Everyone loves Mona Kattan. The stunning Dubai-based beauty and fragrance mogul has dominated headlines since she and sister Huda Kattan launched Huda Beauty in 2013 and grew it into a global empire. Following her love and knowledge of luxury perfumes (she bought her first perfume when she was 14), in late 2018 Mona launched Kayali, a fragrance brand that distills scents inspired by the Middle East into contemporary olfactory sensations, bottled in elegantly designed flacons that are just as impressive.
As Kayali's collection and global influence, Mona needed a space dedicated to developing her business �� and having some separation from her personal life (she started Kayali from her personal fragrance wardrobe at home). Cue, a modern, minimal, yet warm Kayali HQ in Dubai, that is just as fun as Mona Kattan herself.
Mona Kattan Gives a Tour of Her Zen Kayali HQ in Dubai
Taking time off from developing new fragrances and the hectic Dubai Bling shooting schedule, Mona Kattan invited AD into her multi-tasking Kayali office.
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AD: The Kayali fragrance library is very unique. Please tell us a little bit about the concept behind this space.
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Mona Kattan: The fragrance library was actually in the basement of my house before the Kayali office officially opened! I really wanted to bring it to our new office, and we’re thrilled to have been able to do that. The process of packing all the fragrances took a lot of time, but it was worth it; it would have felt like a missing part in our office if we didn’t.
Our goal was to highlight the collection in a practical yet aesthetic way, and we were inspired by wine cellars and integrated the same essential features of conservation, chilled temperatures, low lighting and controlled humidity. We really wanted each fragrance to have its own space and be ready to welcome new additions to the growing collection. A fun fact about the fragrance library that not a lot of people know is that it is arranged alphabetically, just like an actual library!
What was your vision for the Kayali office in Dubai and how did you collaborate with the design studio to bring it to life?
Mona Kattan: Ecru Elements was amazing to work with and were super supportive. They worked extremely hard to match the mission and aesthetics and reflect everything we wanted for Kayali. They worked on a beautiful combination of functionality and Feng Shui to capture the emotions we wanted to reflect through the working environment and create the perfect space to promote productivity and creativity.
What would be your advice to other people looking to have their office spaces designed?
Mona Kattan: Make sure to partner with the right company to make your vision come to life. This dynamic is so important, because in the end, your office is your space and you need your workplace to reflect your brand essence. You have to remember that everyone spends a majority of their time in the office during the week, so make sure that it’s a pleasant space for everyone to work in!
What is the coolest part about Mona Kattan's Kayali HQ in Dubai?
Mona Kattan: We've got some very cool features in our office! We've got podcast booths, each with their own mood and biking stations where you can exercise and work at the same time.
We wanted multiple meeting meeting rooms and I really wanted to utilise rose quartz in some areas of the office, such as our rose quartz meeting room table and for the back-wall in my office. I really love rose quartz, it’s a beautiful crystal and has healing properties. It took us months to find the particular piece that you see in the Kayali office, but it was worth the wait. Another very special addition to the office is our magnetic walls. We have certain walls around the office and meeting rooms where the surfaces are magnetic and can be utilised by the team during their meetings. @monakattan; @kayali
Production credits:
Director, Producer & Co-Editor - Davina Munro
Videography - Arthur Du Peuty
Co-Editor, Sound Design & Colour Grade - Soda Agency
Socials Video Editor - Paul Tael
Subtitle Editor - Jasjeet Singh
Motion Graphics - Guilherme de Carvalho Silva
