Sama Farrag Maison Margiela’s Replica collection is one of my favorite fragrance lines of all time. The idea of bottling a feeling, a memory, or even a period of time makes the scent personal and intimate—curating an experience that takes you on a journey rather than just offering a perfume. I took it upon myself to take this concept a step further: What would our favorite Arab icoonat smell like if they were fragrances?
Haifa Wehbe as Candied Fantasy by Britney Spears
Iconic, sweet, and undoubtedly sexy.
Candied Fantasy by Britney Spears is Haifa in a bottle. With notes of strawberry, bubblegum, and musk, it smells exactly like how you’d imagine it to—playful and perfectly Y2K. It’s pink cheetah print, skinny jeans you wore as a teenager, and ultra-glossy lips. Haifa is the Britney of the Arab world, and both of them are the apex of pop culture. One could even argue that Boos El Wawa and Hit Me Baby One More Time are basically the same song, so the match here feels almost inevitable.
Nancy Ajram as Flowerbomb by Viktor&Rolf
Captivating, girly, and utterly enchanting.
Flowerbomb is one of those scents that is timid yet bold. It’s the perfect blend of blooming florals and warm spices that creates a very intricate balance between confidence and delicateness. Think a field of jasmine and a warm cup of zhourat. Nancy is one of those celebrities who is absolutely alluring and edgy, yet still maintains a soft aura that is completely adorable. Flowerbomb captures the essence of Nancy—elegant, sophisticated, and sweet enough to have Yay constantly on repeat.
Elissa as Hypnotic Poison by Dior
Classic, timeless, and truly hypnotic.
“Kona fe awakher el shetta abl ely fat…” I hear coming from my mom’s room as she gets ready for a night out. She leaves the house, and behind her trails a smell of rich, deep vanilla and glorious winter. Hypnotic Poison is my go-to perfume for cold weather, and I can’t help but imagine that it’s Elissa’s as well. It’s complex, slightly unusual, and much like Elissa, steals the show the minute it enters any room. The scent lingers in the air long after she’s gone and leaves you in a trance—almost hypnotized. Elissa reminds me of rainy days, massive hoop earrings, and Mamy’s old Nokia XpressMusic—the perfect embodiment of a scent that is totally drenched in memory.
Ruby as La Belle by Jean Paul Gaultier
Bold, sensual, and completely intoxicating.
If you are a woman in your mid-to-late 20s or early 30s, chances are you grew up belly dancing in front of the TV to Ruby’s Leih Beydary Keda music video as it played 3-10 times on Melody Hits. It’s almost as if it were a rite of passage. I can think of no better fragrance than La Belle to perfectly encapsulate Ruby. It’s a sexy and head-turning scent that deliberately presents itself as a showstopper. She’s a dirty martini, a bold red lip, and a dark smokey eye. This fragrance is pure main character energy—the kind Ruby brings without even trying. Spritz on some La Belle, get on the exercise bike, and “Ahe Ahe” your way through the day.
Perfume isn’t just about scent; it’s a state of mind. So whether you want to channel Elissa in the early 2000s or Nancy circa Akhasmak Ahh, the right fragrance lets you step into your icoona era—turning every day into your very own music video.
