The business of fragrance, where Sheikh Majed Al-Sabah is concerned, is undergoing a massive reformation. Gone are the days of long-awaited and expected launches for the 'it' fragrance of the year. Instead, his latest masterful endeavor in the world of luxury culminates with the emerging empire of elusive scents that is The Fragrance Kitchen (TFK), premiering fragrances around the world on a monthly basis. Sheikh Majed is out to revolutionize how we perceive fragrances, and moreover, how we immerse ourselves in them.

After a period of quiet following his Villa Moda days, "a serene turning point," he deems gently, Sheikh Majed is now constantly on the go, as TFK is moving ahead quite rapidly with its international expansion plans. Starting with the sleek flagship store in Kuwait, and broadening its horizons to Dubai, Milan, Florence, Moscow, London and Manchester, TFK is setting an international standard for a young company from Kuwait by choosing locations marked as the prime fashion capitals of the world.

He recalls TFK's exclusive launch at London's ritzy Selfridges, an event that witnessed a grand turnout of fellow GCC nationals in a touching, patriotic show of support. With a warm fondness, he adds, "For us, a one and a half year old company from Kuwait, it is a huge feat to have the most important location in Selfridges, right next to the Chanels and Estee Lauders of the world, the finest fragrances the sophisticated consumer. To get that recognition and that location, during the start of Fashion Week in London, for me, is an achievement for Kuwait and the region."

Entering the world of fragrances in what is largely considered to be an extremely saturated, and importantly, Western-dominated market, draws many questions. However, it is truly characteristic of Sheikh Majed to take challenges head on, as he did more than twenty years ago. Once upon a time, a young twenty-two year old set out to start a fashion business and break a stigma that shrouded the region. He traveled west to convince high-end designers to come to the Middle East, managing a stereotype that seemed impossible, and exceptionally succeeded with Villa Moda and the luxury retail company he now co-owns with Tamdeen Group in Kuwait. Today, the Middle Eastern market is a priority for Western designer names, and has become the center of attention for fragrance producers and fashion houses alike. With TFK, he's challenged himself to take a Kuwaiti company to unprecedented heights, showcasing a fine fragrance line exuberant with high-end quality ingredients to an international spectrum of consumers. After all, the scintillating scents are produced in a leading lab in the South of France, and adhere to the standards of any other international fragrance company, unlike other regional brands that choose to produce within their locales. He comments, "I might be known to always introduce a brand or concept that is totally different from the norm, yet I chose fragrances for deeply personal reasons."

Breaking away from the bustle and constantly changing hype attached with the trend driven world of fashion, TFK presents a completely different allure: passion, timelessness, and accessibility. These are values that deeply resounded with Sheikh Majed, as he wished to take on a project he personally related to. He might not be a chemist, but he is most certainly a 'nose'. Personally blending his own fragrances for more than ten years, he was deeply inspired by this esoteric tradition of blending that members of his family observed, specifically his grandmother, for generations. His eyes glimmer with nostalgia as he tells tales of experiments past, "Ever since I was only eight years old, I've observed my grandmother blend and was enticed by how she mixed different precious oils and fragrances. When I started my business as a twenty-two year old, I'd blend my own fragrances and people would always stop me to ask what I wore." During the Villa Moda days, Sheikh Majed ventured forward with an experiment by placing a few bottles of his blends in the store, only to see them sell out in a few weeks. After astounding success with a project with Tom Ford in the production of the famed scent, Arabian Wood, a turning point was born. "Upon leaving Gucci in 2006, Tom Ford wanted to venture into the Kuwait market with men's tailoring. I advised him with the notion of fragrances, and gave him some of my samples which led us to Arabian Wood."