Reine de Saba: The Scent of the Queen of Sheba, an Epic Journey from Yemen to Paris

“For me, the Queen of Sheba is a symbol of beauty. She also embodies perfume itself, because that is what she brought to King Solomon. She is also a messenger of peace.”
— Habib Al-Sowaidi, founder of Reine de Saba​​

---

Essential Information

• Brand name: Reine de Saba, French for “Queen of Sheba”
• Established: 2022
• Founder: Habib Al-Sowaidi / حبيب السويدي
• Address: 24 Rue Marbeuf, 75008 Paris, France​
• Official website: https://www.reinedesabaparis.com​
• Pronunciation note: Reine, meaning “queen,” is rendered “rēnu” in Japanese, and Saba, the kingdom of Sheba, “saba.” The French name is rendered “Rēnu do Saba.”

---

The Founder and the Origins of the Brand

A Sense of Smell Nurtured in Yemen’s Flower Fields

The story of Reine de Saba begins in founder Habib Al-Sowaidi’s homeland, Yemen. He spent his childhood with a family that grew jasmine and cultivated trees producing myrrh and frankincense. A Yemeni podcast introduces his life as a journey “from Yemen’s gardens of ful, or jasmine, and kadi, a type of daphne, to France’s leading perfume factories.”

Yemen, the heartland of the ancient kingdom of Saba, has been known since before the Common Era as a major source of frankincense and myrrh and lies within the so-called frankincense belt. The scent memories that became part of him in childhood would later underpin all his work.

Apprenticeship in Saudi Arabia

After leaving Yemen, Habib began working at the Middle East’s first fragrance company in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, steadily building his career. A 2005 Arab News article identifies him as general manager of A.K. Saeed Company for Trade & Industry, a long-established fragrance trading company in Jeddah. Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s leading perfume-consuming countries and a center of Middle Eastern scent culture. There, Habib developed a deep knowledge of oriental materials such as oud, amber, musk, and rose, and went on to participate in fragrance projects for many brands as an evaluator and concept creator.

According to Arabic-language sources, Habib was involved in work for renowned brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Paco Rabanne, and Givenchy, and is also said to have served as personal perfumer to the late Saudi King Fahd bin Abdulaziz. Although his name was widely known within the perfume industry, he remained relatively unfamiliar to ordinary consumers: his was a behind-the-scenes role.

1996: Establishing a Company in Paris and the First Seeds of an Idea

In 1996, Habib established Le Royaume du Parfum International in Paris. Meaning “the kingdom of perfume,” this fragrance house develops high-quality perfumes and packaging designs with leading French perfumers and iconic designers. A Paris base brought him closer to the world’s finest perfumers and helped him broaden his network.​

Notably, the concept for the Reine de Saba collection also began to take shape in 1996. In an interview, Habib explained:

“The idea for a collection inspired by the kingdom of Sheba was also born in 1996. It has now reached maturity, and the perfumers have recognized its significance. The message of peace is needed more than ever. Every perfumer will give it the full measure of their talent.”​

In other words, roughly a quarter of a century passed before the brand actually reached the world. Habib continued nurturing the idea, waiting for the finest team and the right moment.

2022: Finally Born, with Ten Perfumers

In 2022, the long-awaited Reine de Saba was launched. It opened a boutique at 24 rue Marbeuf in Paris’s 8th arrondissement with ten fragrances created by ten star perfumers.

To help shape the brand’s world, Habib enlisted the supervision of Annick Le Guérer, the distinguished French anthropologist and historian of scent. Known for books including Scent: The Mysterious and Essential Powers of Smell, Le Guérer helped establish the brand’s direction from a scholarly perspective. She connects the ancient incense route with the Paris boutique in these words:​

“From the Queen of Sheba’s frankincense route to the Nabataeans, the Roman Empire, and finally the boutique on rue Marbeuf, the history of the land of Sheba has passed down through the centuries and will continue to convey the legacy this emblematic figure left us.”
— Annick Le Guérer, anthropologist and historian of scent

Reine de Saba did not simply aim to make perfumes that smell good. It is an attempt to bring ancient Yemen’s fragrance culture to the world from contemporary Paris, and to recover perfume’s original meaning as the gift of peace the Queen of Sheba offered King Solomon.

---

The Brand’s Commitments

A Philosophy of Fragrance: Freedom and Harmony

Reine de Saba’s philosophy centers on authenticity and originality. Resins connected with ancient fragrance culture, including frankincense and myrrh, are combined with flowers, woods, and contemporary materials. History provides inspiration for perfumes to wear today, rather than formulas to be reproduced unchanged.​

“We give perfumers creative freedom while ensuring that the brand’s originality and quality remain uncompromised.”​

The quality and diversity of the perfumers involved are remarkable. The roster includes industry leaders such as Dominique Ropion (IFF), Alberto Morillas (Firmenich), Maurice Roucel (Symrise), Olivier Cresp (Firmenich), Anne Flipo (IFF), and Carlos Benaïm (IFF). Behind this exceptional lineup lie the relationships of trust Habib has built with perfumers over decades. Each was given freedom to create around the theme of the Queen of Sheba, yet the collection retains a sense of unity. A review by Spitzenhaus Parfumerie observes that “despite the varied creations by different perfumers, everything works as a whole, and not a single fragrance feels out of place.”

