On Wednesday evening May 27th The Fragrance Foundation celebrated 60 fragrant years and the 37th Annual FiFi® Awards Ceremony.  A red-carpet night of stars for fragrance industry movers, shakers and celebrity guests that included Jonathan Adler, Ernest & Tova Borgnine, Mary J. Blige, Simon Doonan, Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras, Samantha Harris, Sean John, Lisa and Dustin Hoffman, Hilary Rhoda, Paris Hilton, Marc Jacobs, Queen Latifah, Daniel Sunjata,  Erika Tarantal, Kate Walsh.

The annual Fragrance Foundation Awards is the fragrance industry’s most prestigious event where the gifted geniuses of the fragrance community compete to win a coveted crystal FiFi®, a recognized symbol of excellence. Rochelle Bloom, President of The Fragrance Foundation comments “The FiFi® Awards calls attention to the artistry and pleasure of wearing fragrance and showcases great talent and creativity. Who wouldn’t want to rush out and try all of these brilliant little numbers?”

The 2009 FiFi® Award winners are:

Fragrance of the Year – Women’s Luxe:
•    Harajuku Lovers Fragrance – Love, Lil’Angel, Music, Baby, “G” – Coty Prestige

Fragrance of the Year – Men’s Luxe:
•    I am King – Sean John – Sean John Fragrances

Fragrance of the Year – Women’s Popular Appeal
•    American Beauty Beloved - BeautyBank

Fragrance of the Year – Men’s Popular Appeal:
•    McGraw by Tim McGraw – Coty Inc.

Fragrance of the Year Unique Boutique:
•    Tom Ford Private Blend Champaca Absolute – Tom Ford Beauty

Fragrance of the Year Women’s Nouveau Niche:
•    Chloé Eau de Parfum – Coty Prestige

Fragrance of the Year Men’s Nouveau Niche:
•    Burberry the Beat for Men – P & G Prestige Products, Inc.

Hall of Fame:
Marc Jacobs
The Hall of Fame award is voted on by The Fragrance Foundation’s Board of Directors and is presented to an individual who has brought extraordinary ingenuity, creativity, dedication and inner resources to bear, not only to their company’s success but to the fragrance industry as a whole. Marc’s contribution to the fragrance industry started with his very first signature fragrance and now encompasses many different and delicious aromas all imbued with his personality and flare. He has built a fragrance brand with a broad appeal. From the time he entered Parson’s School of Design, Marc Jacobs has been a fashion designer to the core and a skillful fashion entrepreneur and he has built a fashion empire that literally spans the globe with retail stores in London, Paris Tokyo, Moscow, Madrid, Istanbul and Athens. 

Female Celebrity Fragrance of the Year:
Paris Hilton
Chosen by The Fragrance Foundation’s Board of Directors, Paris Hilton has created a wardrobe of fives fragrances that continue to enjoy unprecedented popularity.  She brings a unique and fun approach to the business and is looking forward to launching her sixth fragrance in June 2009. Paris Hilton Entertainment focuses on the development of Paris Hilton-branded fashion, beauty, and lifestyle products, as well as her ventures in film, television and music. As the face of the company, Paris Hilton takes an active role by overseeing product development, design, marketing and promotion for Paris Hilton Entertainment.

Fragrance of the Year  - Private Label/Direct Sell:
•    Victoria’s Secret Sexy Little Things Noir Eau de Parfum – Victoria’s Secret Beauty

Fragrance Hall of Fame  - two winners!
•    Davidoff Cool Water – Coty Prestige
•    White Diamonds Elizabeth Taylor – Elizabeth Arden

Perfume Extraordinaire of the Year:
•    MANE for A Travers Le Miroir Thierry Mugler, Clarins Fragrance Group
(Perfumer: Alexis Dadier, Mane Paris)

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage:
•    Women’s Scent Feature won by Allure Magazine for “Uncommon Scents”
•    Men’s Scent Feature won by Elle Magazine for “This Year’s Model: What a Boy Wants”
•    “Scent Bite” won by Elle Magazine for “Advanced Chemistry”
•    Blog won by Bois de Jasmin for “Scents of Cities – Kiev”

Technological Breakthrough of the Year:
•    Mane USA for Aquafine

Bath and Body Line of the Year:
•    Angel “Les Parfums Corps” by Thierry Mugler, Clarins Fragrance Group

Interior Scent Collection of the Year:
•    Nest Fragrances Collection Candles – Candela Group

Best Packaging of the Year Women’s Prestige – A TIE!
•    Harajuku Lovers Fragrances – Coty Prestige
•    Ma Dame – Jean Paul Gaultier – Beauté Prestige International

Best Packaging of the Year  Men’s Prestige:
•    RIX Rocawear – Elizabeth Arden

Best Packaging of the Year Women’s Popular Appeal:
•    Avon Bond Girl 007 – Avon Products, Inc.

Best Packaging of the Year Men’s Popular Appeal:
•    McGraw by Tim McGraw – Coty Inc.

