2026 Fragrance Foundation Awards Finalists Luncheon
The Fragrance Foundation brought together the American fragrance industry for its annual luncheon announcing the finalists for the 2026 Fragrance Foundation Awards. Held at Cipriani 42 in NYC, the highly anticipated event revealed the finalists for eighteen fragrance categories and the Lifetime Achievement Perfumer as Honorine Blanc, Master Perfumer, dsm-firmenich, who will be presented the coveted award at the June 11th ceremony at Lincoln Center.
Fragrance Consultant Ann Gottlieb, IFF Master Perfumer Carlos Benaim, and DSM-Firmenich Master Perfumer Honorine Blanc (Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for the Fragrance Foundation)
In a special presentation, the luncheon also awarded world-renowned fragrance taxonomist and historian Michael Edwards with the Game Changer Award recognizing his immeasurable contribution to the fragrance industry.
Fragrance Foundation President Linda G. Levy and Game Changer Award Winner Michael Edwards (Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for the Fragrance Foundation)
Edwards is a fragrance taxonomist, historian, and the founding editor of the Fragrances of the World reference books and database. He created the iconic Fragrance Wheel and pioneered the development of online fragrance finders. Over a career spanning more than forty years, Michael and his team have classified and matched over 60,000 fragrances—family by family, scent by scent. He is the author of Perfume Legends (1996; updated 2019), a seminal work tracing the evolution of French fragrances. Its companion volume, American Legends (2024), took thirty years to research. With a foreword by the late Leonard A. Lauder, it traces the evolution of American fragrances from 1752 to the present day.
A tradition at the Awards luncheon and one of its most celebratory moments, was the announcement of the winners of five of the eighteen categories including Editorial of the Year; Fragrance Innovation of the Year; Indie Fragrance of the Year; and Packaging of the Year in both the Ultra Luxury & Luxury and Prestige & Popular categories. Winners of the remaining fourteen categories will be revealed at the iconic Fragrance Foundation Awards ceremony at Lincoln Center in June where two awards of distinction will also be presented including the just announced Lifetime Achievement Perfumer and the 2026 Hall of Fame Award to Nordstrom announced earlier this year.
2026 FRAGRANCE FOUNDATION AWARDS WINNERS
FRAGRANCE INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Pura Cloud Dancer Pantone Color of The Year; dsm-firmenich, Perfumers Clement Gavarry & Erwan Raguenes
WINNER: Rare Beauty Fragrance Layering Balm; Robertet, Perfumer Jérôme Epinette
PRESTIGE & POPULAR PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Ralph Lauren Ralph’s Club New York; L’Oréal, Copywrighte Design
ULTRA LUXURY & LUXURY PACKAGING OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Guerlain 2025 Exceptional Rendezvous Muguet; LVMH, Yann Philippe
INDIE FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR
WINNER: LBTY. Beauty Zephirine; dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Frank Voelkl
Editorial of the Year Award Winner Sudhir Gupta (Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for the Fragrance Foundation)
EDITORIAL OF THE YEAR
WINNER: What Guerlain’s Shalimar Can Teach About Building a Brand That Lasts 100 Years, Rolling Stone by Sudhir Gupta
2026 FRAGRANCE FOUNDATION AWARDS FINALISTS
Ann Gottlieb and Givaudan’s Matthieu Befve (Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for the Fragrance Foundation)
CONSUMER CHOICE – WOMEN’S, MEN’S UNIVERSAL ($101 AND ABOVE)
Better World Fragrance House by Drake Summer Mink; Parlux, Givaudan Perfumer Michael Carby
Coach Gold Parfum; Interparfums Luxury Brands, Givaudan, Perfumer Louise Turner
House of Bō Ave María Parfum; Givaudan, Perfumer Shyamala Maisondieu
