Dubai, the UAE’s largest fragrance market, is preparing to host its first niche perfumery show. Coordinated by Messe Frankfurt Middle East (the trade fair and event management company that organises Beautyworld Dubai), Notes Dubai will make its debut early next year.
The sister show of the highly successful Notes Shanghai, Notes Dubai is a global platform for niche, independent and artisanal perfumery. It will debut in the Dubai Mall Exhibition Centre from 21 to 23 January 2027.
Rewarding craft over scale, Notes Dubai will feature a highly curated collection of creative brands, perfumers, experts, interested buyers, and a community that understands fragrance as a culture. After all, the Middle East arguably knows fragrance better than any other part of the world. The Gulf region has traded, layered, and ritualised it for a thousand years.
Unlike conventional trade shows where big names and mass-market brands take centre stage, Notes Dubai is built exclusively for niche and artisanal perfumery, giving truly artistic brands the chance to connect with buyers, creators, and collectors. Every brand is selected with purpose to help build a platform that shapes trends and defines the industry.
According to Ravi Ramchandani, Event Director for Notes Dubai: “Niche fragrance houses need more than visibility. They need the right context, the right conversations and access to people who understand what makes them distinctive. Notes Dubai is being built to bring creativity and commercial opportunity together in a focused environment where meaningful relationships can begin.”
Notes Dubai will showcase more than the final product. The curators believe every fragrance begins with a compelling origin story, which inspired the inaugural theme: Genesis. In its first edition, Notes Dubai will explore what came before the bottle: the raw memory, emotion, or creative instinct that prompted the creation of the world’s most distinctive niche perfumes.
BeautySouthAfrica attended an exclusive Notes Dubai media breakfast earlier this month. The gathering brought together leading industry voices to explore the new platform’s purpose and programme.
Among those in attendance were Ravi Ramchandani (Dubai Notes Event Director), Alex Wu (Notes Shanghai Founder), Andras Komar (Amouage Global Head of Communications), Sergio Momo (Xerjoff CEO and Founder), Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud (Master Perfumer, Louis Vuitton), Charbel Lahoud (Vice-President of Growth and Business Development, Chalhoub Group), Margueritte Zgheib (Head of Communications, Extravaganza Beauté), Wasem Al Ghazi (Managing Partner, GDS Prestige) and Salah Al Zarooni (Plethora General Trading CEO).
During the event, the luxury high-perfume brand from Oman, Amouage, and the niche Italian fragrance house Xerjoff were announced as founding partners.
The organisers also revealed details about the three-day programme. The first two days will focus on business and partnership building, while the third day will focus on consumers, collectors, and fragrance enthusiasts.
One of the most exciting experiences to look forward to is Accords, a thought-leadership-driven conference programme. In partnership with Amouage, Accords invites master perfumers, brand founders, investors, and leaders to come together through panels and masterclasses, encouraging educational and inspiring conversation that leads to a fuller understanding of niche perfumery.
The first edition promises an unforgettable experience that will have a lasting impact on the future of niche perfumery.
Dubai Notes will take place at Dubai Mall Exhibition Centre from 21 to 23 January 2027. Learn more, apply to exhibit, or register your interest here.