Best Media Campaign of the Year Women’s:
•    Sensuous – The Estee Lauder Lauder Companies

Best Media Campaign of the Year Men’s:
•    Dirty English From Juicy Couture – Elizabeth Arden

Retailer of the Year: 
•    QVC and Tova Borgnine

C.F.S.S. Top Scorer of the Year:
Carlos Fernandez-Velasco, Business Manager, Thierry Mugler Parfums, Clarins
Fragrance Group, Saks Fifth Avenue, NYC.
A crystal FiFi® Award was presented to Carlos Fernandez-Velasco, Business Manager,
Thierry Mugler Parfums, Clarins Fragrance Group – Saks Fifth Avenue New York
City who achieved the top score out of over a 1000 students completing The Fragrance
Foundation’s online Certification Program for Fragrance Sales Specialists (C.F.S.S).
(read more about C.F.S.S. at www.fragrance.org Press Room)

Ballots and votes tabulated by the Accounting Firm Sperduto, Spector and Company

(Warning: The following post contains unabashed praise of awards ceremonies.  Love of awards shows, or covetedstatuetteitis, is known to be contagious.  Read on at your own risk.)

What can I say?  I admit it.  I love awards shows.  Always have.  Always will.  Maybe it's the romantic side of me, but I find something truly magical about those grandiose nights... something beyond the glitz that locks each one of them in a special place close to my heart.

Even as a kid, I never missed an opportunity to take in an awards show.  Grammys, Oscars, Emmys... it made no difference.  I was there, wide-eyed, soaking in every second. And yes I literally mean every second, as those friends of mine forced to watch countless hours of The Blockbuster Movie Awards can attest to.  Others yet can tell you of crazed 5am frantic phone calls revolving around just announced Oscar Nominations (The years Julia Roberts was nominated were particularly bad and I should probably apologize once again for the hysteria).  And yes I am aware that most nominees are not even awake at that time.  I throw mass viewing parties.  I even pre-print ballots for guessing the nights honorees.  My own personal favorite awards moment from years past involves me huddled under the world's hottest and heaviest duvet at 1am, trying to hide the light of a 13-inch TV screen and the fact that I was still awake, waiting for the announcement of Dances With Wolves as Best Picture. I think I lost 15 lbs that night.

Why all the excitement you ask?  Am I crazy?  Am I not aware that these awards shows are nothing but shameless self-promotion by industry insiders intent on selling me more stuff?  Have I been brainwashed by some secret Daytime Emmy cult led by Susan Lucci?

Now who's being cynical?

You see, on those magical nights, everyone stops, and for just one moment, remembers the beauty of what they do, where they were a year ago and how exactly they got to this moment.  Awards nights are memory-making nights, mile markers on the path of history, with each year another chapter to be added to the story.  While the ceremonies themselves may range from basic to overly flamboyant, it's what's going on behind the glitz that I am seeing.  Beneath all the pomp and circumstance, is one simple truth: for the people sitting in that room, this is it... this is their moment.  That's the beauty I am watching for.

Obviously, The FiFi Awards are even-more-so dear to my heart.  But beyond the obvious reasons why, lies their connection to fragrance history. For six decades, The Fragrance Foundation has been dedicated to elevating the love and importance of fragrance in people's lives.  Since it's founding in 1949, two years after the success of Dior's New Look and a decade after the New York Expo, The Fragrance Foundation has been dedicated to educating people about the beauties of fragrance.  At that time, the world was still recovering from the aftermath of WWII.  After a harsh decade, people's attitudes had changed, and consequently, businesses were being forced to rethink old strategies.  At the center of this rethinking was a new tool in the marketers arsenal: public relations.  

And it would be public relations that would lead industry leaders from Elizabeth Arden, Coty, Guerlain, Helena Rubenstein, Chanel and Parfums Weil to sit down at the table together and officially form The Fragrance Foundation.  This was a monumental moment that would see known competitors allying to better understand this new fragrant world.  Companies would join forces to educate people about the pleasures of fragrance in all its forms, a move that would see fragrance elevated into the world of the elite... a piece of glamour achievable by anyone.

This would prove to be an exceptionally creative time for designers, with such classics as Miss Dior, Femme, and L'Air du Temps.  From this creativity would also rise industry giant, Estée Lauder, and the birth of the American Prestige market.  The industry was seeing exceptional growth worldwide.

By 1973, The Fragrance Foundation's membership roster included designers, retailers, packagers, manufacturers, and suppliers, as well as media and public relations representatives.  In order to highlight the accomplishments of industry leaders over the past years, The Fragrance Foundation would create what would later be known as the FiFi Awards.  Each year, industry leaders would gather to honor the achievements of their fellow members and mutually acknowledge the current state of the industry. They would gather to celebrate where they were and look to where they were going... together.  

So you ask why do the FiFi Awards mean so much to me?

Because the FiFi Award is a symbol of 60 years of camaraderie.  On May 27th, while I admit I will enjoy getting dressed up, will probably get lost talking to celebs, will most certainly be inspired by conversations with master perfumers, and will quite possibly eat and drink too much... none of that will matter.   What will matter is the memories that dance across the room, permeating from the skin of the people in it.  Memories that grew from that one moment 60 years ago.  Those fragrances dancing across the room, old and new, will tell the stories of where I have been and where I'm going.

From Tootsie to Midnight Cowboy, or Rain Man to Meet The Fockers, his screen presence is undeniable, his charm infectious. His wife now runs a very successful beauty company and is nominated this year for a FiFi Award. Of course, we are talking about acting legend, and star of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Dustin Hoffman.



Only 10 short days left to cast your vote for you Favorite Fragrances of 2009. It seems a bit silly to say on American Idol day, but your favorites really are counting on you, so please don't forget to vote.

