June 5, 2012
Co-Founder, creator and artist of A Dozen Roses, Sandy Cataldo, signing bottles
Greetings from Paris
20 Years of the ‘Best Feminine’ and ‘Best Masculine’ Perfumes and Perfumers
Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the French Fifis
By Sarah Colton
Perfume has a way of speaking to me, and after many years of living in Paris, and loving, and never finding the end of its magic,
I believe it may be that perfume is what best captures the essence of what brought me to France in the first place.
I can’t tell you what this magic is. But it’s something real and compelling. Something sparkling and effervescent. It’s simply there. And it’s so strong and activating that it sings in my dreams at night and makes me want to leap out of bed in the morning.
I know that many people share a similar connection to perfume which though certainly bigger than any single country, for me embodies the France that called to me so many years ago. It’s imagination, creativity, and beauty that speaks to us across frontiers, and like all works of art, feeds our dreams and nourishes our lives.
- Sarah Colton Paris CorrespondentFiring up for the 20th Anniversary
of the French Fifis...Celebrating 20 Years of Perfume History
The Fragrance Foundation France will celebrate twenty years of perfume history at its 20th Anniversary Fifi awards ceremony on June 26 in what promises to be a gala and historic affair. In addition to the usual Fifi highlight awards of “Best Feminine” and “Best Masculine” for the year 2012, there will be awards for “Best Feminine” and “Best Masculine” perfumes of the past 20 years to be chosen from among the laureates of these same awards over the past two decades. Stakes will be high.
To get everybody’s juices fired up, Sabine Chabbert, the Assistant Director of The Fragrance Foundation France, organized a casual breakfast gathering in late May in an intimate loft type place off the avenue Bosquet in Paris, and she invited all the perfumers who had won ‘Best Feminine’ or ‘Best Masculine’ Fifi awards over the past twenty years. Not all of them could come, but an amazing number of them did come, and it turned out to be something of a happening. If this were the movie industry, it would have been Brad Pitt, Woody Allen, and Meryle Streep....
But this is the perfume industry, so it was Daniela Andrier, Maurice Roucel, Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud, and a dozen others -- quite an impressive bouquet. You could feel the astounding amount of creativity and power circulating in that tiny space. When Sabine organized a group shot, cameras began snapping because we all realized this was one amazing moment to catch and a fabulous way to fire up for the Fifis!
To add to the emotion, there was an international sizzle in the air as results of the American Fifis, which had taken place the previous evening in New York, were just beginning to make their way across the Atlantic.
There was good news for France. We learned that Jacques Huclier had won the ‘Best Masculine’ fragrance award for “Gucci Guilty pour Homme”. He was so happy that I got him to pose for a photo while holding bottles of the two French Fifis he had won in past years. (See Photo). We also learned that Olivier Pescheux, had won a US Fifi in the category “Interior Scent Collection of the Year” for "34 boulevard Saint Germain" by Diptyque. (I didn’t get to photograph Olivier though because he arrived late and stayed only a short time. Maybe he was going off to celebrate….)
So everybody’s all fired up and prepped, right? Not so sure. When the Fifi winners are announced the end of this month, the general public will certainly recognize the winning perfumes, but chances are they might not have even heard of the perfumers. Even with fragrances that have become household words, people recognize the bottles and know the brands. They may also associate the perfumes with clothes, jewelry, or a celebrity. But the perfumers? Big mystery.
May 22, 2012: Many (though not all) of the perfumers of ‘Best Feminine’ or ‘Best Masculine’ French Fifi winners 1992-2011. Along with each perfumer’s name is included the name of the composition company to which he/she is attached, the name of his or her “Best Feminine” or “Best Masculine” award winning fragrance, its category-- feminine (F) or masculine (M), the name of the brand, the name of the group, and the date of the award.