Lancôme La vie est belle Vanille Nude; L’Oréal, IFF, Perfumers Anne Flipo & Dominique Ropion
Miu Miu Beauty Miutine; L’Oréal IFF, Perfumer Dominique Ropion
Prada Beauty Paradigme; L’Oréal, dsm-firmenich, Perfumers Nicolas Bonneville, Bruno Jovanovic, & Marie Salamagne
LoveShackFancy Secret Crush; dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Gabriela Chelariu
Maison Ex Nihilo Blue Talisman Extrait de Parfum; Givaudan, Perfumer Jordi Fernández
Commodity Milk Orchid; Symrise, Perfumer Christelle LaPrade
Valentino Beauty Born In Roma Donna Extradose; L’Oréal, dsm-firmenich, Perfumers Amandine Clerc-Marie & Honorine Blanc
CONSUMER CHOICE – WOMEN’S, MEN’S UNIVERSAL ($100 AND BELOW)
Bath & Body Works Touch of Gold; Symrise, Perfumers Nathalie Benareau & Patricia Bilodeau
Glossier You Fleur; dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Dora Baghriche
Snif Me; MANE, Perfumer, Ugo Charron
NOYZ Only Human; Robertet, Perfumer Jérôme Epinette
Philosophy Fresh Cream Soft Velvet; Coty, IFF, Perfumer Celine Barel
Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 91; Robertet, Perfumer Jérôme Epinette
Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth Lemon Pie; Scent Beauty, dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Gil Clavien
The 7 Virtues Buttercream Haze; CPL Aromas, Perfumer Julie Pluchet
Victoria’s Secret Bare Sueded Vanilla; Givaudan, Perfumers, Rodrigo Flores-Roux & Caroline Sabas
Billie Eilish Your Turn; Parlux, dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Frank Voelkl
FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR – UNIVERSAL PRESTIGE
Balmain Beauty Carbone Eau de Toilette; Estée Lauder Companies, Givaudan, Perfumer Quentin Bisch
Jo Malone London Beach Blossom; Estée Lauder Companies, MANE, Perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui
Kenzo L’Eau Pure; LVMH, dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Daphné Bugey
MCM Charming Pup; Interparfums, dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Steve Guo
Prada Beauty Infusion de Rhubarbe; L’Oréal, Givaudan, Perfumer Daniela Andrier
FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR – WOMEN’S PRESTIGE
Burberry Burberry Her Parfum; Coty, Takasago, Perfumer Aurélien Guichard
Chanel Chance Eau Splendide; Chanel, Perfumer Olivier Polge
Guerlain Shalimar L’Essence, LVMH, Perfumer Delphine Jelk
Hermès Barénia Eau de Parfum Intense; Hermès, Perfumer Christine Nagel
Jimmy Choo I Want Choo With Love, Interparfums Luxury Brands, dsm-firmenich, Perfumers Gabriela Chelariu & Amandine Clerc-Marie
Jo Malone London Raspberry Ripple; Estée Lauder Companies, MANE
Miu Miu Beauty Miutine; L’Oréal, IFF, Perfumer Dominique Ropion
FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR – MEN’S PRESTIGE
Aramis Intuition Eau de Parfum; Estée Lauder Companies, IFF, Perfumer Carlos Benaïm
Armani Beauty Stronger With You Parfum; L’Oréal, MANE, Perfumer Cécile Matton
Hermès Terre d’Hermès Eau de Parfum Intense; Hermès, Perfumer Christine Nagel
Issey Miyake Le Sel d’Issey; Shiseido, Givaudan, Perfumer Quentin Bisch
Prada Beauty Paradigme; L’Oréal, dsm-firmenich, Perfumers Nicolas Bonneville, Bruno Jovanovic, & Marie Salamagne
Valentino Beauty Born In Roma Uomo Extradose; L’Oréal, Givaudan, Perfumers Guillaume Flavigny & Antoine Maisondieu
FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR – WOMEN’S LUXURY
Aerin Tuberose Gardenia; Estée Lauder Companies, dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Harry Fremont
Christian Louboutin Beauty Fétiche La Rose; Puig, Givaudan, Perfumer Quentin Bisch
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Kurky, LVMH, Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian
St. Rose Parfums Crazy Love; IFF, Perfumer Pascal Gaurin
Tom Ford Black Orchid Reserve; Estée Lauder Companies, Givaudan, Perfumers Olivier Gillotin & Yann Vasnier
Valentino Beauty Born In Roma Donna Extradose; L’Oréal, dsm-firmenich, Perfumers Honorine Blanc & Amandine Clerc-Marie
FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR – MEN’S & UNIVERSAL LUXURY