What a whirlwind week it has been. Starting with all of the excitement leading up to the UK FiFi Awards on Wednesday, April 22 and ending with our own US Nominations Announcements yesterday, it seems like time has just gone by in a flash. With all of this excitement, there has been very little time to digest everything that has transpired. Now that I am back in NYC, I wanted to just take some time to reflect over everything that has happened, and also share with you some of the highlights from the past week. I wanted to do so before the doors to the voting booths open on Monday, April 27 (remember 12:01am!). Hopefully you will enjoy reading about this crazy journey as much as I have enjoyed being a part of it. But before I get into all of that, I want to just quickly extend a very special thanks to Janine Roxborough Bunce and Rochelle Bloom for their incredible support. Thank you both so much for working as hard as you do every day. I am indeed extremely grateful to you both. The fragrance industry is and will be forever in your debt, and I could not think of too kinder or more supportive individuals to have the pleasure of working with.

And now back to this week.

After first landing in London, I had about 24 hours to hobnob around the city. I absolutely love spending time in London, and used this time to visit some places that I almost always return to, like Hyde Park, The V&A, and The Tate Modern. Oh, and yes I did once again force my friends to take Donald Rumbelow's Jack The Ripper Tour for which they probably still have yet to forgive me for. (It's my own dorky tradition and I'm sticking with it.) Monday was also my only time to check out some shops that I miss when in NYC, but more on that later.

Let me first preface the following by highlighting the fact that the weather was uncommonly clear and beautiful for the entire duration of my stay. Blue skies and barely a drop of rain. Perfect light jacket, jeans and sunglasses weather. It helped cast just the right mood over the whole week.

On that Monday, I spent a few hours going through the most exquisite glass room at The V&A. For those of you not familiar with it, it is a treasure trove of inspiration waiting to be uncovered, with pieces going back to the beginnings of civilization, all the way up to modern day. I have posted a few of my own personal favorites in the slideshow. Also great about the V&A is the jewelry room. Of course, it is one of the only rooms where photography is verboten. However, seek out the fragrance pieces mixed in amongst the collection. You won't be disappointed. And don't forget that all museums in London are free. So you can easily drop in and out without feeling like you need to commit to the whole day at the museum.

After The V&A, I headed off to Covent Garden to the first two shops. First up, Penhaligon's, where the staff was eager to discuss much anticipated revivals on the horizon. Great space and incredibly helpful staff. I then walked around the corner to B Never 2 Busy To B Beautiful, the perfume branch of LUSH. Love the antique bottles on display and picked up a bottle of The Breath of God. Think of it as the ultimate tribute to tobacco. Look for B Never coming to NYC soon. I ended my retail romp with a quick run through Harrod's and Selfridge's to refresh my nose with regards to this year's UK FiFi nominations. The stores were packed with people and I was running out of time, but still somehow managed to get 30 minutes in at the Miller Harris counter. At this point, I was walking around in a happy fragrance mood and excited to get down to FiFi business. I ended the night with dinner and drinks near Victoria Station, before settling in for some rest.

Next morning, bright and early, I was off to finish my interview with Executive Director of The Fragrance Foundation UK, Janine Roxborough Bunce which was posted here earlier. Equally charming and disarming, Janine just makes you want to work harder, but some how manages to never make it feel like you are doing actual work. I can only hope I can add this skill to my own professional repetoire.

Tuesday was also my time for a crash course in British Celebrities 101. After looking over the list of those expected for the evening, I realized that I knew half the names thanks to a very guilty obsession with British reality television, but still definitely needed to familiarize myself with the rest. I was also preparing for a now scheduled interview with Alex Zane during the FIFi rehearsal at The Dorchester. Picture three computers and a television constantly cycling through the highlights and lowlights of each of 30 different people's careers. I kind of felt like Anne Hathaway in "The Devil Wears Prada" with my must-learn book. (Throughout the night of the actually ceremony, I tried to find out each person's favorite fragrance and can post it later should anyone be interested). After picking up my clothes from the cleaners and posting the above mentioned blog posts it was already 4am. It was again time to for some much needed sleep. The FiFi's were the next day.

The morning of The 2009 UK FiFi Fragrance Awards Gala was a blur. Lots of coffee and taxis back and forth across London in order to get prepared. By the afternoon, everything was laid out for the event and I was off to The Dorchester. I first met with Will Andrews, Fine Fragrance Creator for P&G Prestige and head of The Fragrance Foundation UK's Associate Board. The two of us discussed possibilities of unifying some of our efforts moving forward, recognizing that today's fragrance consumer is truly a global one. While not everyone has the opportunity to travel to every corner of the world, the power of the internet is allowing for exposure to so much more at the touch of a button, and in an easy and convenient way. Meanwhile, sites like Facebook and MySpace are redefining the way we define the people we refer to as friends in our lives, exposing us to knowledge circles in ways once just simply not possible. When you take these things into account, and begin focusing on looking just at fragrance, you start to notice something quite beautiful. Fragrance, or probably more simple, the sense of smell, is one of those universal languages that unites people, appreciated in every environment around the globe. While cultural practices and olfactive tastes may vary from region to region, or amongst different social groups, the communicative properties inherit in smell are still called upon to conjure up emotional responses regardless of the active agent. To put it more simply, no matter where you are in the world, there are always people passionate about fragrance and marrying it to their way of life. The major difference in today's world is that I now have a much more diverse group of people I can compare notes with when talking about it.