Front row Left to Right:
Alberto Morillas (Firmenich)
“Pi” M Givenchy LVMH 1999
“Flower by Kenzo” F Kenzo, BPI 2001
“M7” M Yves St Laurent L'OREAL 2003
“Jamais Le Dimanche” M Ego Facto 2010
“Belle d’Opium” F Yves St. Laurent L’OREAL 2011
Sophie Labbé-Ferrara (IFF)
“Organza” F Givenchy LVMH 1997
Dominique Ropion (IFF)
“Alien” F Thierry Mugler, Clarins 2006
Daniela Andrier (Givaudan)
“Gucci Eau de Parfum” F Gucci, P&G PRESTIGE 2003
“Infusion d’Iris” F Prada PUIG 2008
Second Row: Left to right:
Christine Nagel (Mane)
“Narciso Rodriguez for Her” F Narciso Rodriguez, BPI 2005
Maurice Roucel (Symrise)
“Tocade” Rochas F P&G Prestige 1995
“L’Instant de Guerlain” F Guerlain, LVMH 2004
Third Row Left to Right:
Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud (Louis Vuitton)
“Eau d’Issey” F Issey Miyake BPI 1993
“Jean Paul Gaultier Classique” F Jean Paul Gaultier BPI 1994
“Eau d'Issey pour Homme” M Issey Miyake BPI 1995
“M7” M Yves St Laurent L'OREAL 2003
“Nina” F Nina Ricci, PUIG 2007
Jacques Huclier (Givaudan)
“A Men” M Thierry Mugler, Clarins Fragrance Group 1997
“Ricci-Ricci” F Nina Ricci PUIG 2010
Fourth Row Left to Right:
Annick Menardo (Firmenich)
“Lolita Lempicka” F Parfums Lolita Lempicka, PACIFIC 1998
“Jaipur pour homme” M Boucheron INTERPARFUMS 1998
“Lolita Lempicka Homme” M Lolita Lempicka PACIFIC 2001
Michel Almairac (Robertet)
“Minotaure” M Paloma Picasso L’OREAL 1993
“Gucci Pour Homme” M Gucci P&G PRESTIGE 2004
“Chloe EDP” F Parfums Chloe COTY 2009
Fifth Row Left to Right:
Aurélien Guichard (Givaudan)
“Ricci-Ricci” F Nina Ricci PUIG 2010
Michel Girard (Givaudan)
“1 Million” M Paco Rabanne PUIG 2009
Olivier Polge (IFF)
“Dior Homme” M Dior LVMH 2006
About Sarah Colton; The Perfume Magazine Paris Correspondent
The Perfume Magazine gives a huge warm welcome to its new Paris Correspondent, Sarah Colton. Ms. Colton is the quintessential "American in Paris" and has lived in Paris for over twenty years. She comes from a literary background, having a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She quit her job as a legislative assistant of a US Congressman on Capitol Hill, cashed in all of her savings, and moved to Europe with nothing but a small canvas suitcase stuffed with dreams of adventure.
Three years later she had completed a Master's Degree at the University of London and her articles and fiction have appeared in publications such as Glamour, Redbook and Beauty Fashion Magazine (writing about anything French) Continuing her adventures, she then met, Pierre, the Frenchman she would later marry.
Ms. Colton has also published short stories various places, contributed articles to Paris Joyce (former French fashion magazine), and wrote her first novel, Tilt 68 which was published in 2008.
Ms. Colton has written professionally about perfume and the fragrance industry for many years; highlighting leading French perfumers and French Perfume Houses. She enjoys friendships with industry professionals and perfumers in Paris and her vast and in-depth "hands on experience" and contributions to the fragrance industry make her a perfect fit for The Perfume Magazine. She can be found at new fragrance launches in Paris and important French perfume events, happily enjoying all that perfume and her Paris life have to offer. She is currently working on second novel about leaving home and finding herself in a foreign place -- guess where?!. Sarah Colton divides her time between Paris, France and Asheville, NC.
Sarah Colton, Paris Correspondent on the job at “Les Parfums” ‘niche’ perfume festival in Paris with Neotantric’s Jesper Matsch.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mme. Gunnhild Bjornsti
“Jacques Huclier , winner of the US 2012 Fifi Award for “Gucci Guilty pour Homme” Posing with his two French Fifi awards: from 1997 “A Men” M Thierry Mugler Clarins Fragrance Group; and from 2010 “Ricci-Ricci” F Nina Ricci PUIG.”
