Sabah Bois photo by Rachel©

I love an origin story where experience living in a new land and a little bit of happenstance combine to change someone’s life. This is exactly how Mickey Ashmore, founder of Sabah (meaning morning in Turkish), started his own handmade shoe company in New York City in 2013 after spending time as an expat based out of Turkey. Thanks to a pair of leather slippers gifted to him by his girlfriend’s family, his life was literally flipped upside down. Today, 10 years later, Sabah has six brick & mortar locations around the U.S. where these colorful and elegantly comfortable Turkish slippers are sold and, of course, a thriving online business.

 Mickey Ashmore, founder of Sabah, in Turkey (courtesy of the brand)

Most Sabah shoes are made by a local family-owned business in Gaziantep, Turkey, a small town near the Syrian border. In such a short time, Sabah has grown from just 5 craftspeople and a few of stitchers to almost 70 craftspeople in a brand new facility just a few blocks from the original workshop. This area was hit hard by the earthquake earlier this year and Sabah not only raised tens of thousands of dollars in donations that went directly to those affected in the region but also provided much needed stability to the employees and their families during such a tragic time.

The story of how Mr. Ashmore came to the decision too develop a Sabah fragrance is not clear (perhaps based on his years of living in Turkey and travelling around the world), he certainly would understand the cultural importance of scent in completing your personal style.

The first sign that Mr. Ashmore takes the creation of his first eau de parfum to heart is that he collaborated with one of the best teams in the fragrance industry, Fragrance Designer Carlos Huber of Arquiste and Master Perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux, Vice of Perfumery at Givaudan. In addition to Huber and Flores-Roux working together on the extensive collection for Arquiste since 2011 (some of the early perfumes also with Yann Vasnier), they have collaborated with J. Crew and Vacation, creating scents that encapsulate the DNA of these brands. Every perfume they have created stands out from the crowded market of designer and niche fragrances.

Carlos Huber and Rodrigo Flores-Roux (courtesy of Givaudan)

This first perfume, Sabah Bois, is certainly a mix of East & West, transporting you straight from N.Y.C. to Istanbul and the far reaches beyond. It is much appreciated when a scent does not shy away from its brand’s origins and Bois takes the entire story into account as it weaves aromas found around the world and ties them back to the smooth, rich leather used to craft Sabah’s renowned slippers.

Herbal notes of thyme and fir balsam start Sabah Bois off with a crisp green woodiness taking me to the shops in the markets of the Middle East selling hand carved inlaid boxes and tables. The incense and resins swirl throughout just as they would in a traditional souq. The smoke is green and just a touch lemony, I feel the dustiness of wood shavings and jars of hand mixed bukhoor (incense) lining the walls of the crowded tiny shops.

Sabah leather slippers, courtesy of Sabah

As you travel through the tiny alleyways, you stumble upon the area full of leather goods and textiles being stitched into a personally tailored ensemble. The scent of Sabah Bois is a perfect rendition of the traditional leather slippers found across the Middle East from Morocco to Lebanon. Smooth and glove-like leather with layers of dry patchouli mix with the wisps of incense that continuously burn in each market stall. Sabah Bois creates an aura of elegance that traverse vast oceans and deserts.

Carlos Huber and Rodrigo Flores-Roux have created an exceptional perfume in collaboration with Mickey Ashmore. It is always delightful to find a fragrance that captures the brand’s aesthetic so completely. Whether you are in the market for some new (and in my opinion very cool looking) shoes and apparel or not, I highly recommend you check out Bois Sabah as for your own olfactive journey.  Who knows where you will end up?

Notes: cypress, wild thyme, elemi resin, fir balsam, nutmeg, desert sage, frankincense, styrax, cedar wood, leather, patchouli, guaiac wood, smoke

Disclaimer: Review is based on a bottle of Sabah Bois generously provided by the brand.  My opinions are my own.

Rachel Watson, Senior Contributor

Editor’s note:  I have known ARQUISTE founder Architect and designer, Mexican born Carlos Huber for over a decade, (Rodrigo Flores-Roux even longer) and the team at ÇaFleureBon has reviewed every fragrance since the collection of “Olfactive Architecture” debuted in 2011. – Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

You can watch Steven Gavrielatos’ recent video review of Arquiste’s most recent release, Indigo Smoke.

Sabah Bois courtesy of the brand

Thanks to the generosity of Sabah, we have a 50 ml bottle of Sabah Bois for one registered reader in the US. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest about Rachel’s review and that you live in the USA. Draw closes 6/8/2023

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