From its roots in Istanbul to a growing presence in the Gulf, Parkim Fragrance House is redefining how scent connects cultures.
Led by third-generation Merve Müstecaplıoğlu, the company blends legacy with innovation. Founded in 1979, Parkim specialises in crafting personalised fragrances across categories, supported by advanced R&D and a global footprint.
Its UAE office marks a deeper commitment to co-creation and cultural connection in the GCC region.
ParfumPlus: Parkim Fragrance House is a growing name for many in the region. Could you start by telling us more about your company and where it all began?
Merve Müstecaplıoğlu: Of course. Parkim Fragrance House is part of Parkim Group, a family-owned company based in Istanbul.
We’ve been around since 1979, originally working in different branches of the chemical industry, including fragrance.
Over the years, our passion for scent led us to build a dedicated fragrance structure, which became what we now call Parkim Fragrance House.
We’re still a family company at heart. My grandfather started this journey and is now led by my mother, and it means a lot to me personally to continue building it with the same values — sincerity, responsibility and loyalty.
Today, we’re growing internationally, but we haven’t lost our sense of closeness. That’s something our partners feel, and I believe it’s a big part of why they choose to grow with us.
PP: As someone from the third generation, what’s your own vision, especially for the GCC region?
MM: For me, the GCC feels very familiar, culturally, emotionally. I think there’s a shared understanding of tradition, respect, and doing business with heart. That connection is something we value deeply.
As a family-run business, we make decisions carefully and always with the long-term in mind. We’re hands-on across all areas, from R&D to creation to customer care. That gives us a lot of flexibility, which helps in a market like the GCC where relationships matter and every brief is unique.
We’re not just trying to expand for the sake of growth. Our vision is to truly become part of this region’s fragrance culture. To grow with our partners, not just next to them. That’s why we’ve started building a more permanent presence here — to be closer, quicker, and more connected.
PP: What would you say makes Parkim Fragrance House unique?
MM: We’re a house that really listens. That might sound simple, but it’s something we care about. Every client, every project, every market has its own rhythm. We don’t come in with a fixed way of doing things; we try to understand first, then create something meaningful.
We’re still growing and learning, of course. But what we do bring is an honest approach, a reliable team, and a mindset that’s fresh. We don’t overcomplicate things. We work hard to deliver thoughtful, quality creations that reflect the story behind them.
PP: ‘The Art of Fragrance’ is your motto. What does it mean to you? And how has your journey as a perfumer shaped that vision?
MM: Fragrance is chemistry, yes — but it’s also storytelling. For us, “The Art of Fragrance” is about finding the emotional thread in each creation. We like working with visual artists, designers, even local craftspeople — anyone who brings a different way of thinking to scent.
In fact, we’ve been doing more multisensory collaborations lately, where fragrance interacts with design, space, and culture. True, I work on creations as I’m passionate from childhood, yet I prefer at this stage not to call myself a perfumer because first I’m everyday learning despite surely the trainings I got throughout my career and secondly that title is quite special and sometimes I sadly feel like its used too much these days.
And also, I can say I have met with great artisans who don’t have the titles, but then they are really amazing at creating something, sometimes just like curating the fragrance, if not building the formulation too. So I leave titles aside, but can simply say I do enjoy creating olfactively.
PP: You’ve recently opened a regional office in the UAE. What led to that move?
MM: We’ve been working in the GCC for quite a while, but we felt it was time to be more rooted here. Setting up in Sharjah Research and Innovation Park made perfect sense. It’s a modern space, and at the same time, it allows us to stay connected with our partner’s locations.
We’re now growing our local team and shaping this office into a creative centre, not just for logistics, but for development and co-creation. We want to be accessible, to respond faster, and to be in real dialogue with our clients here.
PP: We hear you’re also an official R&D centre in Türkiye. Can you share more about this side of the business?
MM: Yes, this is something we’re really proud of. In Türkiye, we’re recognised as one of the official R&D centres supported by the government, which reflects the scale of our investment in innovation.
We’ve been working on developing captive molecules, and not just for fragrance, but also for functional chemical bases that can bring unique olfactive and performance properties.
These captives help us create more distinct, customised results, and it’s a space we’re actively expanding. In fact, we’re now opening a new factory in Istanbul that will focus entirely on this area. It’s still early days, but it’s an exciting step for us.
PP: Let’s go back to the GCC. What’s your long-term ambition for this region?
MM: We don’t want to just be a supplier. Our goal is to be part of the region’s scent narrative. The GCC has such a rich fragrance tradition, and also such openness to innovation, which is a rare and beautiful mix.
We’re here with a full heart and full focus. Our aim is to co-create with brands that are looking for something personal, sincere and technically sound.
PP: How are you preparing your team to deliver that kind of vision?
MM: We believe in building from the inside. That’s why we train our perfumers in-house, through our own academy. It’s not just about technical formulation, we care a lot about cultural awareness, teamwork and original thinking.
We want to raise perfumers and creatives who understand what scent means, not just how it’s built. And that’s a long-term commitment. But we also feel that’s what makes the difference, the human side.
At the end of the day, it’s not only about what’s in the bottle, but the story behind it. We’re here to craft both.
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