Credits: Copyright Sarah Colton
Perfume Bottles
‘Best Feminine’ and ‘Best Masculine’ Fragrance Fifi Winners 1992-2011
Photo Credit: Copyright Bernhard Winkelmann
Courtesy of Agence OZINFOS
Prix Publique FeminineNominees:
1. “Amor Amor Forbidden Kiss” Cacharel; Perfumer: Nathalie Lorson, 2. “Baiser Volé” Cartier ;
Perfumer: Mathilde Laurent (Cartier), 3. “Burberry Body” Burberry; Perfumer: Michel Almairac, 4. “CK One Shock for Her” Calvin Klein; Perfumer: Laurent Le Gurnec (IFF), 5. “Dahlia Noir” Givenchy; Perfumer: FRANCOIS DEMACHY, 6. “Flowertag” Kenzo; Perfumer: Olivier Cresp (Firmenich), 7. “Gucci Guilty” Gucci; Perfumer: Aurélien Guichard (Givaudan), 8. “L’Air de Nina Ricci” ; Perfumers: Louise Turner et Michel Girard (Givaudan).,9.“Loverdose” Diesel;Perfumers: Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc (Firmenich), 10. “Madly Kenzo” Kenzo; Perfumeur: Aurélien Guichard (Givaudan), 11. “Prada Candy” Prada; Perfumer: Daniela Andrier, 12. “Shalimar Parfum Initial” Guerlain; Perfumer: Thierry Wasser, 13. “Tresor Midnight Rose” Lancome; Perfumer: Anne Flippo (IFF),14. “Valentina” Valentino Perfumers: Alberto Morillas and Olivier Cresp (Ferminich), 15. “Very Irresistible L’Intense” Givenchy; Perfumer: Dominique Ropion (IFF)
Credits: Courtesy of The Fragrance Foundation France
Here’s a quick quiz.
1.The perfumer who created “Alien” by Thierry Mugler was at the event. Can you find him/her in this picture?
2. And what about the perfumer who created “Flower by Kenzo”?
3.The perfumer who created “Lolita Lempicka” is there, too.
How did you do?
I hope you did well, but just in case you didn’t, I’ve included a detailed caption to go with the group photo. This should make it a useful visual handle on this 20th anniversary of the French Fifis, and in particular on this historic Twenty Year award. By making the link between perfumes and the names and faces of their perfumers it might also help you make some surprising personal connections.
You might find yourself saying, “Amazing, all these years I’ve been wearing a perfume that Alberto Morillas, Aurélien Guichard, Sophie Labbé, or some other perfumer created, and I never even knew it!”
At some important level, we’re all personally connected to at least one of these perfumers through a fragrance or fragrances. The perfumer who wins this award might even be your perfumer or my perfumer. The stakes have suddenly become really high. With this in mind, I’m guessing that on June 26 when you hear “The Envelope Please….” like me, you’ll be sitting on the edge of your chair and holding your breath in anticipation.
"To add to the emotion, there was an international sizzle in the air as results of the American Fifis, which had taken place the previous evening in New York, were just beginning to make their way across the Atlantic..."
The Envelope Please….In Less Than a Month
You could be part of a jury...
This year’s French Fifis include more than 10 awards in total including the mega awards for “Best Feminine” and “Best Masculine” for the past two decades, and for the year." Among the others awards are those for communication and bottle creation, as well as for fragrances in “niche” and ‘mass’ distribution.
Although most of these awards will be chosen by a jury of professionals from the perfume industry, voting for one award, the “Prix Publique” (for fragrances launched in 2011 in selective distribution), is open to the public. If you are a resident of France you can vote on line at the following link.
Even if you can’t vote, you’ll surely recognize some of the fragrances as ones you’ve spotted as new this year, and having read this article and perused the captions to the various photos you’ve probably also notice that many of the perfumers who created them are also winners of “Best Feminine” or “Best Masculine” Fifis in previous years. We’re talking about some of the most important perfumers in the world, and they’ll be there en masse on the big evening.
Hopefully, by now you’re fully prepped and pumped for these upcoming and historic French Fifis. Mark your ballots or record your preferences, and we’ll compare notes after the 26th.
