mardi 22 mai 2012

The Fragrance Foundation France rounds up some of the best noses in the world


To announce the celebration of its 20th birthday, the Fragrance Foundation France rounded up a dozen of the very best perfumers on the planet, all recipients of a Best Fragrance award, and what a family picture that was…  Where else but in Paris could you have coffee with Annick Menardo, making a wish while you ate the season’s first cherry with Dominique Ropion, sharing a laugh with Jacques Cavallier about some anecdote from his native village of Cabris or watching Maurice Roucel cuddling the resident tabby?

From the back row going down, left to right :
Aurélien Guichard (Givaudan), Michel Girard (Givaudan), Olivier Polge (IFF)
Annick Menardo (Firmenich), Michel Almairac (Robertet)
Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud (Louis Vuitton), Jacques Huclier (Givaudan)
Christine Nagel (Mane), Maurice Roucel (Symrise), Dominique Ropion (IFF)
Alberto Morillas (Firmenich), Sophie Labbé (IFF), Daniela Andrier (Givaudan)

Ten awards will be given out by a college of 800 voters representing member companies of the Fragrance Foundation France. The “Prix des Experts” will be awarded by a jury of perfume editors, evaluators and bloggers – of which I have been a member since its foundation three years ago – to a product from a niche or exclusive line.The public is called upon to vote for best feminine and masculine among the 15 top-sellers of 2011 on the French Fifi website.
In addition, the Foundation will give out a special award to the best masculine and the best feminine fragrance of the past 20 years, picked among the 40 laureates that won the award since its creation:

French Fifis for the best feminine fragrance, 1993/2011
1993  L’Eau d’Issey (Issey Miyaké)
1994  Classique (Jean-Paul Gaultier)
1995  Tocade (Rochas)
1996  Dolce Vita (Dior)
1997  Organza (Givenchy)
1998  Lolita Lempicka (L. Lempicka)
1999  Noa (Cacharel)
2000  J’adore (Dior)
2001  Flower (Kenzo)
2002  Coco Mademoiselle (Chanel)
2003  Gucci edp (Gucci)
2004  L’Instant (Guerlain)
2005  For Her (Narciso Rodriguez)
2006  Alien (Thierry Mugler)
2007  Nina (Nina Ricci)
2008  Infusion d’iris (Prada)
2009  Chloé (Parfums Chloé)
2010  Ricci-Ricci (Nina Ricci)
2011  Belle d’Opium (YSL)
French Fifis for the best masculine fragrance, 1993/2011
 1993 Minotaure (Paloma Picasso)
1994 XS pour Homme (Paco Rabanne)
1995 L’Eau d’Issey pour Homme (Miyaké)
1996 Le Mâle (Jean-Paul Gaultier)
1997 A*Men (Thierry Mugler)
1998 Jaipur (Boucheron)
1999 Pi (Givenchy)
2000 Allure pour Homme (Chanel)
2001 Lolita Lempicka au masculin
2002 Higher (Dior)
2003 M7 (YSL)
2004 Gucci pour Homme (Gucci)
2005 L’Instant pour Homme (Guerlain)
2006 Dior Homme (Dior)
2007 Terre d’Hermès (Hermès)
2008 Fleur du Mâle (Jean-Paul Gaultier)
2009 1 Million (Paco Rabanne)
2010 Jamais le Dimanche (Ego Facto)
2011 Bleu (Chanel)


Now, on to you. Which would you pick out of this list as the best fragrance of the past 20 years?

The winners will be announced on June 26 during the 20th anniversary gala celebration of the Fragrance Foundation France.


 Crappy iPhone picture is mine, and will be replaced by a professional group portrait as soon as it's forwarded.

13 commentaires:

  1. Tomatefarcie, aw c'mon: Tocade, Infusion d'Iris, Narciso Rodriguez for Her, Alien, L'Instant and Lolita Lempicka are all great fragrances, just to name a few of my personal picks... As is L'Eau d'Issey: it's more because it's been so widely imitated that it gets a bad rap.
    And yes, I saw that article and I was very happy about it!

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  2. I really loved the original 1999 J'Adore. That or Tocade would be my pick. ~~nozknoz

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  3. Nozknoz, J'Adore has certainly been a defining scent for the past decade!

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  4. I think I'd go with original J'Adore and Dior Homme.

    Must have been a great evening! :)

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  5. Ines, Dior Homme would be a great pick for the masculines, wouldn't it?
    The event was actually a breakfast, and the opportunity of taking the group picture I posted, of perfumers who'd won the French Fifi.I'm only sorry it didn't last longer (everyone had to go to work), since there were a few perfumers I'd never had much of a chance to speak with.

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  6. Torn between M7 and L'Instant DGPH. However, M7 has been tinkered with and the new edition a mere whisp of the old.....so, L'Instant it is!

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  7. Stephen, those were rewarded in their initial iterations, so whether to give credit to perfumers for their work, or promote a fragrance that no longer entirely deserves the acclaim, is kind of a tough call.

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  8. No idea about the women's! For the men, the original Gucci Pour Homme stands out as an exceptional, yet wearable, incense for men. I've hoarded bottles in my closet, I confess!
    -Marla
    PS: OK, twist my arm on the women's and I'd go for the ORIGINAL J'Adore.

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  9. Marla, totally missed out on the Gucci pour Homme, still regret the original eau de parfum for women though!

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  10. I should choose Tocade de Rochas and Allure pour Homme de Chanel.
    Also, I like the photo: after reading your post, you feel how important people you see on it, no matter qulity... I feel I respect these persons for their creativity and inspirations... // louizkoul@gmail.com

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  11. Louizkoul, I'm still waiting for the professional picture to replace that one, but I agree it's a very impressive line-up!

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  12. L’Instant pour Homme (Guerlain)
    Cybele

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  13. Cybele, I'll definitely have to give that one another sniff!

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