"Even my father loved rose oil"

Another new perfume brand? Basel Binjabr from Thameen explains why.

Every year, around 4,000 new perfumes appear on the market. Only ten percent of them are still around 12 months later. Basel Binjabr, the founder of THAMEEN, was aware of the challenge. His brand is now three years old and, after a long period of exclusivity at Selfridges in London, is now also available at Osswald.

Why did you decide to start the Thameen brand?
I'm not a trained perfumer or a celebrity launching a fragrance. But I grew up with perfume and inherited the passion from my father in Saudi Arabia. He loved rose oil and took me to the market in search of the best oils. Most couldn't tell the difference at all, but my father could. Thameen is the realization of those memories combined with a modern vision.

What do the names of the perfumes mean?
Each fragrance tells a story and is dedicated to a special gem. "Amber Room", for example, is inspired by the famous Amber Room in Saint Petersburg's Catherine Palace. It's an intoxicating fragrance with amber, Italian bergamot, Turkish rose and cedarwood.

What do you look for when choosing ingredients?
When big fashion brands have a fragrance created, they give the perfumer a budget. I don't set a limit at all, I just want the best for each perfume. So we use Taif rose from Saudi Arabia or the best vetiver from Haiti and extract their oils using traditional techniques. There is a long, painstaking process behind each perfume. But I would never do it any other way!

Discover the Thameen frag rances in our e-boutique.