Bonus question:
Which perfumer created “Angel” by Thierry Mugler?
Actually, this is a trick question because the answer cannot be found anywhere in this article. Although “Angel” came out the first year of the French Fifis (1992) and later went on to become an iconic fragrance and even established an entirely new fragrance family (Gourmand) it did not win the “Best Feminine Fragrance” award that year. However, Angel’s perfumer, Olivier Cresp, created two other fragrances which won “Best Feminine” French Fifis between 1992 and 2011 so and he is in the running for the Fifi “Best Feminine” fragrance of the past twenty years and was invited to the prep event in May. Like several other invitees, he was unable to attend the event and is therefore not in the photo. For the sake of perfume and Fifi history, ALL the creators of “Best Feminine” or “Best Masculine” Fifi fragrances are included in the caption. Olivier is listed along with the others who were absent from the event as “NOT PICTURED”.
Prix Publique Masculine Nominees:
1. Aqua Fahrenheit” Dior; Perfumer: François Demachy (Dior), 2. Armani Code Sport” Armani; Perfumer: Jacques Cavallier; 3. “Cerruti 1881 Fairplay” Cerruti; Perfumer: Antoine Lie (Givaudan), 4. “CK One Shock for Him” Calvin Klein; Perfumer: Loc Dong (IFF); 5. “Decibel” Azzaro; Perfumer: Christophe Raynaud (Givaudan), 6. “Eau d’Ikar” Sisley, Perfumer: Vincent Ricord, 7. “Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Blanc” Lacoste; Perfumer: P&G et Givaudan, 8. “Eau de Lacoste L.12. 12 Bleu” Lacoste
Perfumer: P&G et Firmenich, 9. “Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Vert” Lacoste; Perfumer: P&G et Givaudan, 10. “Fuel for Life Denim Pour Lui” Diesel; Perfumer: Annick Menardo, 11. Habit Rouge L’Eau” Guerlain; Perfumer: Thierry Wasser, 12. “Hugo Just Different” Hugo Boss
Perfumers: Céline Barel & Pierre Wargnye, 13. “Kokorico” Jean Paul Gaultier; Perfumers; Olivier Cresp and Annick Menardo (Firmenich), 14. “L’Homme Libre” Yves Saint-Laurent; Perfumers: Carlos Benaim and Olivier Polge (IFF), 15. Montblanc Legend” Montblanc; Perfumer: Olivier Pescheux (Givaudan)
Credits: Courtesy of The Fragrance Foundation France
The Perfumers
(Above photograph)
‘Best Feminine’ or ‘Best Masculine’ French Fifi winners 1992-2011
Front Row Left to Right: Alberto Morillas (Firmenich) “Pi” M Givenchy LVMH 1999, “Flower by Kenzo” F Kenzo, BPI 2001, “M7” M Yves St Laurent L'OREAL 2003, “Jamais Le Dimanche” M Ego Facto 2010, “Belle d’Opium” F Yves St. Laurent L’OREAL 2011, Sophie Labbé-Ferrara (IFF), “Organza” F Givenchy LVMH 1997", Dominique Ropion (IFF),“Alien” F Thierry Mugler, Clarins 2006, Daniela Andrier (Givaudan), “Gucci Eau de Parfum” F Gucci, P&G PRESTIGE 2003, “Infusion d’Iris” F Prada PUIG 2008, Second Row: Left to right: Christine Nagel (Mane) “Narciso Rodriguez for Her” F Narciso Rodriguez, BPI 2005, Maurice Roucel (Symrise) “Tocade” Rochas F P&G Prestige 1995, “L’Instant de Guerlain” F Guerlain, LVMH 2004, Third Row Left to Right: Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud (Louis Vuitton) “Eau d’Issey” F Issey Miyake BPI 1993, “Jean Paul Gaultier Classique” F Jean Paul Gaultier BPI 1994, “Eau d'Issey pour Homme” M Issey Miyake BPI 1995, “M7” M Yves St Laurent L'OREAL 2003, “Nina” F Nina Ricci, PUIG 2007, Jacques Huclier (Givaudan) “A Men” M Thierry Mugler, Clarins Fragrance Group 1997, “Ricci-Ricci” F Nina Ricci PUIG 2010 , Fourth Row Left to Right: Annick Menardo (Firmenich) “Lolita Lempicka” F Parfums Lolita Lempicka, PACIFIC 1998, “Jaipur pour homme” M Boucheron INTERPARFUMS 1998, “Lolita Lempicka Homme” M Lolita Lempicka PACIFIC 2001, Michel Almairac (Robertet) “Minotaure” M Paloma Picasso L’OREAL 1993, “Gucci Pour Homme” M Gucci P&G PRESTIGE 2004, “Chloe EDP” F Parfums Chloe COTY 2009, Fifth Row Left to Right: Aurélien Guichard (Givaudan) “Ricci-Ricci” F Nina Ricci PUIG 2010, Michel Girard (Givaudan) “1 Million” M Paco Rabanne PUIG 2009 and Olivier Polge (IFF) “Dior Homme” M Dior LVMH 2006.
