Noème Paris

The story

Noème Paris was born from the childhood of Yassin Karim. Of Indian origin, born in Madagascar into a family of exporters of spices and flowers, Karim grew up among the scents of clove, ylang-ylang and vanilla: his grandfather had come from India to work the land, his father became one of the island's leading exporters of raw materials. In Paris that heritage caught up with him again. Since 2018 he has worked with perfumer Majda Bekkali, and with her he shaped a house of haute parfumerie conceived, in the brand's words, as a journey towards infinity.

The name comes from Greek philosophy: noema, “that which is thought”. For the house, Noème means “the inaccessible”, and Karim sees in it “what lies hidden behind the subconscious, hence the unattainable”. Each fragrance therefore explores a place that man cannot reach: scorching deserts, the depths of the sea, the caves of Mexico. The bottle tells the same story. The cap takes the shape of the ouroboros, the snake biting its own tail, a symbol of infinity: it was born by chance, when the perfumer placed her bracelet on top of the bottle. It is engraved with a line by Albert Einstein: “Imagination is more important than knowledge”.

The debut dates from 2019, with the five fragrances of the Iconique collection signed by Majda Bekkali, among them Kalahari and Naïca. In 2022 came the Chaman collection by Amélie Bourgeois, inspired by the magical plants of shamanic rituals: it includes Soma, dedicated to the elixir of the gods mentioned in the Vedas, and Altaï, from 2023, which leads into the mountains it is named after. The Signature collection is entrusted to Emna Doghri: Khalil, from 2022, and Vanille de Sambava, from 2024. That same year Kalahari returned in an even more intense and long-lasting version, Kalahari Extrême.

Vanille de Sambava is the most personal perfume. From Sambava, in north-eastern Madagascar, comes the vanilla chosen for the fragrance: the very rare frosted vanilla, which becomes covered in vanillin crystals as it dries. “I wanted a vanilla that was not sugary, as it existed in my memories”, says the founder. Today it is the first of the best sellers named by the house, together with Khalil and Soma. Each perfume has its own watercolour illustration, made by an artist, which lines the inside of the box. Noème Paris is based in Paris and is a member of The Fragrance Foundation France.

The collections

• Signature: the collection the house presents as its very essence, signed by Emna Doghri. Vanille de Sambava (2024, gourmand spicy with coconut, cinnamon, chocolate, rum and vanilla), Khalil (2022, woody gourmand with caramel, cardamom, cedarwood, patchouli and orris).
• Chaman: inspired by the magical plants of shamanic rituals, signed by Amélie Bourgeois. Soma (2022, gourmand amber with tonka bean, vanilla, caramel, cocoa and rum), Altaï (2023, woody spicy with pink pepper, cinnamon, fig, coffee and patchouli).
• Iconique: the first collection, dedicated to inaccessible places, signed by Majda Bekkali. Kalahari (2019, woody amber with saffron, cardamom, labdanum, incense and cashmeran), Kalahari Extrême (2024, the more intense version: pear, anise, myrrh, nutmeg and incense), Naïca (2019, aromatic spicy with grapefruit, clove, lavender, geranium and oakmoss).

All the fragrances come in a 100 ml bottle. OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised Noème Paris retailer, online and in its shop in Nettuno (Rome).

Frequently asked questions

What does Noème mean?
Noème means “the inaccessible”: the house takes its name from the philosophical concept of the noema, from the Greek for “that which is thought”. That is why each Noème Paris perfume is dedicated to a place or an idea beyond man's reach: the desert of Kalahari, the crystal cave of Naïca, the elixir of the gods of Soma.

What does Vanille de Sambava by Noème Paris smell like?
Vanille de Sambava is the gourmand spicy fragrance from 2024 signed by Emna Doghri, the first of the best sellers named by the house. It takes its name from Sambava, in north-eastern Madagascar, the source of the vanilla chosen for the fragrance, and is a tribute to the founder's family. It is a vanilla with very little sweetness: bergamot, apple and coconut in the opening, a heart of cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate, a base of rum, vanilla and tonka bean.

What is the difference between Kalahari and Kalahari Extrême?
Kalahari, from 2019, is the woody amber inspired by the desert: bergamot, saffron and cardamom in the opening, a heart of amber, cedarwood and labdanum, a base of incense, cashmeran and musk. Kalahari Extrême, from 2024, is the version the house presents as even more intense and long-lasting, with a new pyramid: pear, anise and orange in the opening, myrrh, nutmeg, pink pepper and cardamom in the heart, incense and labdanum in the base.

What does Soma by Noème Paris smell like?
Soma is the gourmand amber of the Chaman collection, from 2022, signed by Amélie Bourgeois and inspired by the elixir of the gods mentioned in the Vedas. It is warm and caramelised: tonka bean and heliotrope in the opening, a heart of vanilla, caramel and cocoa, a base of rum, labdanum and suede. It is among the best sellers named by the house.

Which Noème Paris perfume should I choose?
It depends on the character you are looking for. If you love gourmand, enveloping perfumes, start with Vanille de Sambava or Soma; if you prefer a warm woody scent, with Kalahari or Khalil, which combines caramel, cedarwood, patchouli and orris. Altaï is the spiciest, with cinnamon, fig and coffee; Naïca is the freshest and most aromatic, with grapefruit, lavender and geranium.

Where can I buy Noème Paris perfumes?
At OUD Profumeria Artistica, an authorised Noème Paris retailer: online, with free shipping in Italy on orders over €60 and 10 free samples on orders over €100, and in our shop in Nettuno, in the province of Rome.