Burberry Burberry Hero Parfum Intense; Coty, Takasago, Perfumer Aurélien Guichard
Chanel Bleu de Chanel L’Exclusif; Chanel, Perfumer Olivier Polge
Fugazzi Vanilla Haze; Europerfumes, Givaudan, Perfumer Valérie Garnuch-Mentzel
Maison Margiela Replica Ideal One; L’Oréal, Givaudan, Perfumer Christophe Raynaud
Penhaligon’s The Cut; Puig, IFF, Perfumer Paul Guerlain
Yves Saint Laurent MYSLF Absolu; L’Oréal, Givaudan, Perfumers Daniela Andrier, Antoine Maisondieu & Christophe Raynaud
FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR – ULTRA LUXURY – WOMEN’S, MEN’S, UNIVERSAL
Byredo Alto Astral; Puig, Robertet, Perfumer Jérôme Epinette
Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden Vanilla Firenze; Coty, MANE, Perfumers Alex Lee & Veronique Nyberg
Kilian Paris Angels’ Share Paradis; Estée Lauder Companies, Givaudan, Perfumer Benoist Lapouza
Parfums Christian Dior Dior La Collection Privée Bois Talisman; LVMH, Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian
Tom Ford Oud Voyager; Estée Lauder Companies, IFF, Perfumers Dominique Ropion, Carlos Benaïm & Pascal Gaurin
Yves Saint Laurent Le Vestiaire des Parfums Babycat; L’Oréal, IFF, Perfumer Dominique Ropion
FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR – POPULAR – WOMEN’S, MEN’S, UNIVERSAL
Bath & Body Works Touch of Gold; Symrise, Perfumers Nathalie Benareau & Patricia Bilodeau
Billie Eilish Your Turn; Parlux, dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Frank Voelkl
Calvin Klein CK Hair & Body Mist Nude Vanilla; Coty, Givaudan, Perfumer Jacques Huclier
Rare Beauty Eau de Parfum; Robertet, Perfumer Jérôme Epinette
Sabrina Carpenter Sweet Tooth Lemon Pie; Scent Beauty, dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Gil Clavien
Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 91; Robertet, Perfumer Jérôme Epinette
FRAGRANCE OF THE YEAR – CANDLE & HOME COLLECTION
Bath & Body Works Clean Start Home – Clean House Vibes; IFF, Perfumer Natasha Côté-Mouzannar
Bath & Body Works Pistachio Milk & Honey; MANE, Perfumers Sal Borgognone & Kaleigh Prokop
Glasshouse Fragrances Freedom of the Horse; dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Ashley Balavoine
Kilian Paris La Maison Kilian; Estée Lauder Companies, dsm-firmenich & Givaudan; Perfumer Alberto Morillas, dsm-firmenich; Perfumers Calice Becker & Benoist Lapouza, Givaudan
Nest New York White Lotus, Cucumber & White Sage; Givaudan, Perfumer Christine Hassan
Trudon Altaïr Collection; Robertet, Perfumer Emilie Bouge
MEDIA CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
D.S. & Durga Cognac Reign
Hugo Boss BOSS Bottled Beyond, Coty
Jo Malone London Just Because We Love Summer Favourite, Estée Lauder Companies
Rabanne Million Gold For Her, Puig
Miu Miu Beauty Miutine, L’Oréal
Tom Ford Black Orchid Reserve, Estée Lauder Companies
FRAGRANCE HALL OF FAME
DKNY Be Delicious; Interparfums, Symrise, Perfumer Maurice Roucel
Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady, Estée Lauder Companies, IFF, Perfumer Dominique Ropion
Estée Lauder Pleasures; Estée Lauder Companies, dsm-firmenich, Perfumers Annie Buzantian & Alberto Morillas
Juliette has a gun Not A Perfume; Europerfumes, Givaudan, Perfumer Romani Ricci
Philosophy Amazing Grace; Coty, MANE, Perfumer Cécile Hua
Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy; Revlon, dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Honorine Blanc
PERFUME EXTRAORDINAIRE OF THE YEAR
Balmain Beauty Cuir Élysées; Estée Lauder Companies, Givaudan, Perfumers Shyamala Maisondieu & Louise Turner
Byredo Bois Obscur; Puig, Robertet, Perfumer Jérôme Epinette
D. S. & Durga Grey Blazer; dsm-firmenich, Perfumer David Seth Moltz
Mind Games Kingside; The Fragrance Group, Symrise, Perfumer David Apel
Tom Ford Oud Voyager; Estée Lauder Companies, IFF, Perfumers Dominique Ropion, Carlos Benaïm & Pascal Gaurin
Yves Saint Laurent Le Vestiaire des Parfums Muse; L’Oréal, dsm-firmenich, Perfumer Marie Salamagne
