Heritage
A house, in its own words
The story of Naseem begins in the early 2000s when Ali Husain Kaderjiwala, a trader from Rajasthan, India, decided to translate his family's spice and incense knowledge into a modern fragrance house. Early records show that he opened a modest workshop in Rajasthan, where he experimented with locally sourced agarwood and amber. By 2005 the operation had moved to Dubai, attracted by the city’s position as a trade hub for oud and luxury goods. The relocation allowed the brand to import high‑grade agarwood from Indonesia and Cambodia, expanding its raw material base beyond the Indian subcontinent. In 2010 Naseem introduced its first line of non‑alcoholic perfume oils, positioning itself as a specialist in oil‑based scents at a time when most regional brands focused on alcohol‑based eau de parfums. The brand’s early growth was supported by a network of boutique retailers across the Gulf, and by 2015 it opened a flagship showroom in Dubai’s Al Quoz district, offering customers a curated tasting experience. The 2020 launch of Midnight Love marked the first fragrance that combined a nocturnal floral heart with a deep oud base, signaling a shift toward more narrative‑driven creations. Subsequent releases such as Salwa (2022) and Paris Oud (2024) reinforced the house’s commitment to blending Indo‑Arabian motifs with modern olfactory structures. In 2022 Naseem established a U.S. distribution arm, bringing its oil concentrates and bakhoor to specialty stores in New York and Los Angeles. Throughout its two‑decade journey, the brand has maintained a family‑run ethos, with Kaderjiwala’s son Huzefa now overseeing product development and international expansion. The company’s evolution reflects a steady scaling from a regional workshop to a globally recognised oil‑based perfume house, while preserving the artisanal techniques that defined its origin.
Naseem’s creative outlook rests on the idea that scent should evoke memory without the barrier of alcohol. The house treats fragrance as an emotional language, a principle echoed in founder Ali Husain’s early statements that perfume is to the nose what music is to the ear. This perspective drives a focus on pure, oil‑based extracts that linger on skin and fabric longer than conventional sprays. The brand values transparency in ingredient sourcing, preferring natural agarwood, sandalwood, amber and spice oils over synthetic accords. Sustainability appears in the sourcing policy: the company works with certified agarwood farms that practice replanting and responsible harvesting. Community responsibility also shapes the philosophy; a portion of sales from select lines supports rural cooperatives in Rajasthan that produce traditional incense. The creative team, though small, collaborates with independent perfumers who share an appreciation for Indo‑Arabian scent structures. Their brief typically emphasizes balance between heady oud and softer florals, aiming for a scent narrative that can transition from daytime wear to evening gatherings. This disciplined approach avoids fleeting trends, instead seeking timeless compositions that respect cultural heritage while speaking to contemporary sensibilities.