Heritage
A house, in its own words
Anthony Abdul Karim, a self‑taught perfumer born to a family with roots in the Arabian Gulf, launched the house in 2013 under the name Abdul Karim Al Faransi (AKAF). He and his wife spent the first years experimenting in a modest workshop in Dubai’s Al Quoz district, sourcing raw agarwood, frankincense and natural musks directly from Oman, Yemen and the Mediterranean. By 2015 the duo released their first pure perfume oil, Musk Di Palermo, which quickly attracted collectors who appreciated its un‑diluted character. In 2017 the brand expanded into extrait de parfum, introducing Oud Cuiré and Imperial Ambergris, both of which emphasized a French‑style extraction process while retaining a distinctly Arabian heart. The following year the house added incense to its portfolio, reviving traditional Arabian burning rituals with modern packaging. A notable milestone arrived in 2021 with the launch of Baghdad 2, a fragrance that references the city’s historic perfume markets and reflects the house’s commitment to storytelling through scent. Throughout its evolution, Maison Anthony Marmin has remained a small‑batch operation, maintaining a team of fewer than ten artisans who hand‑blend each formula in the founder’s studio. The maison frames scent as a narrative medium. It believes that a fragrance should evoke a memory or a place as clearly as a photograph. To achieve this, the brand pairs raw Arabian ingredients with French compositional discipline, allowing each note to speak without excess. Natural materials guide the creative process; synthetic accords appear only when they support a story. Sustainability informs sourcing decisions, and the house prefers suppliers who practice ethical harvesting of oud, ambergris and musk. Transparency remains central: the label lists each ingredient and its origin, inviting the wearer to trace the scent’s journey. By treating perfume as an art form rather than a commodity, Maison Anthony Marmin seeks to preserve regional olfactory heritage while inviting a global audience to experience it.