Lattafa trumps Versace as Arabian fragrance trend wafts over Europe

Arabian perfumes have an unmistakable scent. These days, you can catch a whiff of them anywhere, whether it’s on the bus, in the office or even walking past someone on the street. Compared to traditional European fragrances, they’re particularly sweet, intense and long-lasting. Typical notes include spices such as cinnamon or vanilla as well as myrrh and frankincense. There are also hints of florals, exotic fruits and valuable woods such as sandalwood or agarwood (oud).

In under two years, Arabian fragrances have managed to completely turn the European perfume market on its head. They now make up almost 20 per cent of all perfume sales at online retailer Galaxus. Spearheading the trend is Lattafa Perfumes, a Dubai-based brand accounting for 15 out of every 100 flacons sold at Galaxus this year. That’s tens of thousands of units.

«We haven’t seen a trend of this magnitude in the perfume industry for a long time,» says Linh Hwa, a member of the team responsible for Galaxus’s perfume range. Just two years ago, Lattafa’s market share at Galaxus was less than one per cent.

Traditional European brands are now beginning to fall behind. Holding on to shares of Galaxus sales totalling three per cent or less, Giorgio Armani, Versace and Paco Rabanne have been ousted from their positions atop the bestseller rankings within a short space of time. «In view of our sales, the big brands have lost a little of their market share. However, it’s mainly medium-sized perfume brands who’re suffering because of the new competition,» says Linh.

Alongside Lattafa Perfumes, there are two brands in particular who’re riding the Arabian fragrance train: Maison Alhambra and Tiziana Terenzi. They each currently have a market share of just over one per cent at Galaxus. Meanwhile, perfumes from smaller brands such as Afnan and Rasasi have also made it into the Galaxus bestseller list.

«A key cause of the boom in Arabian fragrances is social media hype,» says Linh, adding, «The perfumes went viral last autumn on TikTok and Instagram.» Arabian perfumes have joined music with Middle Eastern influences and youth slang borrowed from Arabic (website in German) in becoming established in Central Europe.

A second reason why Arabian fragrances have become so popular is that they’re relatively cheap. A 100-millilitre bottle from Lattafa or Maison Alhambra costs around half as much as one from Versace or Armani. Tiziana Terenzi is an outlier, targeting the luxury market.

Young people swear by oud and incense

With their affordable fragrances and social media marketing, Arabian perfumes appeal primarily to young people in our part of the world. Thirty-six per cent of Galaxus shoppers who buy the fragrances are under 25. A further 31 per cent are between 25 and 34 years old. Together, these two age groups account for more than two thirds of Arabian perfume sales, and 41 per cent of total fragrance sales.

So, are Arabian fragrances here to stay? Linh thinks so. «I think we’re only at the beginning of this boom,» she says. In other words, we’d better get used to the smell of these intense fragrances.

What do you think of Arabian perfumes? Can’t get enough of them? Or do they make you want to hold your nose and make a swift exit? Which fragrances do you recommend? The comments section’s all yours!