After saying goodbye to Will, I was off for a quick interview with the evening's compére, Alex Zane, during his rehearsals for that night. For those of you not familiar with Alex's work, he's a brilliantly funny stand-up comedian and presenter of "Rude Tube" on BBC's Channel 4. Don't let the messy, Russell Brand-esque hair put you off, Alex is an incredibly handsome and genuinely sweet man. He has that perfect, captivating personality that helped keep the tone of the evening. Like all good comedians, he just has this quick wit and an ability to paint the most vivid pictures in your head, which immediately sucks you in. Perhaps some times a little too vivid. You can find the complete interview here. I especially love the moment when Alex was discussing why Eddie Izzard is so inspirational. In a year when we are celebrating the 60th Anniversary of The Fragrance Foundation, artist's like Mr. Izzard remind us of not only why history is so important, but how it can be used to teach as well as capture the attention of an audience. Entertaining, yet informative.

After the interview, it was time for a quick change and then off to the press line. I said it that night, and I'll say it again. The British papparazzi are aggressive... and everywhere. Yet, somehow the celebs take it all in stride. In fact, the celebrities present that evening seemed to be amongst the people most enjoying the night. I want to thank the many of them that took time out to meet and chat with me.

From there, everyone was ushered into the Ballroom at The Dorchester for the beginning of the night's festivities. After a fantastic meal, we were finally ready to get on with the awards. The presentation to Jean-Paul Guerlain was incredibly emotional. Hearing him speak about the creation of Vetyver and taking over the family business was the inspirational high moment of the evening. As too, with the musical presentation done by Clive Christian, "The Sound of Perfume." But "the moment" when the room stopped was during the playing of the VT footage for Teenage Cancer Trust. Once again, I want to say what an amazing cause TCT is, and that for those can give to help out, please do.

The FiFi Awards Announcements moved very quickly (as those of you who kept up with me on Facebook know very well). I felt like once I finally got to stop typing, the show was over. Granted, I was on a spotty Wi-Fi connection and an iPhone. The only awkward moment, was the Marisa Tomei-esque slip up during The Perfume Shop 'People's Choice' Award for Women, when the presenters read Gucci, but Chloe was the actual winner. However, what could have been a really bad moment was quickly joked about, and moved past. Overall, the 2009 UK FiFi Fragrance Awards Gala was a success, and I'm glad I got to take part. You can find the complete list of winners here.

A swank After Party was held at The Metropolitan Bar on Park Lane for which I was able to stop into only very briefly. It was time to ride the momentum of the night home, as I flying back to New York for the US Announcements at the FiFi Breakfast early the next morning.

Once again, just want to say thank you to Janine and the whole UK Fragrance Foundation team for their incredible hospitality and support during my visit. Hear's to many FiFi's to come.

On the evening of the 2009 UK FiFi Fragrance Awards Gala, I sat down with compére of the night's festivities, Alex Zane, to discuss just how fragrance has impacted his life.

Before being asked to host tonight's festivities, had you heard of the FiFi Awards?

"To be honest, no.  I'm a good smelling man.  I pride myself on being fairly fragrant from time to time, and when someone told me there was a fragrance awards going, I was like okay.  And then the name FiFi popped up which I quite like, a nickname... for an awards show... like Oscars... I see it as that calibre of an event."  

What's your favorite fragrance?

"My favorite fragrance and I'm sort of a stickler for once I find a fragrance I stay with it for years is Hugo Boss, Boss."  

As Alex interviews many people, I asked him if there were any people who, whether good or bad, left a fragrant impression in his mind.  

"I interviewed Charlize Theron recently.  She smelled fantastic." 

Of J'Adore?

I'd imagine so, [that it was J'Adore].  To be honest, sometimes... I don't count myself as one of the most skillful users of the nose in the sense that I will immediately go, 'Gosh! Charlize Theron smells nice. FYI she can do a fantastic impression of a mermaid.  One of her favorite movie's is "Splash", she was telling me, and rather than just telling me, she also did an impression of a mermaid, which, without any additional makeup or half-fish outfit was still convincing as a mermaid. But she smelled great.  I actually bought J'Adore for my girlfriend for Christmas, based on the fact that Charlize Theron is wonderful and I like that advert."  

What's your earliest childhood scent memory? 

"There was a bakery around the back of my house, and when I had my window open in the summer, the smell of freshly baked bread would come through from the bakery and I don't know what it is, I mean, in this day and age bread isn't exactly a fashionable thing to eat, what with all the carbs, but the smell of it baking in the morning to wake you up. I mean to wake up to that smell.  I blame a lot of my best dreams on the smell of bread.  I had a lot of bread based dreams as a kid because of that bakery.  It's a beautiful smell."  

Any others?

"Weirdly enough, the only smell that has ever made me cry and it's a terrifying thing because I think partly I became addicted to it...  When we used to pull up in the petrol station and I used to smell petrol.  I loved the smell of petrol so much to the point where when I was very young, when we pulled out and I couldn't smell it anymore, I used to cry.  I wanted to go back and sniff the petrol. I've since managed to knock it on the head.  You won't find me hanging around too many Mobil Gas Stations."

Who inspires you?

