Notes Dubai: niche fragrance gets its own trade platform in January 2027

Fragrance is the category the UAE is best known for, and from January it gets a trade event of its own. Notes Dubai will open on 21 – 23 January 2027 at the Dubai Mall Exhibition Centre, organised by Messe Frankfurt, the company behind Beautyworld Middle East.

What Notes Dubai is

The organisers describe it as a global trade platform dedicated exclusively to niche and artisanal perfumery. The first two days are for business visitors — distributors, retailers and buyers — and the third day opens to consumers, collectors and fragrance enthusiasts. It has a sister event in China, Notes Shanghai, and its founding partners include Amouage and Xerjoff.

Why it matters for the UAE

• Fragrance leads luxury beauty here. Messe Frankfurt puts the regional luxury beauty market at US$12.8 billion, with fragrance making up 49% of luxury beauty spend.
• The UAE exports fragrance, not only imports it. According to a BeautyMatter report, the UAE is now among the world's ten largest perfume exporters by value, and its fragrance exports have grown nearly seven-fold in a decade.
• Niche is moving into the mainstream. A dedicated platform in Dubai gives smaller perfume houses a direct route to Gulf buyers, who until now have met them mostly inside larger general beauty shows.

Our view

Perfume is one of our licensed trading lines, and fragrance buyers in the UAE expect range, authenticity and fast replenishment. For niche houses looking at the Gulf, January is a good moment to start the conversation, before the spring buying cycle. If your fragrance brand is considering the UAE, email [email protected] or WhatsApp +971 50 861 0676.

Sources

• Notes Dubai — official site
• Messe Frankfurt Middle East — Notes Dubai launch announcement (9 June 2026)
• Communicate Online — GCC evolves from beauty sales market into global innovation and export hub (1 September 2026)