Yasmin Abdallah, professionally known as Yasmin Sewell, is an Australian-Lebanese fashion entrepreneur and creative director who built her career in London’s fashion industry. She first gained attention through her independent boutique, Yasmin Cho, before working with major fashion retailers such as Browns and Liberty London. Her career later included senior creative work at Farfetch and the launch of fashion label Être Cécile.

In 2021, she founded Vyrao, a luxury fragrance and wellbeing brand. She was also briefly married to British actor Rufus Sewell before building a family with fashion entrepreneur Kyle Robinson.

Who Is Yasmin Abdallah? Biography, Identity and Background

Yasmin Abdallah is better known professionally as Yasmin Sewell. She is an Australian-born fashion entrepreneur with Lebanese heritage who became an influential buyer and creative figure in the British fashion industry.

She grew up in Sydney, Australia, and later moved to London to pursue opportunities in fashion. Her early work in retail helped her understand how clothing, customer experience and designer selection shape a successful fashion business.

Her professional career includes several important names in luxury retail. She worked with Browns and Liberty London, held a senior creative position at Farfetch, and developed her own fashion and fragrance businesses.

Today, she is best known as the founder of Vyrao. The company combines fine perfumery with a focus on emotional wellbeing and sensory experiences.

Yasmin Abdallah’s Early Life, Family Background and Education

Childhood and Family Background

Yasmin Sewell grew up in Maroubra, a beachside suburb of Sydney, Australia. Her Australian-Lebanese background connected her to two cultures and influenced her early experiences.

Maroubra’s coastal setting also gave her a close connection to the ocean and outdoor life. In a 2023 interview published by Harper’s Bazaar, she discussed how growing up near the sea shaped her relationship with nature.

Her family background is part of her personal story, although she has kept many details about her parents and siblings private. Her later move to London marked the beginning of a career that would connect Australian talent with the international fashion industry.

Education and Early Career Interests

Yasmin left school in Australia at around 15 and began working rather than following a traditional university route. She later explained this decision in an interview with Into The Gloss.

She moved to London in 1996, when she was around 19. At first, she wanted to enter fashion but had not settled on a specific career path.

One of her early jobs involved working as a window dresser at Browns. This gave her direct experience with luxury retail and the way fashion stores present products to customers.

She later developed practical experience in fashion buying and merchandising. These early responsibilities helped prepare her to open her own boutique.

Yasmin Abdallah’s Fashion Career and Professional Journey

Yasmin Cho Boutique and Early Fashion Business

Yasmin Sewell opened her first boutique, Yasmin Cho, in London’s Soho during the late 1990s. She was around 22 at the time.

The store focused on emerging designers and distinctive fashion labels. Rather than relying only on established luxury names, she selected collections that offered something different from mainstream retail.

Designers such as Rick Owens appeared among the names associated with the boutique. Her ability to recognize new creative talent helped the store attract attention from the fashion community.

The New York Times later recognized Yasmin Cho as an influential boutique. The business established her reputation as a buyer who could identify designers before they became widely known.

Browns Fashion and Emerging Designer Development

After her boutique gained attention, Yasmin joined Browns, one of London’s established luxury fashion retailers.

She worked with the company as a fashion buyer and developed relationships with designers who were shaping contemporary fashion. Joan Burstein, the influential figure behind Browns, played an important part in her professional development.

Her buying work helped introduce emerging talent to a wider retail audience. Christopher Kane and J.W. Anderson are among the designers associated with the period in which she developed her reputation.

Browns gave her experience in selecting collections, understanding customer demand and managing the commercial side of fashion. It also strengthened her position within the British fashion industry.

Liberty London, Style.com, Moda Operandi and Farfetch

Yasmin later expanded her work beyond traditional fashion buying. Her professional experience included consultancy and creative roles with major fashion businesses.

At Liberty London, she contributed to the retailer’s fashion direction and designer selection. Her work helped bring new designers into the store’s offering.

She also joined the British Fashion Council’s NewGen network, which supports emerging designers in the UK. This connected her commercial experience with the development of new fashion talent.