"I'm inspired by anyone who is doing something that is just that little bit different, whether it be sort of fashion or if they're an actor and they bring something to the screen that you've never really seen before.  Like, Johnny Depp.  I'd say he is, both in his fashion and in his performances, a fairly inspirational person.  And Helena Bonham Carter.  I'd love one day to be considered the male Helena Bonham Carter  in terms of the fact that she can go out in the street in her pajamas and pull it off.  Like you can see her walking around in the most absurd collection of styles and just go, 'How on earth does she look that good?' Aside from that, Eddie Izzard.  I think comedy is one of the best tools for informing people.  If you can make something funny, as well as tell someone about it, they are much more susceptible to being educated.  I learned most of what I know about history from watching Eddie Izzard's stand-up.  It's the imagery.  He's just a master.  You can sit there and he can paint pictures with his words, where you're actually seeing in your mind elephant's ski jumping off chalet roofs in the Alps.  How he's managed to put that in my mind so successfully I love."

Where's your favorite place in the world and why?  

"New York City.  I don't know what it is.  I think it's because I grew up watching movies, and visiting New York City is like visiting the biggest movie set in the world.  I walk around Manhattan and just go, 'That's where Dana Barrett lived in "Ghostbusters."  That's where Tom Hanks walked up and down the piano in "Big."'  Movies are my one greatest love and New York is the place where you just feel like you're in a movie."

Not LA?

 "No.  Not really.  I mean, LA... in terms of it feels like one big movie set, I see what you're saying. I just find that LA doesn't have the vibrancy and soul that New York has.  I've been to LA twice.  Once I was there on business and I had the best time, and once I was just a tourist and it was terrifying how different that place can feel, depending on whether or not you've got purpose there or not."

Lastly, are any smells that you hate?

"Well, my cat is suffering with diarrhea at the moment. Animal feces at the best of times is relatively unpleasant, but I took it to the vet yesterday because it got to the point where when I was cleaning out her litter tray, I was dry retching.  So, I'll go with my cat's diarrhea.  I think that's understandable though."

Very understandable indeed.  And for those of us with visual minds, an image almost too vivid.  Don't worry though, I returned the favor to Alex for leaving me with that picture in my head during dinner.  We happened to be served scallops in a pea puree, an opportunity I seized upon to draw on Alex's cinematic love and simultaneously settle the score thanks to one very memorable performance by Linda Blair in "The Exorcist."  Touché Alex.  Alex's press agent hinted that he was headed to the States for some work, so perhaps we'll be seeing more of him in the future.  I hope that we do.   Thanks to Mr. Zane for a wonderful interview and great compére-ing of the night.  Be sure to take good care of the girlfriend.  She's the epitome of a sweetheart.

Nominees in the following categories were also announced this morning at the Annual FiFi Finalists' Breakfast at The Mandarin Oriental in Columbus Circle. First up is the list of bloggers that made it into the Top 5 Finalists.

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage 2009 (Blog):
• Bois de Jasmin for "Scent of Cities: Kiev" by Victoria Frolova
• Glass Petal Smoke for "Perfume Memories: Seeing With Scent" by Michelle Krell Kydd
• Glass Petal Smoke for "Yann Vasnier Captures the Scent of Baudelaire" by Michelle Krell Kydd
• Sniffapalooza Magazine for "How Men Can Learn to Stop Worrying and Love the Unisex Fragrance" by Nathan Branch
• Sniffapalooza Magazine for "Jean Claude Ellena Is All About The Dirt!" by Elena Vosnaki 

And the winner was:
• Bois de Jasmin for "Scent of Cities: Kiev" by Victoria Frolova

Many congratulations on your FiFi Award.

Please contact me at dbender@fragrance.org if you would like to have links to your articles posted here.

Other winners announced this morning included:

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage 2009 (Women’s Scent Feature):
• Allure Magazine for “Uncommon Scents”

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage 2009 (Men’s Scent Feature):
• Elle Magazine for “This Year’s Model: What A Boy Wants”

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage 2009 (“Scent Bite”):
• Elle Magazine for “Advanced Chemistry”

Technological Breakthrough of the Year
• Mane USA for Aquafine

Retailer of the Year
• QVC

as well as previously announced

Hall of Fame
• Marc Jacobs

Female Celebrity Fragrance of the Year
• Paris Hilton

Finalists in the following categories were also announced:

Bath and Body Line
• Aromatherapy Black Chamomile Collection - Bath & Body Works
• True Blue Spa Shea Cashmere Collection - Bath & Body Works
• Angel “Les Parfums Corps” by Thierry Mugler - Clarins Fragrance Group
• Chloé Crème Collection - Coty Prestige
• Ojon Rare Harvest Tawaka Collection - Ojon “Wildcrafted Beauty”

Interior Scent Collection
• Nest Fragrances Collection Candles - Candela Group
• Nest Fragrances Collection Holiday - Candela Group
• India Hicks Island Night Collection Diffuser and Candle - Crabtree & Evelyn
• Botanika Essence Diffuser Collection - Dayna Decker
• Scentportable - Slatkin & Co/Bath & Body Works

Best Packaging: Women’s Prestige
• Gucci by Gucci EDT – P & G Prestige Products, Inc.
• Harajuku Lovers Fragrances Collection – Baby, “G”, Lil’Angel, Love, Music - Coty Prestige
• Love, Ralph Lauren - Ralph Lauren Fragrances
• Ma Dame Jean Paul Gaultier - Beautè Prestige International
• Viva La Juicy from Juicy Couture - Elizabeth Arden

