Yusuf Madappen: The Man Bottling Memories Through Scents

On the streets of Deira, there’s a man who understands the language not just of words, but of scents. Madappen, affectionately known as Yusuf Bhai, is a perfumer who wields fragrance like a magic wand.

Step into his shop, ‘Yusuf Bhai,’ and you'll be greeted by a symphony of scents. Shelves overflow with bottles holding countless fragrances, each ready to be blended into an olfactory masterpiece.

Look beyond the usual florals and musks, and you might find something unexpected—the comforting aroma of Karak chai, the scent of rain, or even the richness of butter.

Early Hustle: From Pictures to Perfumes

Madappen’s journey into the world of perfumes began unexpectedly. After working as a photographer in Qatar, he joined his brother’s perfume business in Deira, Dubai—a world away from the click of a camera.

But while his career in branded perfumes was successful, it didn’t fully satisfy his creative spirit. The urge to craft his own olfactory experiences soon took hold, leading him to launch his very own UAE-based business—a perfume “bar” where customers can become perfumers themselves, customizing scents to their desires. He has now been in Dubai for over 30 years.

A Doctor of Fragrance

Calling Madappen simply a shop owner in Deira doesn’t do him justice. He has cultivated a near-celebrity status purely through the quiet magic of his craft.

Humble and ever-optimistic, he takes on challenges with the same enthusiasm he brings to his creations. This optimism even extends to social media, where he responds to the most bizarre customer requests with a smile.

His self-proclaimed title of "doctor of fragrance" isn’t far-fetched at all. Madappen possesses an almost mythical ability to recreate any scent simply by smelling it. This rare talent has attracted not just locals but also people from across the UAE, foreign tourists, and fragrance enthusiasts from around the world.

Unlocking Memories

The most captivating aspect of Madappen’s work isn’t just his ability to recreate luxury perfumes, though he can easily mimic the essence of a Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady or a Dior Sauvage. The true magic lies in his ability to capture memories. For Madappen, the most touching moments come when he recreates the scent of a loved one or the comforting fragrance of someone’s childhood.

He often reflects on his own childhood in Kerala—the bustling city scents and the familiar perfumes his parents wore—using these memories to guide his creations for others.

Take, for example, a moment captured in a video, where an elderly woman asks Yusuf to recreate the scent of her late husband’s shirt.

The process is as much about listening as it is about smelling.

Madappen takes a deep whiff of the chosen scent, dissecting it into its individual notes. Then, he asks questions: "What does this fragrance mean to you? What memories does it evoke? What notes do you smell?" By understanding the emotional connection to the scent, he unlocks its essence, allowing him to translate those memories into a wearable perfume.

In a world increasingly dominated by mass-produced fragrances, Madappen’s work offers a unique and deeply personal experience.

So, if you find yourself wandering the streets of Deira, take a moment to seek out the shop filled with a thousand stories. There, you might just find the fragrance that unlocks a memory of your own.