All the fragrances are composed in France and designed to be unisex.​

Bottle Design: Continuing Serge Mansau’s Sketches

The Reine de Saba bottle was designed by the legendary French flacon designer Serge Mansau. Born in Paris in 1930, Mansau called himself a “sculptor of glass” (sculpteur de verre) and created at least 250 perfume bottles over a career of at least 50 years. His client list, including Hermès, Dior, Givenchy, Guerlain, Cartier, and Kenzo, reads like a directory of the perfume world’s great names.

“Creating a perfume is like putting on a play: the fragrance itself is the text, the box is the stage set, and the bottle is the star.”
— Serge Mansau​

Mansau died in February 2019 at the age of 88. Habib completed the sketches he left behind with Mansau’s son, choosing the present form from six proposals. The flacon brought an idea conceived during the designer’s lifetime into production through collaboration with the next generation.

Made from zamak, a zinc alloy, the cap reflects the fluidity of desert sand while incorporating architectural motifs from Babylon, Egypt, and the kingdom of Sheba. According to the official website, its jeweled design evokes the Queen of Sheba’s headdress. The glass body is made by Luigi Bormioli, the long-established glass manufacturer in Parma, Italy.

The Origins of the Brand’s Logo

The columns in the brand’s logo draw on the ruins of the Bar’an Temple near Marib in Yemen, a monument of the ancient kingdom of Saba. Alongside the queen’s legend, the region’s surviving architecture provides a visual inspiration for the brand.​

---

Different Perfumers’ Interpretations of One Queen

The starting point in 2022 was ten fragrances by ten perfumers. Their shared subject was the Queen of Sheba and the fragrance culture of her lands. Habib emphasized materials associated with Yemen, Oman, and Ethiopia, consulting scent historian Annick Le Guérer as he shaped the direction of each creation.

Habib’s role was to clarify the central idea first, then work through the details with each perfumer once a proposal arrived. Sophie Labbé recalls freedom in both creativity and budget, allowing her to select the materials she felt were needed. Some perfumers placed resins at the center; others portrayed the queen through flowers or scents close to the skin. Habib brought these individual choices into a shared vision.

The Parfum Intense collection has since expanded to include work by further perfumers. Dhofar is a single fragrance by Arturetto Landi, not a separate series. As of November 5, 2026, many of the 100 ml bottles were priced at €275, while Dhofar cost €325. Salalah was also priced at €325.

Flowers That Portray a Queen, Resins That Connect with Antiquity

Aksoum was created by Dominique Ropion (IFF). Its name refers to the ancient Ethiopian city associated with the Queen of Sheba through legend. Ropion chose sumptuous white flowers, principally tuberose and jasmine, to evoke the queen’s sensuality and magnetic presence.

A bright opening of bergamot and neroli unfolds into orange blossom, tuberose, and Egyptian jasmine. Coconut-like lactones soften the outline of the flowers, while sandalwood and patchouli add depth. The generous bouquet expresses the queen’s abundance, and its woody trail her strength.

For Ambre Saba, Sophie Labbé (Firmenich) chose ambergris as her subject. Rather than using natural ambergris itself, she reconstructed its marine character with contemporary materials. She describes a mysterious, deep floral-ambergris fragrance, drawing on incense as another emblematic material of antiquity and combining it with modern ingredients.

Labbé layered Ambrox with the salty, seaweed-like facets of Crystal Moss to create the marine side. Against it, she set a warm amber accord of benzoin, Madagascan vanilla, patchouli, and frankincense. Jasmine sambac and pink pepper connect these two textures, while sandalwood-like Dreamwood adds softness. Modern materials give fresh form to the impression of ancient ones.

Reine Makeda was composed by Anne Flipo (IFF). Makeda is the Queen of Sheba’s name in Ethiopian tradition. Flipo recalls first encountering this world at an exhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, where spices, herbs, and incense opened up its rich olfactory culture.

Soft, skin-like ambrette meets a lightly leathery violet leaf and the brightness of mandarin. An iris-centered floral heart gains the honeyed warmth of rose and the richness of jasmine, supported by cedar, vanilla, musk, and Cashmeran. Flowers and woods express not only nobility but the freedom of an adventurous woman.

Divine Tentation is Mathieu Nardin’s (Mane) spicy amber dedicated to the history of Sheba and the queen’s mysterious beauty. He wanted a fragrance that would draw the wearer into that splendor.

Rum Jungle Essence opens the composition with the sweetness of fig leaf and the warmth of clove. Sri Lankan cinnamon, Peru balsam from El Salvador, and guaiac wood suggest the spice route, while Madagascan vanilla and patchouli add body. The sweetness of fruit and spirits leads into the depth of spices and resins.

In Legende de Saba, Maurice Roucel (Symrise) associated the queen’s power with rose. He explains that he chose the queen of flowers to embody her strong personality.