In November 2015, Condé Nast announced her appointment as fashion director of Style.com, its planned luxury shopping platform. The role involved shaping its fashion team and creative direction.

She subsequently held a senior style and creative position at Farfetch, where she worked on fashion strategy and brand presentation. She left her major Farfetch role in 2018 and began shifting her attention toward other projects.

Yasmin Abdallah’s Fashion Brands and Business Ventures

Être Cécile: Fashion Brand and Business Model

Yasmin also helped establish Être Cécile, a London-based fashion label focused on accessible luxury and casual clothing. The brand was developed with fashion professionals Jemma Dyas and Kyle Robinson.

Its collections focused on everyday pieces that could work with more tailored outfits. T-shirts, sweatshirts and tracksuits formed an important part of its product range.

The label combined casual streetwear with a more polished fashion approach. Its Parisian-inspired identity and playful graphics helped distinguish it from basic sportswear brands.

Yasmin’s experience at Browns and Liberty influenced the way she approached product selection and brand positioning. She understood the appeal of clothing that felt distinctive without requiring customers to buy expensive designer outfits.

Fashion Consultancy and Industry Collaborations

Alongside her own businesses, Yasmin developed a fashion consultancy career. Her work involved helping brands understand trends, products and creative direction.

Her professional network included designers and businesses such as J.W. Anderson and Chloé. She also supported emerging fashion talent through industry connections and advisory work.

Her experience with Liberty London and Farfetch gave her insight into both traditional retail and online fashion platforms. This combination helped her understand how a fashion brand could maintain a clear identity across different sales channels.

She also took part in fashion industry discussions and initiatives linked to the British Fashion Council. These activities extended her influence beyond the businesses she directly managed.

Vyrao: Yasmin Abdallah’s Luxury Fragrance and Wellness Brand

What Is Vyrao and When Was It Founded?

Founded in 2021, Vyrao is a luxury fragrance and wellbeing brand founded by Yasmin Sewell in 2021. The London-based company brings together fine perfumery, sensory experiences and ideas about emotional wellbeing.

Yasmin began developing the concept in 2019. She wanted to move beyond her fashion career and create a business connected to her interest in energy, spirituality and wellbeing.

The brand’s name and identity reflect its focus on positive feelings and personal rituals. Its products are designed to make fragrance part of a daily experience rather than simply something worn for other people.

Vyrao has expanded beyond personal perfumes into home fragrance products, including candles and incense. This broader range allows the company to connect fragrance with different parts of everyday life.

Vyrao Fragrances, Products and Signature Collections

Vyrao develops fragrances around different moods, sensory experiences and creative concepts. Its product range includes personal perfumes and home fragrance products.

The collection includes names such as Sun Rae, The Sixth, Mamajuju, Witchy Woo and I Am Verdant. Each fragrance has its own identity and scent direction.

The Sixth is particularly notable because its development involved the International Flavours and Fragrances (IFF) Science of Wellness programme. This programme examines how scents relate to emotional responses and brain activity.

Vyrao also uses distinctive packaging and sensory elements. Its 50ml fragrance bottles contain a Herkimer diamond crystal, which reflects the brand’s interest in combining fragrance with spiritual symbolism.

The company works with experienced perfumers and fragrance specialists. Lyn Harris is among the creative professionals associated with its fragrance development.

Neuroscience, Energy Medicine and Wellness Philosophy

Vyrao’s approach combines traditional perfumery with ideas about emotional and sensory wellbeing. Yasmin believes that scent can influence how people feel and how they experience daily routines.

The company describes some of its products as neuroscents. This term relates to fragrances developed with research into the relationship between scent, brain activity and emotional responses.

Smell has a direct connection with brain systems involved in memory and emotion. This helps explain why certain fragrances can bring back memories or create strong personal associations.

Vyrao also draws on energy medicine, Reiki and other holistic practices that interest its founder. These ideas form part of the brand’s identity, but they should not be confused with proven medical treatments.

Its wellness philosophy focuses on personal rituals, mindfulness and positive sensory experiences. The goal is to make fragrance a meaningful part of everyday self-care.

Vyrao’s Investment, Ownership and Business Growth

Vyrao attracted attention from major companies as it expanded into the luxury fragrance market.