Best Packaging: Men’s Prestige (6 finalists due to ties)
• 91X Rocawear - Elizabeth Arden
• Angel Men Pure Coffee by Thierry Mugler - Clarins Fragrance Group
• Cartier Roadster- Cartier
• Dirty English by Juicy Couture - Elzabeth Arden
• Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme - P & G Prestige Products, Inc.
• The Essence by Porsche Design - Clarins Fragrance Group

Best Packaging: Women’s Popular Appeal
• American Beauty Beloved – BeautyBank
• Avon Bond Girl 007 - Avon Products, Inc
• Blue Seduction for Women by Antonio Banderas - Puig USA
• Celine Dion Sensational –Coty Inc.
• Comme Une Evidence perfume extract atomizer – Yves Rocher

Best Packaging: Men’s Popular Appeal
• McGraw by Tim McGraw – Coty Inc.
• Mustang Blue for Men – The Estèe Lauder Companies
• Patrick Dempsey Unscripted – Avon Products, Inc.
• Samba Fresh Man – The Perfumer’s Workshop International, Ltd.

Best Media Campaign: Women’s
• Burberry The Beat for Women - P & G Prestige Products, Inc.
• Calvin Klein Secret Obsession – Coty Prestige
• Estee Lauder Sensuous – The Estee Lauder Companies
• MA DAME – Jean Paul Gaultier – Beauté Prestige International
• Miss Dior Cherie –Christian Dior Parfums

Best Media Campaign: Men’s
• 91X Rocawear – Elizabeth Arden
• Burberry The Beat for Men – P & G Prestige Products, Inc.
• Dirty English from Juicy Couture – Elizabeth Arden
• Hugo – P & G Prestige Products, Inc.
• I am King – Sean John – Sean John Fragrances

All winners will be revealed at The 2009 FiFi Awards & Celebration, May 27th, 2009 at The Downtown Armory at Lexington & 25th St. in Manhattan. Congratulations to all of this year's nominees.

The Top 5 in each category were announced this morning at The Mandarin Oriental in Manhattan. These are the 8 categories that all consumers can vote on starting Monday, April 27th at 12:01 AM EST




Women’s Luxe (due to ties there are 6 nominees)
•Absolutely Irrésistible Givenchy - Parfums Givenchy
•Burberry The Beat - P&G Prestige Products, Inc.
•Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere - Chanel
•Harajuku Lovers Fragrances - Coty Prestige
•Sensuous - Estée Lauder
•Viva La Juicy from Juicy Couture - Elizabeth Arden



Men’s Luxe
•Dior Homme Sport - Christian Dior Parfums
•Dolce & Gabbana the one for Men - P&G Prestige Products, Inc.
•Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme - P&G Prestige Products, Inc.
•Guerlain Homme - Guerlain
•I Am King - Sean John - Sean John Fragrances



Women’s Popular Appeal
•American Beauty Beloved - BeautyBank
•Bijan VIP Woman - Five Star Fragrance Company
•Celine Dion Sensational - Coty Inc.
•Hilary Duff's Wrapped With Love - Elizabeth Arden
•Samba Fresh Woman - The Perfumer's Workshop International Ltd



Men’s Popular Appeal
•Bijan VIP Men - Five Star Fragrance Company
•McGraw by Tim McGraw - Coty Inc.
•Mustang Blue for Men Fragrance - The Estée Lauder Companies
•Samba Fresh Man - The Perfumer's Workshop International, Ltd.



Unique Boutique
•Acqua di Parma Profumo (women’s) - Acqua di Parma
•Karl Lagerfeld Kapsule - Floriental, Woody, Light (unisex) - Coty Prestige
•Les Exclusifs de Chanel Beige (women’s)- Chanel
•Lisa Hoffman Variations - Japanese Agarwood, Madagascar Orchid (women’s) - Lisa Hoffman Beauty
•Tom Ford Private Blend Champaca Absolute (unisex) - Tom Ford Beauty



Womens Nouveau Niche
•Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Union Square - Bond No. 9 New York
•Chloé Eau de Parfum - Coty Prestige
•Dark Amber & Ginger Lily Cologne - Jo Malone
•David Yurman - Clarins Fragrance Group
•Love, Ralph Lauren - Ralph Lauren Fragrances



Men’s Nouveau Niche
•Brooks Brothers NY Gentlemen Eau de Toilette - Inter Parfums USA, LLC
•Burberry The Beat for Men - P&G Prestige Products, Inc.
•Cartier Roadster - Cartier
•Sweet Lime & Cedar Cologne - Jo Malone
•The Essence by Porsche Design - Clarins Fragrance Group



Women’s Private Label/Direct Sell
•Avon Bond Girl 007 - Avon Products Inc.
•Black Amethyst - Bath and Body Works
•Brooks Brothers NY Ladies Eau de Parfum - Inter Parfums USA, LLC
•Secrets d'Essences Iris Noir - Yves Rocher
•Victoria's Secret Sexy Little Things - Victoria's Secret Beauty



Hall of Fame
•Brooks Brothers Cologne Spray - Inter Parfums USA, LLC
•Davidoff Cool Water - Coty Prestige
•Fahrenheit - Dior Beauty
•White Diamonds Elizabeth Taylor - Elizabeth Arden