May 22, 2012: Many (though not all) of the perfumers of ‘Best Feminine’ or ‘Best Masculine’ French Fifi winners 1992-2011. Along with each perfumer’s name is included the name of the composition company to which he/she is attached, the name of his or her “Best Feminine” or “Best Masculine” award winning fragrance, its category-- feminine (F) or masculine (M), the name of the brand, the name of the group, and the date of the award.
Photo credit: Copyright Sarah Colton
NOT PICTURED: continued
Honorine Blanc (Firmenich)
“Belle d’Opium” F Yves St. Laurent L’OREAL 2011
Amandine Marie (Robertet)
“Chloe EDP” F Chloe COTY 2009
Rosendo Mateu (Firmenich)
“XS” M Paco Rabanne PUIG 1994
Olivier Pescheux (Givaudan)
“Higher” M Dior LVMH 2002
“1 Million” M Paco Rabanne PUIG 2009
Beatrice Piquet† Deceased (IFF)
“L'instant pour Homme” M Guerlain LVMH 2005
Jacques Polge (Chanel)
“Allure Homme” M Chanel 2000
“Coco Madmoiselle” F Chanel 2002
“Bleu de Chanel” M Chanel 2011
Christophe Raynaud (Givaudan)
“1 Million” M Paco Rabanne PUIG 2009
NOT PICTURED
Gerard Anthony (Firmenich)
“XS” M Paco Rabanne PUIG 1994
Calice Becker (Givaudan)
“J’Adore” F Parfums Christian Dior, LVMH 2000
Pierre Bourdon (ex-Fragrance Resources)
“Dolce Vita” F Dior LVMH 1996
Laurent Bruyere † (deceased) (IFF/Mane)
“Alien” F Thierry Mugler, Clarins Fragrance Group 2006
Olivier Cresp (Firmenich)
“Noah” F Cacharel L'OREAL LUXE 1999
“Nina” F Nina Ricci PUIG 2007
Francis Kurkdjian (Maison Francis Kurkdjian)
“Le Mâle” M Jean Paul Gaultier BPI 1996
“Narciso Rodriguez for Her” F Narciso Rodriguez, BPI 2005
“Fleur du Male” M Jean Paul Gaultier BPI 2008
Special thank you to The Fragrance Foundation France.
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Co-Founder, creator and artist of A Dozen Roses, Sandy Cataldo, signing bottles
NOTE FROM RAPHAELLA BARKLEY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Joes Garces, President and CEO of Robert Piguet Parfums, recently said to me "In the world of perfume, the Americans always want to know what the French are doing and the French always want to know what the Americans are doing". I realized just how correct and brilliant his statement was.
Thus, we will now offer regular reports from Paris from our “American in Paris”, new Paris Correspondent Sarah Colton, a professional journalist and international author. Her in-depth involvement in the French perfumery scene for many years, gives her an exciting edge and her first article covers the upcoming French FiFi Awards. A warm huge American welcome to Sarah Colton!
Special thanks to Joe Garces, Robert Piguet and to Adelaide Farah of Beauty Fashion Magazine