‘Kya miyaan, kya mast perfume maarre!’ A very Hyderabadi way of acknowledging a fragrance that has caught your attention. Because here, fragrance is rarely just fragrance; it is woven into celebrations, traditions, dressing up and everyday rituals, carried through generations in the form of attars and oils. Naso Profumi enters this familiar territory with a distinctly contemporary take, drawing on indigenous ingredients and the emotional vocabulary of nostalgia. Its recent arrival in Hyderabad feels less like an introduction and more like a conversation between two cultures that already understand the power of scent. Founder and CEO Astha Suri sits down with CE to discuss the city’s influence, perfumery and more.
What made Hyderabad the right city?
It’s the Nizami culture that is very close to Nawabi culture from Lucknow. Since we come from Lucknow, we understand the originality of attar and how the use of it becomes such an important, integral part of our lives. Hyderabad had to be one of the main cities where we came and brought Naso because people in Hyderabad understand the nuance of fragrance with great depth, and there is emotion attached to it. At Naso, we create fragrances for nostalgia, and I think there is no better place than a cultural hub like Hyderabad to introduce the brand to.
What about the city’s audience appealed to you the most?
The city loves to shop, style, and there are fashion giants in the city. There’s experimental style, and people like to see the genuine products that are out in the market, not just go with brand value. I feel like it’s a good market to play with and to understand an honest critique for a young brand like mine. It’s very important to understand from my buyers and my users, and because we have extremely potent blends, I feel like the south of the country resonates with it more. I personally love the market in Hyderabad because they all love how potent our smells are.
What gap in the fragrance market did you originally see that led you to build Naso?
The biggest gap we saw was between what fragrance brands claimed to offer and what their perfumes actually contained. At Naso, we wanted to do things differently. Rather than relying heavily on chemicals to amplify a scent, we handcraft the attar that forms the base of our fragrances. Our attars are more mature, alcohol-free and made to create distinctive, long-lasting perfumes. We use indigenous ingredients such as lemon mint, rose, and basil to create fragrances that connect with people’s lives, evoke nostalgia and help them remember something of their own.
What is driving Indian consumers’ growing shift from conventional designer fragrances to niche perfumes?
We believe young perfumeries like Naso have changed how people perceive scent. Today, consumers want a story, something rooted in memory and nostalgia. Audiences are now mature enough to understand what they are paying for and expect exclusivity at a premium price. We have been in the attar trade since 1952, bringing nearly 80 years of experience and understanding of fragrance. What sets us apart is our commitment to authentic ingredients and green perfumery, creating fragrances without phthalates, allergens or parabens. Our scents are designed for Indian skin, climate and sensibilities, while making you feel good and smell unique. We do not want everyone to smell the same, which is why we use simple, natural ingredients in sophisticated forms to create distinctive fragrances with an element of mystery.
What does Naso’s growth in India look like?
Hyderabad has always been warm to us; we first came here in 2022 and were received very graciously. Our plan now is to spread Naso across India, with Hyderabad as our starting point in South India, followed by cities such as Kochi, Goa, Chennai and Bangalore. We are focused on expanding our retail presence and creating our own experience spaces across the country, so people can truly understand who we are at our core.