Special Commendation for Creativity & Services to the Fragrance Industry

• Jean-Paul Guerlain

Special Commendation for Education & Innovation

• Clive Christian 'The Sound of Perfume'

Best New Female Print Advertisement

• Chloe - Chloe 

Best New Male Print Advertisement

• PLAY - Givenchy

Best New Female Fragrance Commercial

• Fuel For Life Unlimited - Diesel

Best New Male Fragrance Commercial

• Adventure - Davidoff

The Superdrug 'Battle of the Sexes' Award For Women

• Ghost for Women - Ghost

The Superdrug 'Battle of the Sexes' Award For Men

• Boss Bottled - Hugo Boss

Best New Female Fragrance Packaging

• Le Parfum - MaxMara

Best New Male Fragrance Packaging

• The Essence - Porsche Design

Best New Home Fragrance

• Dark Amber & Ginger Lily Scented Candle - Jo Malone

The Perfume Shop 'People's Choice' Award For Women

• Chloe - Chloe

The Perfume Shop 'People's Choice' Award For Men

• The One FOR MEN - Dolce & Gabbana

The Perfume Shop 'People's Choice' Celebrity Award

• Besotted - Katie Price

The Men's Health Readers' Award

• The One FOR MEN - Dolce & Gabbana

Best New Fragrance in Limited Distribution for Men

• Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme - Gucci

Best New Fragrance in Limited Distribution for Women

• White Patchouli - Tom Ford Beauty

Men's Prestige Fragrance of the Year

• The One FOR MEN - Dolce & Gabbana

Women's Prestige Fragrance of the Year

• Sensuous - Estee Lauder

So tonight is the night, The 17th Annual UK FiFi Awards Gala at The Dorchester in London. We will be there to keep you up-to-date on all of this year's winners. Just received word on the type of connection we'll have at The Dorchester, so we're going to be using Facebook to keep all of you in the know. I know some of you follow us on Facebook already, but for those MySpace-ers and Iqon-ers out there, you'll want to follow this link to our Facebook page for tonight. Awards kick off at 7:30PM GMT and will continue well into the night

Good luck to all of this year's nominees.

On the eve of the 2009 UK FiFi Awards Gala, we sat down with Executive Director of The Fragrance Foundation UK, Janine Roxborough Bunce, to discuss that coveted FiFi Award, London glamour, and all the buzz that surrounds their celebrity packed event.

So Janine, please tell us a little about yourself. How did you get started in the fragrance industry?
I trained as a journalist before joining Max Factor as a Press Officer. I promoted the original Halston fragrance in the UK (divine!) and other scents long gone, such as Geminesse and Just Call Me Maxi! Although I loved working on skincare and makeup, I realised very early on in my career that fragrance was the area that really excited me. I moved on to Elizabeth Arden and promoted Blue Grass, Red Door and Green Tea. I got married in a waft of tuberose which was the original Chloe. I remember being at Versailles to launch KL by Karl Lagerfeld and in Claridges to unveil the first Fendi fragrance.

And The Fragrance Foundation? How did you end up here?
In the mid 90's, when I started to run my own PR business, the Publisher of Vogue, Stephen Quinn, approached me about helping him launch the Fragrance Foundation in the UK. I met Annette Green, the President of the organisation in the USA and found her such an inspiration that I couldn't say no. I began as a PR & Marketing consultant to the Foundation in the UK and now I'm the Executive Director.

In the US, we talk about the FiFi Awards as being the Oscars of the fragrance industry. Does that mean the UK FiFi's are like the BAFTA's?
Yes, we are like the BAFTA's. We run about a month ahead of the US FiFi's and celebrate the fragrance successes in the UK in the previous year. Our awards night is very glamorous with lots glitz, photographers and celebs. It's the UK fragrance industry's most exciting night of the year!

What is the relationship between the UK FiFi's and the US FiFi's? What's the same? What's different?
London is very different to New York. We start much later in the evening at 7.30pm. We have a champagne reception for an hour, dinner until 10.00pm and then start the Awards. At 11.30pm we all go off to the after-show party. Last year the final guests left at 4.00am. The Brits have certainly got stamina! Also our event is in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.

Can consumers participate in any way?
Yes, they vote in 3 of our awards - Superdrug Battle of the Sexes, The Perfume Shop People's Choice, and The Men's Health Readers' Award.

Do you think winning a UK FiFi Award influences the way a consumer will buy a fragrance?
A little but I think we need to do much more to make the public aware of these industry awards and get them even more involved in the process.

What is your favorite moment from past awards?
Last year, when opera singer Jonathan Ansell sang 'Here's to the Heroes' in honour of the teenage cancer survivors in the room. It was very moving.

The UK FiFi's help support a wonderful charity in the Teenage Cancer Trust. Can you tell me more a little bit more about how this relationship started?
The UK is very charity-oriented and we have always held our FIFI Awards in aid of charity. We chose cancer because it effects both sexes and all ages and we chose to support TCT because teenagers are the lifeblood of the fragrance industry.

It is kind of a US tradition, thanks largely to the infamous James Lipton, that we ask a series of questions, made famous by Bernard Pierrot, drawn from the Proust Questionnaire. They are:

What is your favorite word?
Fascinating

What is your least favorite word?
Mediocre

What turns you on?
Beauty

What turns you off?
Arrogance

What smell or scent do you love?
Cristalle by Chanel

What smell or scent do you hate?
Chamard by Guerlain

What is your favorite curse word?
Bitch!

