Sydney-based entrepreneur Thierry Naboulsi first started selling perfumes online as a hobby. More than 20 years later, his niche fragrance and cosmetics retailer City Perfume has become the go-to for Australians searching for luxe and hard-to-find products.

Thierry can instantly recall the moment he first fell in love with fragrance.

“I used to wait for my dad to get ready for work,” the City Perfume founder tells Kochie’s Business Builders. “Every time he sprayed [his fragrance] in the morning, I knew that he was leaving so I could get ready to go to school. It’s such a nice memory. Every time I smell that fragrance, it just reminds me of him.”

Thierry’s father, who ran a family retail business in his homeland of Serbia, would later become a mentor on Thierry’s entrepreneurship journey.

But it was Thierry’s choice to fly from the nest. In 2002, he moved to Australia to pursue his studies in business, and while doing that, he started an online-only perfume store for fun. Who would want to buy perfumes online anyway?

A nose for a good idea

Lo and behold, the concept caught on. Come 2004, Thierry was ready to open a small warehouse in Padstow to dispatch online orders for niche fragrances and beauty products that weren’t readily available at major stores. “It’s been a long journey,” Thierry reflects.

“It took a lot of planning, because we wanted to deliver something very unique to Australia. City Perfume is a very unique concept. You will hardly find something similar to us. We are authorised by the brands. All our products are genuine. We have exclusive fragrances and our staff are very knowledgeable.

“City Perfume is all about savoir faire…We know how to do it.”

When most businesses were going from bricks to clicks, Thierry did it the other way around. Combining European department store luxury with a more intimate and interactive shopfront, Thierry opened his first physical City Perfume boutique in Balmain in 2009.

That store has since closed, but City Perfume took off elsewhere: there are currently three stores, in Merrylands, Wetherill Park and Bankstown, plus sister brand Parfums de Marly in the Sydney CBD.

Offering perfume masterclasses and makeup consultations, the stores attract discerning customers who want to experiment with scents – or buy something unique for a friend or family member.

“People come to us for the experience,” Thierry says. “They love to see new brands. They love the experience. They love to find their signature fragrance – people come from all over Australia.”

Authenticity versus dupes

A major challenge in recent years has been the rise of cheaper, lower-quality dupes in the perfume market – especially online. At the same time, Thierry says people are becoming more informed about their purchases.

“People are looking for a perfume that lasts longer,” he says. “Because there are a lot of dupes in the market, where they use a lot of chemicals. You don’t know what they’re using,” he says.

“[All of our perfumes] are approved by corporate and government bodies. You can’t just make a perfume and sell it. It has to go through approval.

“It’s super important to know the quality and the ingredients of the fragrance. Every fragrance [we have] is actually from a natural route. They’re sourced from different countries. The pineapple is sourced from Sri Lanka, the roses are coming from Damascus, and so forth.”

Building a business out of a niche

Thierry’s business model relies upon an air of exclusivity. It’s the reason why City Perfume has become not only a retailer, but the exclusive distributor of a range of niche international fragrances in Australia.

To get access to those sought-after fragrances from around the world, Thierry attends international perfume trade shows at least twice a year in places like Paris, London, Dubai or Singapore to build relationships on the ground.

“It’s very important for me to visit our suppliers because we have to continue that business relationship that we’ve built,” Thierry says. “They will present to us the next six months of what’s coming, what’s new, so I can come back to Australia and present it to the brand and place orders for Australia.”

Some of those suppliers don’t accept card payments, which can pose challenges for managing regular cash flow. As a solution, Thierry uses American Express AccessLine®, a feature available through his Business Card¹.

“We use American Express AccessLine on a daily basis,” he says. “That tool helps us pay every single supplier direct to their bank account.”

Thierry with team members at a trade exhibition in Cannes in September 2024. Image: Supplied.

The American Express connection

On his most recent business trip, Thierry took 10 team members to a luxury brand trade show in Cannes on the French Riviera – with the help of Membership Rewards® points earned on his American Express® Platinum Business Card.

“I received my first American Express Business Card in 2004. This is the only Card we use because it’s so convenient to pay our expenses, marketing and suppliers. Our travels come from the bonus points that we’ve earned over the years,” he says.

While earn rates and redemption options can vary depending on which Card you have, Thierry’s Card allows him to redeem Membership Rewards points on work flights, upgrades, accommodation, car rentals and even staff rewards².

“Every staff member has an American Express Supplementary Card they use,” he adds, citing airport lounge access as a favourite work travel benefit³.

 What’s next for City Perfume

As consumers seek out luxury brands that feel more customised to their tastes, City Perfume is making serious business sense out of scents.

With more shopping centre branches on the cards and a growing distribution arm, the future is coming up roses.

“We will be expanding Australia wide. We would love to see City Perfume in every single city in Australia,” Thierry says.

“It’s good to bring City Perfume to every single city to help invite clients to feel the experience and feel a bit of luxury.”

Find out more

Learn more about how American Express Business Cards can help your business grow, offering many benefits including premium tools, cash flow solutions and membership rewards. Compare cards here to see what’s right for your business.

This article is brought to you by Business Builders in partnership with American Express.

This article is not intended as financial advice and all information has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should review the product information to decide if any product is suitable for you.

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¹ Subject to approval, enrolment required and T&Cs apply, visit https://www.americanexpress.com/en-au/business/accessline-payments-for-business/

² Subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Membership Rewards Program, visit https://www.americanexpress.com/en-au/benefits/rewards/membership-rewards/#T&Cs

³ Airport Lounges. Includes the American Express Global Lounge Collection and Centurion Lounge Network. Also includes access to the Priority PassTM program, which is subject to enrolment and the Priority Pass Conditions of Use available at www.prioritypass.com. For more details on the Global Lounge Collection and the full terms and conditions, visit americanexpress.com.au/platinumlounges