Afnan

Afnan is a fragrance house based in the United Arab Emirates, founded in 2007 by Imran Fazlani, who still serves as its chairman [2]. The company specialises in perfumery in the Arabian tradition, producing eau de parfum, extrait de parfum and concentrated perfume oils, and it has grown from a regional maker into a brand distributed internationally. It is part of the Sterling Parfums group, a UAE perfume business founded in 1998 by the Fakhruddin family [5].

Among fragrance enthusiasts, Afnan is best known for offering designer-style scents at accessible prices, a reputation that has made it one of the more widely discussed value-oriented houses of the 2020s [6]. The brand remains active, with new releases as recent as 2025 [9].

⚑ Thinner sourcing. The article relies largely on the brand's own statements (T2–T3). Glowpedia is seeking independent sources.

Afnan was established in 2007 by Imran Fazlani, who is often described as "the nose behind the brand" for his role in shaping its scents [2]. According to the company, Fazlani started out at what it calls the grassroots level, working directly with retailers, customers and product development before launching the house, driven by what he described as a personal connection to fragrance and a conviction that quality should never be compromised. Editorial coverage adds that he spent years studying the market before founding the company.

Fazlani's son, Zaid Fazlani, serves as chief executive officer, making the business a family-led operation.

Afnan belongs to the Sterling Parfums group, which the parent company says was founded in 1998 by the Fakhruddin family and operates as a member of Fakhruddin Holdings, a UAE conglomerate whose origins trace back to a trading company started in 1963 [5]. The connection to Sterling Parfums is not stated on Afnan's own website, but it is documented on Sterling's corporate site and across retailer sources [5].

Afnan presents itself as a craft-led house that designs fragrances for balance and lasting wear rather than passing trends. The company frames its approach around three ideas it calls "Craft First," real-life performance and confidence in self-expression, and says each scent is refined from the opening impression through to the dry-down. Its stated values are craftsmanship, discipline and long-term vision, summed up in the tagline "Where Craft Meets Confidence." The brand keeps production in-house at a manufacturing facility in the UAE, which the company credits with giving it control over quality and production scale.

In practice, much of Afnan's public identity rests on its price positioning. Fragrance reviewers frequently describe it as a house that delivers high-end scent profiles at a fraction of designer prices, and it has built a following among buyers who want that quality without the cost [6].

Afnan's catalogue is organised by concentration and by scent family, spanning eau de parfum, extrait de parfum and concentrated perfume oils [1]. Its most talked-about release is 9PM, part of a wider 9PM line that includes 9PM Rebel and the 2025 launch 9PM Elixir [4][9]. Other lines noted in coverage include Tribute Blue, described by one editorial source as one of the brand's biggest hits.

9PM is also the source of Afnan's wider reputation. Fragrance editorial widely characterises it as a close imitation of Amouage Interlude Man, and Afnan is often cited as a favourite "dupe" house for offering scent profiles similar to costlier designer perfumes at a far lower price [6]. This association with affordable alternatives has become a defining part of how the brand is discussed online.

Afnan is active. The company says it now operates in more than 120 countries, and it has continued to release new fragrances, including 9PM Elixir in 2025 [9]. Its distribution runs through authorised distributors across international markets [8].