Junubia Media Features Aluel D. Deng
Aluel Deng Creates Elegance as Founder of Luxury Perfume Oil Line
Today we’d like to introduce you to Aluel Dim Deng, the Founder of the designer brand Aluel Deng. Operating since 2021, Aluel has built the brand globally with the closest ties in the United Kingdom, South Sudan, and now the United Arab Emirates.
Creating moments of pure elegance, Aluel Deng, the brand, is known as the epitome of a luxury experience. Recently launched, the exquisite perfume oils were meticulously crafted in the UAE and sold worldwide. An upcoming collection of bespoke silk clothing, sourced from India, and a fusion of Italian leather finesse will be introduced in due course. Embrace the allure of Aluel Deng and indulge in a world where style meets luxury.
JM: How are you enjoying the summer where you are? How do you spend your days during this time of the year?
Aluel: I’m currently in Dubai and it’s extremely hot (around 45 degrees celsius), not enabling me to do any outdoor activities – but it’s nice, because I work in my apartment with the balcony door slightly open to feel and see the sun a little. There is an energy about Dubai that keeps me working hard, which I appreciate. Usually I’m in London during the Summer, we all know sun and London don’t mix – so it’s the usual outdoor activities for the 2 hours that we’ve got the sun, then back inside!
JM: As you’re reading this, what book are you currently reading or what was the last one you read?
Aluel: It’s my third time reading ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ written by Robert Kiyosaki and it’s always been an absolute life changer for me. How the author navigates different avenues of life showing different outcomes is fantastic. It personally helped (and still helps) me to put so much into perspective in terms of the power of your words and how you choose to live your life – which closely ties in with the book I once read ’48 Laws of Power’ written by Robert Greene. Both excellent reads.
JM: What can you tell us about your background and what inspired you to be an entrepreneur?
Aluel: I was born, raised and still ‘live’ in London, United Kingdom (although a frequent traveler) and a South Sudanese. When I was younger, growing up surrounded by two cultures was beautiful. I had the luxury of understanding and being exposed to various cultures and upbringings which has helped me to date, as well as knowing and understanding my own culture and the beauty that comes with it. I’m the sixth child of six children and had a great childhood. Growing up in a family that always believed in bettering themselves in every aspect, I was very quickly hooked on mimicking patterns and behaviors’ within the household – for example, my mother was great at being patient, polite and social, but also charismatic and a great ally to my father. She also had several work schedules of her own to adhere to – a very hard-working woman, a leader by nature. My father, a very noble, gentle and kind militant man (ironic I know). He was loved by many nationwide, and although dedicating his life to South Sudan and the betterment of the nation, he still made time for his wife and children. I had a great relationship with my father, one that I would cherish forever. It’s the simple things like the way he adored my mother in our (the kids) presence, or prioritized us in every situation, or the mundane things like teaching me how to ride a bike for the first time as a child. This was how I saw my parents – as a man and woman willing to go to greater heights to see their family win, and their country, South Sudan win also. Then we have my siblings, all with very individual and very different personality traits, they all brought something to the table that also shaped me to be the woman I am today. Business minded, every single one of them was (and still are) running their empires and I am so happy for them. As a young child, seeing the hustle, the drive and enthusiasm to be better, gave me the drive and know-how to follow suit.
JM: In what ways did your upbringing shape the business woman you are today?
Aluel: Life in my upbringing showed me the meaning of give and take. Once you give yourself the power and readiness to be susceptible to information, you will take ‘reap’ the benefits and maybe even the consequences soon after. I trialed and errored several times, but I kept remembering the perseverance my family members individually had to endure, and I kept going. I was taught very early on that life doesn’t just reward you for sitting on your behind all day – you’ve got to get up and work. The amount of time and effort you put into something is exactly what you’ll get back from it. Discipline, consistency and realistic optimism allowed me to see the world in a very black and white kind of way. The firmness of this outlook made me the business woman I am today.
JM: How would you describe your leadership style and how has it evolved over the years?
Aluel: Three years ago, I was blessed to have my own full team of staff. Although looking to me for guidance, I was also learning and trying my best to navigate through this new avenue of entrepreneurship. I definitely made many mistakes, but my staff were my anchor to my ship (my company) that kept a melodic relationship between myself and them in ensuring that the company is secure and dependable. It was then that I realized a team of excellent, competent people is crucial for a business to stay afloat. I believe as years have gone on and my business has grown, I have become firm because it’s natural instinct that more will be at stake. If my company is happy, people working with me will be happier and that’s just how it goes.
JM: Walk us through the back story of how luxury perfume came to be your signature product? What inspired you to keep going when things got difficult?
