M.E.

My Journey Into Perfumery
I was a kid who couldn’t stop creating — filling school books with drawings of TV cartoons, hearing a theme once and playing it perfectly on a keyboard, both hands, no training, just by ear. I sketched life-like portraits of my teachers in class and went home after hanging out with friends to recreate a meal I’d tasted at a tiny street food shop in Sharjah. I’ve always been driven by curiosity, trying to understand how sound, flavor, or form come together to create a complete experience. That curiosity carried... Read more...
Art Not Fiction
For some reason, it’s widely accepted that consumers can demand suppliers be “neutral”—usually expressed as “stay out of politics.” I outlined my take on this in Art with Bias, but recent conversations make me feel I should be more blunt: I reject that fiction; particularly at a time when official channels continue to suppress, ignore, or outright shut down voices that don’t chant to power. Neutrality risks becoming complicity; especially when demanded by those uncomfortable with relaying voices of the oppressed. Art has never been neutral. Commerce has never been neutral.... Read more...
Art with Bias
I’m often asked why I speak publicly about Palestine and politics — and why I don’t just “stick to perfume.” This is my response. It’s shortsighted to believe that business can or should exist apart from human values — whether religious, political, or environmental. Business doesn’t operate in a vacuum; it is shaped by the same systems and structures that govern every part of our lives. Rather than pretend business can be separated from these realities, we should recognize it as part of the broader human experience. We celebrate this... Read more...
Escaping Signature
One of the most difficult aspects of any self-expression—whether art, perfume, or otherwise—is being aware of the elements that make up your signature, so that you can either continue shaping it or consciously break away from it. I choose the latter. Conceptually, this is like approaching every new project with a beginner’s mindset. That becomes increasingly challenging the more projects you undertake, because whether you realize it or not, you are simultaneously developing your intuition. For me, the surest way to break away from familiar patterns is to never write... Read more...
Take On Perfumery
Perfumery as Intentional Improvisation I view perfumery as a dynamic art form—one rooted in intentional improvisation. Fragrances evolve as individual notes interact, accords emerge, and elements blend into a cohesive whole. True artistry, I believe, flourishes when it’s free from rigid formulas, constraints, or imposed expectations—when it’s created unscripted. I began crafting perfumes to evoke the scents I longed for but couldn’t find. To me, fragrance is like a puzzle—both a mental and olfactory challenge, balancing structure with adaptability. I often draw inspiration from systems theory, where modularity and flexibility... Read more...