A special FiFi Award ceremony was held on the opening night of Elements Showcase in Manhattan on January 30 to name this year’s winner of the 2012 FiFi Indie Fragrance Award. Mary Ellen Lapsansky, vice president of the Fragrance Foundation announced that the coveted crystal award would go to Odin New York 06 Amanu. While the FiFi category focuses on the juice, packaging is a critical component, says Lapsansky (see video with Lapsansky, below).

The Odin series of unisex fragrances features stark black packaging, with cartons meant to look like shelves of books when lined up. Each carton is detailed with a simple “volume” number. The brand uses a black raven as its signature and a tiny image of the bird is subtly embossed on both the lower corner of the bottle and on the box. All harken toward an Edgar Allan Poe reference.

The other four 2012 FiFi Indie Fragrance finalists were Carner Barcelona “Cuirs,” Come L’Amore Bois 1920, Miller Harris La Fumee, and Siberian Snow by D.S. & Durga.

Elements Showcase, which runs through January 31 at Skylight West (500 West 36th Street in Manhattan), hosted hundreds of attendees searching for niche, premium brands to offer at retail. Most of the hundred selections on offer target boutiques and high-end department stores. Both the fragrance vendors and the crowd comprised an international flavor and a widespread enthusiasm for the category in general.

For more on the show, see our videos below.