Yusuf Bhai opens perfume store in Chennai offering custom blends and luxury scents

Shah Rukh Khan has agelong been rumoured to odor “superb”. The assertion goes backmost to an aged interrogation wherever histrion Anushka Sharma admitted she could ne'er hide his scent. Naturally, the Internet went digging and discovered his secret: a blend of 2 perfumes, 1 from Dunhill and different from Diptyque. The citizens of the satellite person done everything successful their powerfulness to get these perfumes, truthful they excessively tin odor superb. 

However, for those with little entree to the premium perfumes of the world, galore brands person travel up with dupes and smell-alikes that conscionable astir bash the job. But what if you could find a fragrance that did not conscionable imitate the original, but came startlingly close, and sometimes, adjacent better?

That is the committedness Yusuf Madappen, popularly known arsenic Yusuf Bhai, has been gathering his marque on. The Kerala-born, Dubai-based perfumer known for having the quality to recreate immoderate fragrance successful the world, has present brought his trade to Chennai. “I privation everyone successful India to usage perfume, to consciousness assured and happy. It’s not conscionable astir luxury. Fragrance is portion of regular life. Even the unsighted tin archer if idiosyncratic is beautiful, conscionable from their smell,” says Yusuf.

Before bringing his enactment to India, Yusuf established a estimation successful Dubai, wherever his bespoke blends and recreations of high-end perfumes won him a loyal following. The occurrence of his Dubai ventures laid the instauration for his archetypal Indian store successful Hyderabad, and present Chennai hosts his 2nd outlet. Both locations purpose to springiness Indian customers the aforesaid acquisition that made his Dubai clientele support coming back: personalised, accessible, and luxurious successful consciousness without the exclusivity of price.

The Chennai store follows the blueprint of his Hyderabad outlet. The store showcases his 3 signature collections: Teeb, Dejavu, and Noble. Teeb is the sanction of the first-ever Yusuf Bhai store successful Dubai, and hence the Teeb postulation holds a peculiar value to the brand. Each postulation is divided for men and women — metallic for men, golden for women, and spans his Premium and Poem ranges. 

The acquisition is designed to beryllium immersive. Customers tin research pre-made recreations of fashionable perfumes oregon dive into customized blending, experimenting with azygous notes and colours to trade a scent that suits them. The Poem Collection adjacent offers Arabic and French styles, giving shoppers options that scope from accepted to contemporary.

Born successful Chavakkad, Kerala, Yusuf comes from a household steeped successful perfumery. His brothers and extended household were each progressive successful the craft, giving him an aboriginal instauration to scents and blends. “I started blending perfumes for my household first,” helium recalls, “and past it spread. Now everyone is blending. But I’ve been successful the concern for implicit 30 years, and blending for 15.” From photography to perfumery, his travel has been unconventional, but it is rooted successful a beingness of observing, smelling, and learning — a operation of instinct, experience, and passionateness that present defines his brand. 

At his stores, customers bash not conscionable prime a bottle, they prosecute with azygous notes, earthy materials, and pre-made recreations, exploring and customising scents nether adept guidance. Each fragrance becomes a reflection of the wearer, alternatively than a pre-packaged label. The store is not conscionable a retail space, but a spot wherever scent, tradition, and idiosyncratic look intersect. 

Yusuf Bhai is located astatine Gee Gee Emerald Towers, Valluvar Kottam High Road, Nungambakkam. Perfumes are disposable starting from astir ₹2,500 for 100ml.