanded significantly with additions like The Founder, Dracula Parfum, and a self-titled composition called Badr Harqan. Operating from Saudi Arabia, the house blends personal perfumery with a distinctively Najdi sensibility, positioning itself at the intersection of heritage and contemporary Arabian fragrance creation.
The Creator
Badr HarqanBadr's style favors boldness without excess. He builds fragrances with clear architectural intent, layering intensity with restraint so that each element has room to register.
