Meet The Perfumer
The Heart Behind Maison Yusif
— Yusif Meizongo Jr.
The first perfumer from West Africa certified as an olfaction trainer by the International Perfume Foundation — and the hand behind every Maison Yusif composition.
"The dream was always larger than the road I was driving."
— Yusif Meizongo Jr.
The Maker
Driven to redefine luxury through scent.
Yusif is a Ghanaian perfumer with a singular ambition: to show the world that great perfumery can be authored in Africa, in full. He founded Maison Yusif in 2017 and built it — from the trunk of his car — into the continent's pioneering niche house. His breakthrough came in Los Angeles, where that certification did more than validate his craft — it gave him the authority to teach, seeding a perfume industry in a place that had none. The certification didn't just validate his craft; it let him train others, seeding a perfume industry where none had existed. Today he composes every Maison Yusif fragrance himself, oversees production from formula to packaging, and mentors the next generation of Ghanaian perfumers.
Standing
A first, several times over.
IPF Certified
First perfumer from West Africa certified as an olfaction trainer by the International Perfume Foundation.
Founder of a First
Built Ghana's first niche fragrance house — and Africa's pioneering name in artisanal perfumery.
Record-Setter
Led the first African niche house to launch nine fragrances in a single day.
Where He Trained
An education without borders.
His craft was shaped across borders — studying and refining his nose in Dubai, Turkey, France, Nigeria and South Africa. An education without a single home, drawn from the world's great perfume traditions.
Who Shaped His Eye
Masters & mentors.
Francis Kurkdjian
Master Perfumer
Creezy Courtoy
International Perfume Foundation
Sophie David
Perfumer & Educator
Allyson Correia & Yusuf Bhai
Craft Mentors
His Philosophy
"I don't believe in true mistakes in perfumery. Every misstep is simply a fresh style — a new way to say what only the perfumer can express."
For Yusif, perfumery is an art before it is a science. Each formulation is a canvas; each unexpected result, an invitation to invent. It's a mindset that has made the house restless, experimental, and unmistakably its own.
Beyond the Bottle
The Home of Humanity Foundation.
Yusif's craft is matched by his conscience. Through his foundation, a portion of every Maison Yusif purchase returns to the communities that raised him — turning luxury into lasting good.
30+
Children from the Zongo community re-enrolled in school.
5
Clean-water projects built for underserved communities.
10
Students mentored each cycle, with stipends during training.
∞
A craft, and a conscience, passed forward.
A Word from the Founder
Dear Maison Yusif Family,
Perfume isn’t just my passion, it’s my way of telling stories, of honoring our heritage, and of leaving something meaningful behind. Every fragrance we craft is a blend of memory, emotion, and purpose, meant to connect with the moments that matter most in your life.
Thank you for walking this journey with us. With every bottle, you carry a piece of our story and the heart behind it.
Warmly,
Yusif Meizongo Jr.
Founder & Master Perfumer, Maison Yusif
Wear the hand behind the house.
Every Maison Yusif fragrance is composed by Yusif himself. Discover them.