In March 2023, The Estée Lauder Companies announced a minority investment through its New Incubation Ventures group. The investment supported the brand’s plans for product development and international growth.

In September 2024, Vyrao announced another significant minority investment, this time from L Catterton’s Elevate Beauty fund.

Manzanita Capital and Estée Lauder’s New Incubation Ventures also participated in the funding round. The financial terms were not publicly disclosed.

These investments gave Vyrao access to partners with experience in beauty, fragrance and international retail. The brand had already expanded into markets including the UK, USA, Australia and Japan.

Its retail presence has also included specialist luxury retailers such as Violet Grey and Ssense.

Yasmin Abdallah’s Relationship With Rufus Sewell

Who Is Rufus Sewell?

Rufus Sewell is an English actor known for his work in film and television. His career includes roles in historical dramas, thrillers and major television productions.

He appeared in films such as Dark City and later became known to television audiences through productions including Victoria and The Diplomat.

His acting career brought him international recognition. His former marriage to Yasmin Sewell is one of the personal details that connects his public biography with hers.

Marriage, Relationship Timeline and Divorce

Yasmin Sewell and Rufus Sewell married in March 1999. Their marriage was brief and ended in 2000.

The relationship attracted attention because Rufus was already building a public profile as an actor, while Yasmin was developing her fashion career in London.

After their separation, Yasmin continued using the professional name Yasmin Sewell. She later built a separate family life and continued working in fashion and business.

There is no reliable public confirmation of the private reasons behind their divorce, so claims about personal disagreements should not be treated as established facts.

Yasmin Abdallah’s Husband, Children and Family Life

Who Is Kyle Robinson?

Kyle Robinson is a fashion entrepreneur associated with the wholesale showroom Paper Mache Tiger. He has also been connected to the development of Être Cécile.

Yasmin and Kyle built a family together while continuing their work in the fashion industry. Their professional interests gave them a shared connection to clothing, retail and creative business.

Kyle’s work behind the scenes in fashion differs from Yasmin’s more public career as a buyer and creative director. Their relationship has also been mentioned in fashion interviews and lifestyle publications.

Yasmin Abdallah’s Children and Family Relationships

Yasmin and Kyle Robinson have children together. Their son Knox Rocket Robinson was introduced publicly in a British Vogue interview published in December 2011.

The interview described Kyle’s work with Paper Mache Tiger and Yasmin’s return to balancing motherhood with her fashion consultancy.

Yasmin has generally kept her family life more private than her professional activities. Her public interviews and social media provide occasional glimpses of family life, but she does not regularly share detailed information about her children.

Yasmin Abdallah’s Net Worth, Income and Business Interests

Yasmin Sewell has built her professional income through fashion retail, creative consultancy, brand development and fragrance entrepreneurship.

Her career has included senior positions at Browns, Liberty London, Style.com and Farfetch. She also developed independent business interests through Être Cécile and Vyrao.

Vyrao’s investment history provides evidence of commercial interest in the company. Estée Lauder’s New Incubation Ventures made a minority investment in 2023, followed by an investment from L Catterton in 2024.

However, these transactions do not establish Yasmin’s personal net worth. The investment values and her individual ownership share have not been publicly disclosed.

Online estimates of her wealth should therefore be treated cautiously. A reliable personal net-worth figure cannot be established from the publicly available financial information.

Yasmin Abdallah’s Fashion Style, Wellness and Lifestyle

Personal Fashion Style and Industry Influence

Yasmin has developed a recognizable fashion identity through her work as a buyer and creative director. Her personal style often combines masculine tailoring with relaxed clothing.

In a Vogue interview, she discussed her preference for men’s-style blazers, boyfriend jeans and wide-leg trousers. She also described how her clothing choices change with her hairstyle and personal taste.

Her fashion interests include emerging designers and distinctive pieces rather than following every seasonal trend. Her experience buying for Browns and Liberty helped her develop an understanding of how individual clothing items can shape a wider collection.

She has also appeared in fashion publications such as British Vogue and Allure, where she has discussed personal style and fashion choices.

