AMIN KADER
PERFUME
Photography by Thomas Tissandier, text & interview by James V. Thomas
Perfume "Tabriz" from Amin Kader
There is a Paris-based designer who may not be widely known outside the capital, yet he has long captivated a devoted circle with creations seemingly born from 17th-century Italy and 18th-century France — silks and brocades, boutiques adorned with marble inlays reminiscent of a Venetian palazzo. The most iconic shop, in my opinion, once sat on rue de la Paix, though it has recently closed its doors. Today, Amin Kader is fully focused on the Saint-Germain address, while continuing to expand his presence through the brand’s website.
Having recently explored the new perfumes, one in particular stopped me in my tracks: Tabriz. Its character lingered with enough insistence that I found myself wanting to know more. So I arranged a conversation with Monsieur Kader himself — to talk scent, of course, but also the wider constellation of inspirations that orbit his work.
Amin Kader, photography courtesy of Amin Kader
What is your name, and profession?
Amin Kader. Designer and perfumer.
Some people see perfume as a window onto imaginary worlds — what inspired you to create this new collection, and what kind of life or universe do you hope each scent evokes?
I believe perfume is an open window onto the soul. It is the reflection of a life that inspired me to create this new collection — that, and more than 30 years of research and sourcing. Scents can evoke well-being, freedom, and openness toward others.
When you compose a perfume, do you try to capture a memory, a state of mind — or perhaps a way of being? Or something else entirely?
A memory or a state of mind.
Many of your creations seem to carry emotional or personal resonance — are any of your perfumes tied to a specific moment or story from your life?
More emotional than anything else. Often linked to a particular moment, and sometimes to a story.
The names of your perfumes often suggest real narratives. How do you choose them, and what worlds do they open for you?
It is the names of my perfumes that choose me. They come to me.
Tabriz has a singular, almost cinematic presence. What does this name — and this scent — represent in your personal mythology?
This name represents a city in Asia. A caravanserai. Spice markets. Journeys toward unknown lands.
Do you see perfume as a form of autobiography — a way of expressing who you are without having to say it?
Rather an autobiography, yes.
When you imagine someone wearing your perfumes, do you see them embodying a certain character or a certain art of living?
More an art of living.
Your boutiques are far more than retail spaces — they feel like stages dedicated to a specific art of living. How do you conceive these environments?
When I design a space, it isn’t I who dictate what becomes of it — the volume and the space dictate what they need. I am simply a catalyst.
The aesthetic language of your world is instantly recognizable. What visual or cultural references have shaped it?
Art history. Different cultures. Curiosity. And, of course, travel.
In a city dominated by fleeting trends, your universe remains timeless. What does the notion of permanence in design and style mean to you?
The line.
Do you consider your work the creation of a total universe — where perfume, space, clothing, and atmosphere tell a single story?
Yes.
Many people aspire to create a life infused with their own sense of style and harmony. What advice would you give to someone who wants to live with such intention and beauty?
Be simple.
Is your aesthetic universe an expression of who you are, or an ideal — a vision of life as it ought to be?
A vision of life as it ought to be.
What emotion or transformation do you hope visitors feel when they enter your boutique or wear your perfumes?
A continuity of themselves.
With distance, what kind of world do you think you’ve created — and how do you hope it endures in the imagination of others?
I haven’t created a type of world. The world chose mine… We create for the present. To live in the present. That is how and why we endure.
You can visit Amin Kader's boutique in Paris at the following address
189 Boulevard Saint Germain, 75006 or at 2 rue Guisarde, 75006
SKY BLUE
Est. 2019