Heritage
A house, in its own words
Suhad Perfumes began in Kuwait under perfumer Suhad Al-Qenaei, with published accounts placing its origins in either 1996 or 1998. Two sources identify Al-Qenaei as the founder, while one gives 1998 as the founding year, suggesting that the earlier date may refer to the beginning of the perfumery practice rather than the company’s formal establishment. The catalogue developed over time into a broad collection of oriental, floral, oud-based and amber-toned fragrances. Hayat is one of the earliest compositions in the brand’s documented catalogue, dated to 2005, while Afgano Touch followed in 2010 and Patchouli & Rose in 2013. The house continued releasing distinct names across the following decade, including Ego and Luxury Saffron in 2018. A Fragsi profile describes Suhad as originating in Kuwait and connects its identity with both Eastern hospitality and European perfumery. Another report states that the company joined the UK Fragrance Foundation in 2006, making it the first Middle Eastern perfumery to receive that membership. This claim appears in a single secondary account and should be treated as reported rather than independently confirmed. The house later developed a catalogue listed by a fragrance database as containing 50 perfumes, spanning releases dated from 2005 through 2022. Suhad Perfumes presents its work through a meeting of regional fragrance culture and European perfumery practice. This is especially visible in the catalogue’s repeated exploration of materials associated with Middle Eastern scent traditions, including oud, saffron, rose and patchouli, alongside compositions built around more contemporary floral, amber and fresh notes. Rather than documenting a single house style, the range suggests a willingness to move between families and moods. Afgano Touch points toward the dense, resinous character of an “afgano” direction, while Patchouli & Rose places two strongly recognisable materials together. Ego and Luxury Saffron show another side of the catalogue, with titles that frame the fragrance as an expression or an intensified saffron theme. Suhad Al-Qenaei is identified as the creative figure behind the house, but the available sources do not specify the individual perfumers, formulations or sourcing standards behind each release. The most defensible account of the brand’s philosophy is therefore rooted in variety and cultural dialogue: familiar regional ingredients are presented within a broad international perfume language.