What profession other than your own would you love to attempt?
Actress

What profession other than your own would you not like to attempt?
Accountant

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say as you approach the pearly gates?
Well done - you've earned this!

Finally, in this great world of fragrance, who inspires you?
Tom Ford & Serge Lutens

Any last thoughts or advice you'd like to impart to the next generation of fragrance professionals?
Be true to yourself and don't let the people in grey suits diminish your creativity. Remember the words of Shirley Temple's mother: "Sparkle, Shirley, sparkle!"

Thank you very much for your time and good luck tonight at this year's FiFi Awards.

You heard it. Tonight at 7:30PM GMT, at The Dorchester here in London and continuing into the early hours of tomorrow. It's the UK FiFi Awards Gala.

Many of you having been asking about the similarities and differences between the UK and US fragrance markets. To help you gain some perspective, find below the top ten findings from the 2008 UK Fragrance Market.




No end to fragrance launch frenzy
• 2008 was another bumper year for new fragrances and there are now more men’s and women’s fragrance launches than in any other beauty category.
• Retailers are put under considerable pressure to stock new fragrance lines and have become ruthless in weeding out underperforming brands.
• The effect has been to speed up the rate at which the fragrance houses launch new brands which is often at the expense of creativity.

Classics are a safe option
• Fragrance is a reliable and safe gift choice at Christmas, especially for those brands which have been around for years.
• When people feel nervous, they tend to turn to what they know rather than risk their hard earned cash on something new and unknown.

Coffrets come back into fashion
• In the past couple of years, a number of premium houses have taken the decision to cut back on the number of coffrets they sell at Christmas.
• Coffrets can be a loss leader for companies who prefer to sell standard items at significantly higher margins.
• The credit crunch has changed attitudes towards the much maligned value coffret.
• They are probably the most important tool in premium brands’ armory at Christmas, especially if they are seen to offer genuine value for money.

Shopping to a budget
• In 2008, there were definite signs that people were buying to a budget and that budget was lower than in the past.
• Whereas £50 may have been the top price paid for fragrance gifts in December 2007, this had dropped to £40-£45 in 2008.

Online versus the High Street
• Whilst beauty retailing on the high street is feeling the pressure, many online retailers are continuing to post good growth.
• However, they had to fight their corner far harder last Christmas in order to win over bargain-hunting consumers who expect discounts and special deals, just as they do on the High Street.

Celebrity fragrances: boom or bust?
• Celebrity fragrances remain popular amongst young consumers, especially teenagers, who shop from fragrance discounters.
• Celebrity fragrances often hit the jackpot with their first fragrance but follow-ups are never as big.
• The signs are that celebrity fragrances may be starting to lose their shine. Too many celebrities have put their name to fragrance and consumers no longer believe that they are as involved in the creation of the juice as claimed.

I Million boost men’s fragrance market
• The launch of 1 Million by Paco Rabanne could not have been more timely, when people were feeling the pinch and needed cheering up.
• With the value of money plummeting, what better gift than a “solid gold ingot” bearing the words 1 Million?
• 1 Million demonstrated that Christmas gifts do not need to cost a fortune, but can look the part.

Advertising still pulls a punch
• Many brands benefited from competitive TV rates in December 2008 which gave them a lot more air time for their money than in the past.
• The trend for cheaper and shorter ads may be a blessing in disguise, resulting in more clutter and a lower share of voice at crucial times.

Woody fragrances for women
• Woody fragrances have been traditionally associated with the men’s market, but a trend for woods is emerging in women’s.
• Estée Lauder’s newest fragrance Sensuous is not the usual floral composition associated with so many Lauder brands, but moves into this new territory with a woody amber positioning.
• Lancome’s Magnifique also fits the woody category and is described as a spicy, woody floral.

Florals for men
• In men’s, some brands are starting to experiment with florals, normally considered to give women’s fragrance their femininity.
• Examples of men’s florals include Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fleur du Male (“white flowers in an intensely floral jus”) and Kenzo Power (“imaginary flower in the heart of a woody, amber-y fragrance”).

The UK FiFi Awards and Celebration will be held on Wednesday, April 22, at The Dorchester in London.

What would a UK red carpet be without a few WAG's? How about Abi Clancey and Ellen Rives.





You know him as Christian on EastEnders... John Partridge.



Television reporter, also seen in this year's "Dancing on Ice," Donal MacIntyre.



One of the first supermodels (don't worry Janice, we didn't say "the" first). The stunningly beautiful Marie Helvin.



Last, but not least, she's the presenter for "UK Gladiators," it's Caroline Flack.



Remember, the UK FiFi Awards Gala will be held at 7:30PM GMT, April 22, 2009 at The Dorchester, Park Lane, London.

She's a TV presenter for Sky News. That's right. It's Kay Burley.



Keeping you up-to-date on all the latest happenings in the jungle, the hosts of "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! NOW!" Matt and Emma Willis.



Helping make Sunday mornings just a little bit better, it's BBC Radio 1 presenter Sara Cox.



Also, television presenter and star of "Dancing on Ice" Michael Underwood.



Finally, she's a model, television presenter and the socialite daughter of Bernie. It's Tamara Ecclestone.



Could there still be even more...?