Wellness Practices and Personal Philosophy

Wellness has become a central part of Yasmin’s professional identity through Vyrao. Her interest in holistic practices existed before the fragrance business began.

She has discussed meditation, Reiki and other approaches to personal wellbeing. She has also explored Ayurveda and flower essences as part of her interest in holistic health.

Her approach focuses on the connection between the senses and emotional experiences. Fragrance plays a central role because smell can trigger memories and create strong personal associations.

Vyrao turns these interests into products designed for everyday rituals. Its perfumes, candles and incense reflect the idea that small sensory experiences can contribute to a person’s sense of wellbeing.

Yasmin Abdallah’s Achievements, Industry Influence and Legacy

Yasmin Sewell’s career stands out for her work across different parts of the fashion industry. She moved from independent retail into luxury buying, consultancy and creative leadership.

Opening Yasmin Cho in Soho gave her an early platform for supporting emerging designers. Her later work at Browns helped strengthen her reputation as a fashion buyer with an eye for new talent.

At Liberty London, she contributed to the retailer’s fashion direction. Her work with Style.com and Farfetch later extended her experience into digital fashion retail.

She also helped establish Être Cécile and created Vyrao, moving from clothing into luxury fragrance and wellbeing.

Her professional journey demonstrates how fashion knowledge can transfer into different business categories. In particular, Vyrao combines brand development, creative direction and product innovation in a growing luxury market.

Where Is Yasmin Abdallah Now?

Yasmin Sewell’s current public business identity is closely connected to Vyrao. The London-based fragrance and wellbeing company remains the main focus of her work as a founder.

The brand has developed beyond its original perfume range and expanded into candles, incense and international retail markets.

Her earlier fashion experience continues to influence the way she approaches products, brand identity and creative direction. The move from fashion retail to fragrance has allowed her to apply those skills in another luxury category.

She also maintains a public profile through fashion and lifestyle features. Her professional activities remain more visible than her private family life.

Conclusion

Yasmin Abdallah, professionally known as Yasmin Sewell, built her reputation through independent fashion retail, luxury buying and creative leadership. Her work with Yasmin Cho, Browns, Liberty London and Farfetch established her place in the fashion industry.

She later co-founded Être Cécile and launched Vyrao in 2021. The fragrance brand brought together her interest in perfumery, sensory experiences and wellbeing, attracting investment from Estée Lauder and L Catterton.

Although her former marriage to Rufus Sewell remains part of her public biography, her professional achievements extend well beyond celebrity relationships. Her transition from fashion executive to fragrance entrepreneur defines the most significant part of her business journey.

FAQs

Who Is Yasmin Abdallah?

Yasmin Abdallah, professionally known as Yasmin Sewell, is an Australian-Lebanese fashion entrepreneur and the founder of luxury fragrance and wellbeing brand Vyrao.

How Old Is Yasmin Abdallah and When Was She Born?

Yasmin Sewell’s exact date of birth has not been reliably established in publicly available biographical records.

What Is Yasmin Abdallah’s Ethnicity and Nationality?

Yasmin Sewell is Australian and has Lebanese heritage. She grew up in Maroubra, Sydney, Australia.

Was Yasmin Abdallah Married to Rufus Sewell?

Yes. Yasmin Abdallah married British actor Rufus Sewell in March 1999, and their marriage ended in 2000.

Who Is Yasmin Abdallah’s Current Husband?

Yasmin Sewell has been publicly associated with fashion entrepreneur Kyle Robinson, although their current marital status is not independently confirmed.

How Many Children Does Yasmin Abdallah Have?

Yasmin Sewell has children with Kyle Robinson, including their son Knox Rocket Robinson, introduced in a 2011 British Vogue interview.

What Is Yasmin Abdallah’s Net Worth?

Yasmin Sewell’s exact net worth has not been publicly verified. Her business interests include Être Cécile and the luxury fragrance company Vyrao.

What Is Vyrao and Who Founded It?

Vyrao is a London-based luxury fragrance and wellbeing brand founded by Yasmin Sewell in 2021, combining fine perfumery with sensory and emotional wellbeing concepts.