Looking, feeling and smelling good is essential to success

New Delhi, Dec 5 Commemorating 70 years in the fragrance industry, Ajmal Perfumes is globally known for its rich heritage and wide array of fragrances.

Established in the year 1951, the first store was launched in Nagdevi, Mumbai, today this family-owned business is steered by the passion of the second and third-generation Ajmal, each playing a key role in the brand's development. At present, Ajmal Perfumes is present in 34 cities with 56 company-owned outlets across India and 240 retail outlets globally.

life caught up with Abdulla Ajmal, Business Mentor and Perfumist, and Saurav Bhattacharya, President- Operations, NHA Division, Ajmal and Sons to discover more about the legacy:

The Indian weather requires strong long lasting scents, which is why ittr or attar have always been preferred to international perfumes. Do you agree?

Abdulla Ajmal: For the Indian climate, we need fresh fragrances rather than strong fragrances. Let's understand what attar is, it is concentrated perfume, which means its 100 percent perfume oils. It's no doubt strong and long lasting. However, it doesn't mean that attar is the only solution. A majority of modern consumers find its format and formulation a bit overwhelming. Here's where western perfumery scores as it makes using perfumes in everyday lives easier. Although the concept is true that attar does last long, Eau De Parfums can be designed to last long as well. What's important is that the person needs to feel fresh and feel good after using these fragrances, and use fragrances as a part of their daily regime.

The brand is now three generations old, what additions do you plan to undertake to enhance its legacy?

Abdulla Ajmal: The brand is three generations old and this year we celebrate 70 years of Ajmal. We are the regional leaders in the traditional sector however, our vision is to become global industry leaders. This year was a milestone year for us, especially in the India region. We launched our co-brand with House of Anita Dongre, foraying into fashion and accessible fragrances, and we also launched our most cherished project -Make in India Fragrances. Our vision is to balance quality and aspiration with attractive price points.

Our contribution to the brand is to keep increasing its equity in the marketplace, taking more market share from competitors, and going to newer countries. Yes, today we are a transnational brand, but I would not call it a global brand yet. The main vision is to become a globally recognised brand. Other than that, we are looking at other categories that we want to get into to extend the brand equity. And as we come to that point Inshallah we should be able to share that with you.

As a perfumer, did you need a particular education or training?

Abdulla Ajmal: To be a perfumer, ideally, yes, you do need training. There are institutions in countries like France and the US, where they have courses for perfumery. These are structured courses that train people to become either evaluators or perfumers.

The other way, the traditional way, which is how I learnt was apprenticeship. I was my uncle's apprentice. My uncle was a Nose, and I became his apprentice and learnt nuances of perfumery, via the old school method. Every day my uncle would make me sit and study ingredients. Not a lot of chemistry but a lot more creation and understanding of raw materials. The new age perfumery has a lot more chemistry to it as well, but that does not change the fact that creativity is the singular most important quotient requirement.

How did you first get involved in the perfume industry

Abdulla Ajmal: We come from Assam, and my grandad