Aluel: They say when you monetize what you enjoy, you reap the benefits more. I’ve always been an avid perfume lover, even in my prime years, thanks to my mother who was always the lady that dressed nicely, with evenly polished hands and toes and smelled lovely. I aspired to be like her when I grew up so badly, that I am slowly morphing into her. Gradually, I became familiar to different perfume scents with the individual scent notes, to the point that I was able to know what notes were in the fragrance when having a sniff test in the perfume stores without looking at the box. I became almost addicted to trying out the latest perfume, to the point that my collection took up most of my vanity table in my room. Only recently I moved away from mainstream perfume and done extensive research on different woods and their attributes, for example agar wood and oudh (an extract from the agar tree). I researched where these trees grew, the cultures that predominately used them, as well as their riches and qualities. When I came to Dubai two months ago, I immediately tracked down the finest oud oils to infuse it into the brand’s new perfume oils. I had to ensure that I incorporated these oils into the 2023 Collection, as the brand Aluel Deng exudes luxury, and oud as an oil is a luxury in itself, especially within the UAE traditions. Royalty are accustomed to using perfume oils rather than an eau de parfum or an eau de toilette. Of course at times things got a little difficult along the way, especially at the beginning stages when I was trying to understand the market. Concocting a fragrance line is probably one of the hardest in the industry, only because it involves a lot of chemical balances and I am not a scientist by any means necessary. When sales were flooding in in 2021, I had to find a small factory to handle this to cater to the supply and demand. Unfortunately, the factory closed down soon after due to the pandemic-driven financial obstacles that many private owned companies were facing. The factory was losing staff. Of course this meant I was back to square one and having to either a) try to do the whole process myself, or b) pause for a little while, let the wave of the pandemic go down a little while doing heavy research, evaluate the market and create a beast of a brand soon after. Of course I chose option b, and this is where we are today.
JM: How would you describe elegance and sophistication in your own words?
Aluel: Elegance is not just a word, but it’s an action. It’s a divine representation of how one speaks, dresses and carries themselves. There is a strong energy that comes with an elegant person, or rather, thing. You can see it, but you can’t quite understand it – there’s a mystery behind it. Sophistication couples it pleasantly as the subtleness of the elegance. All of our pieces at Aluel Deng will ensure that the person in possession of any of these products will feel the absolute riches that both elegance and sophistication hold.
“Elegance is not just a word, but it’s an action. It’s a divine representation of how one speaks, dresses and carries themselves. There is a strong energy that comes with an elegant person, or rather, thing.”— Aluel Deng
JM: What do you hope your customers feel when they use your product?
Aluel: Immediately after the release of the perfume oil line, we will be launching luxury products away from the fragrance avenue. Whether it’d be the new products that will launch shortly, or the perfume line, our aim is to ensure that all of our customers feel once again, elegant and sophisticated. We want them to feel like an enhanced version of themselves, projecting confidence and conviction with every pep in their step. It’s my (and our as a brand)’s utmost goal to create a space for people to take pride and see value in all of our products.
JM: What do you enjoy most about being an entrepreneur? What do you enjoy the least?
Aluel: I used to see the word ‘entrepreneur’ and become immediately excited with the value the word carries, but now I see it as just that, a word. Entrepreneurship is mostly action orientated, and the more action you take, you begin to see the word as a doing. I am obliged within my capacity to guarantee that I fulfilled my roles and duties duly and with respect to my audience and customers at all times. The role of course, comes with its perks. As an example, it’s thrilling to be in the position to constantly be your own competitor and better your stance in the race every single time, which not only fuels the energy to do more, but it makes you read more, watch more, observe more on companies and people doing better than you – not to mirror them, but to see their challenges, baits and obstacles and learn from them. Another amazing thing I enjoy about the role I’m in, is seeing different behavioral patterns in people, as well as learning about people – what they like (within the brand), what they don’t necessarily like, what they respond to and what they don’t respond to. It’s really intriguing to me… keeps me focused. Entrepreneurship in my experience also comes with its difficulties. Learning or understanding trends can be extremely tedious, as the world is always evolving, people’s lifestyle patterns change and I have to make sure my eyes are open at all times to study this change to fit into the brand’s narrative. This is a natural part of evolution that I and my marketing team will always have to be on top of.
JM: If a young person asked you for your advice and you only had a few minutes to give them your best tips, what would they be?
Aluel: Do it now. Your idea, or brand new invention cannot wait any longer. You may not have the resources or the know-how just yet, but note that experience is the best teacher you can ever come across. Utilize technology for your business. Social media is free, can be monetized and is the best starting point for something greater to come. You’ll eventually attain the resources, connections and know-how as times goes on, so long as you remain consistent and disciplined. There is no right time to do anything in this life. And just remember in anything that you do, risk takers always win the race
Contact Info:
- Email: sales@alueldeng.com
- Website: https://www.alueldeng.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alueldengofficial
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aluelddeng
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Junubia Media is multimedia creative platform centered around the arts and business. We aim to share inspiring stories and uncover hidden gems from South Sudan, East Africa and the wider African Diaspora. If you or someone you know deserves recognition, please let us know here.
Source – https://junubiamedia.com/2023/08/04/aluel-deng-creates-elegance-as-founder-of-luxury-perfume-oil-line/
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