Geranium brightens the rose, while cumin adds animalic, leathery warmth. Damask rose layered with myrrh and fir balsam reaches beyond soft petals. Transparent cedar and darker patchouli join leather and Cashmeran, creating light and shade within the same rose.

Alberto Morillas (Firmenich) conceived Encens Saba as a new story for women today, while explaining that frankincense speaks to people beyond gender. The fragrance inspired by the queen is intended to come alive on each wearer’s skin.

Orange and black pepper make a vivid opening, followed by the warmth of cinnamon. Damask rose is supported by the woody resonance of Ambrox. At the center is frankincense resinoid obtained from dried resin. Musks and Woodleather give this ancient emblem a contemporary texture.

Gardens, Myrrh, and Rose: The Additions of 2024

Jardins de Saba, Mirage Suave, and Rose Extatique, introduced in 2024, continue the different perfumers’ interpretations of the queen and her lands. They extend the range into garden greenery, flowers veiled in resin, and the light and shadow of rose.

For Jardins de Saba, Fanny Bal (IFF) sought a green, velvety expression of the queen’s beauty between desert and luxuriant gardens. Dew-like aldehydic freshness leads to a green bouquet of mandarin, lily of the valley, rose, and jasmine. An oakmoss accord and patchouli heart, with its strongly camphoraceous side reduced, form a chypre structure beneath the garden’s abundance.

Nelly Hachem-Ruiz (IFF) imagined Mirage Suave as a mineral, powdery iris wrapped in a veil of precious myrrh. This pairing expresses the queen’s beauty and generosity. Beyond the subtle sweetness of anise and cardamom, rose, violet, and iris overlap, while a generous amount of myrrh adds woody and licorice-like shadows.

Rose Extatique was created jointly by Véronique Nyberg and Julie Massé (both Mane). Inspired by the queen’s connection with the sun, they translated contrasts of light and shade into scent. The depth of rose absolute and freshness of rose essence meet another floral facet in Madagascan geranium. Green tea, bergamot, and cardamom bring brightness, while the richness of black tea, vetiver, and ambrette adds depth.

Dhofar and Saba Désert: Continuing the Story of the Queen’s Gifts

For Dhofar, Arturetto Landi (Mane) took the queen’s gifts to Solomon as his starting point and built a fragrance around oud from Thailand. Blackcurrant and raspberry meet the warmth of saffron, moving through flowers into a powerful oud and leather trail. Honey and patchouli support its depth, contrasting bright fruit with weighty woods. It belongs to the same story of the queen as the other fragrances, rather than forming a separate price-based series.

In Saba Désert, Aliénor Massenet (Symrise) looks toward the origins of perfume through myrrh and frankincense. Myrrh absolute represents the peace embodied in the queen’s gifts. The warm body of benzoin and vanilla is layered with the ambery resonance of Ambrostar, sandalwood, and the lasting force of oud from Laos, giving the resins a powerful presence.

Current Lineup: Principal Fragrances

Fragrance	Perfumer	Company
Aksoum	Dominique Ropion	IFF
Ambre Saba	Sophie Labbé	Firmenich
Balqis Reine de Saba	Nathalie Lorson	Firmenich
Beauté de Reine	Meabh McCurtin	IFF
Dhofar	Arturetto Landi	Mane
Divine Tentation	Mathieu Nardin	Mane
Encens Saba	Alberto Morillas	Firmenich
Esprit Saba	Michel Almairac	Robertet
Extraordinaire Saba	Honorine Blanc	Firmenich
Legende de Saba	Maurice Roucel	Symrise
Merveilleuse Saba	Alex Lee	Mane
Oasis Saba	Domitille Michalon-Bertier	IFF
Oud Oriental Saba	Bruno Jovanovic	Firmenich
Oud Precieux	Olivier Cresp	Firmenich
Reine de Midi	Paul Guerlain	IFF
Reine Makeda	Anne Flipo	IFF
Sagesse de Salomon	Carlos Benaïm	IFF
Secret de Musc	Jean-Christophe Hérault	IFF
Jardins de Saba	Fanny Bal	IFF
Mirage Suave	Nelly Hachem-Ruiz	IFF
Rose Extatique	Véronique Nyberg and Julie Massé	Mane
Saba Désert	Aliénor Massenet	Symrise

Incidentally…

• Neighbors with Dominique Ropion: In 2024, when Dominique Ropion launched his own brand, Aphorismes by Dominique Ropion, he opened its boutique at 27 rue Marbeuf in Paris. Reine de Saba’s boutique is at number 24, only a few doors away. Ropion’s new brand also uses a flacon based on Serge Mansau’s designs. The intersecting relationships and aesthetics linking the two brands are intriguing.​
• From the frankincense route to Fortnum & Mason in London: Reine de Saba’s stockists include Fortnum & Mason in London, Jovoy in Paris, and ZHOR Parfums on Via Montenapoleone in Milan. Recognition by the British royal-warrant-holding department store, founded in 1707, offers one indication of the brand’s standing.​

---