“I’m a mechanical engineering graduate who found my passion in fitness,” he says. “Today I work as a personal trainer and have competed in powerlifting, where discipline, consistency, and continuous improvement have shaped the way I approach both work and life.” An engineer’s mind, a lifter’s patience. Both turn out to be excellent equipment for perfume.

My relationship with fragrance started quite simply. I was a fresh graduate who had just started working and wanted to upgrade from the inexpensive perfumes I’d buy at convenience stores. They smelled nice, but never seemed to last. So one day, I typed a simple search into YouTube: “long lasting fresh perfumes”.

What began as curiosity slowly turned into a real appreciation for fragrance. The more I learned, the more I realised that perfume is more than just smelling good. It is a form of self-expression.

Today, I enjoy discovering well-crafted fragrances with character, but I don’t avoid mass-appealing scents if they truly suit me.

The first time I smelled Armaf Milestone, I was instantly taken back to my childhood. I was in kindergarten, and my aunt used to wear what I later learned was Creed Millesime Imperial, a gift from her husband, who loved buying her expensive perfumes at that time. Back then I had no idea what the fragrance was. I only remembered that clean, elegant scent. Not long after, her husband died, and my aunt never bought expensive perfume again.

Years later, smelling Milestone brought that memory back in an instant. What amazes me is that I have a very hazy memory of my childhood, yet it needed only one sniff to bring a certain moment of the past back whole. It reminded me not only of my aunt, but of a warm chapter of my childhood, and of someone who is no longer here.

These days I find myself reaching for HoM Haute For The One Who Hears layered with Hutan Aromantika Dewata Zhen. It has become my favourite combination when I want to make a statement while also enjoying the scent for myself.

For date nights, lately I rotate between Amouage Interlude Black Iris, Orto Parisi Cuoium, HoM Haute Hajar Red Dragon, and Anti Bast layered with Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, depending on the mood. Each brings something different, but they all share the depth, character, and confidence I enjoy wearing.

Before heading out, I usually give myself an extra ten minutes to decide on my outfit and another ten to choose my fragrance. It is a small ritual that helps me slow down, set the tone for the day, and enjoy a moment for myself before everything begins.

Good taste, to me, is knowing what resonates with you, and having the confidence to choose it, regardless of whether it is niche or widely loved.

Ask the powerlifter for the one belief he would defend and he does not talk about the bar at all. Or rather, he does: about every heavy thing a life picks up, and what carrying it builds.