At the FiFi Finalists Breakfast, The Fragrance Foundation announced the top five finalists in each of 20 award categories including the 2008 Fragrance of the Year. In addition, nominees for Fragrance Hall of Fame were revealed. The winners will be presented at the 36th Annual FiFi Awards & Celebration event on May 20 at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City.

Adding to the excitement of the breakfast, four FiFi Award winners were announced, including Retailer of the Year, Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage for Men’s Feature, Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage for Women’s Scent Feature and Scent Bite and Technological Breakthrough of the Year.  These winners will be introduced and recognized for their achievements during the 36th Annual FiFi Awards & Celebration.
 
The breakfast was held at the Mandarin Oriental’s Grand Ballroom at Columbus Circle, and was hosted by Lauren Glassberg, New York City’s WABC lifestyle reporter.
 
Today’s five FiFi Award recipients were:
 
Retailer of the Year
·        Bloomingdale’s

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage – Men’s Feature (a tie)
·        BestLife
·        ELLE

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage – Women’s Scent Bite
·  Marie Claire

Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage – Women’s Scent Feature
·        Allure

Technological Breakthrough of the Year
•    Certified Organic Preservation – The Estée Lauder Companies

 Rochelle Bloom, president of The Fragrance Foundation, noted, “Every year, the Finalists Breakfast marks a time when we recognize the nominees and their significant contributions to the industry. With a record number of members of the industry present at this year’s breakfast, we can look forward to what promises to be an extraordinary FiFi Awards ceremony and celebration on May 20.”
 
The list below provides the top five finalists in all categories to be presented at this year’s FiFi Awards.

Bath & Body Line of the Year
•    Aromatherapy Sleep Collection – Bath & Body Works
•    L’eau D’Issey Pour Homme – Beauté Prestige International
•    Mangosteen Bath Collection – Fresh
•    Origins Organics – Origins Natural Resources
•    Prada Infusion d’Iris – Puig Beauty & Fashion Group


Interior Scent Collection of the Year
•    Gump’s San Francisco Home Collection (Majestic Range, Treasured Range & Opulent Range) – Latitudes International
•    India Hicks Island Living Casuarina Home Collection – Crabtree & Evelyn
•    Le Cherche Midi Home Collection – Le Cherche Midi
•    Perfect Pineapple Candles – Slatkin & Co (Bath & Body Works)  
•    Prada Infusion d’Iris Perfumed Candle & Linen Water – Puig Beauty & Fashion Group

Best Packaging – Women’s Prestige (Due to a tie, there are six finalists)
•    Coach – BeautyBank
•    Gucci by Gucci – P&G Prestige Products, Inc.
•    Leiber by Judith Leiber – Gary Farn Ltd.
•    Marc Jacobs Daisy – Coty Prestige
•    Prada Infusion d’Iris – Puig Beauty & Fashion Group
•    Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia – Estée Lauder

Best Packaging – Men’s Prestige (Due to a tie, there are six finalists)
•    Attitudes by Giorgio Armani – Giorgio Armani Parfums
•    Banana Republic Cordovan – Inter Parfums USA
•    Courvoisier L’Edition Imperiale – Kraft International Marketing, Inc.
•    “For Him” Narciso Rodriguez – Beauté Prestige International
•    Gucci Pour Homme II – P&G Prestige Products, Inc.
•     Polo Explorer Ralph Lauren – Ralph Lauren Fragrances

Best Packaging – Women’s Popular Appeal
•    Celine Dion Enchanting – Coty Beauty
•    Christian Lacroix Rouge – Avon Products, Inc.
•    Florecita-Shelbie Bruce – Revelations Perfume & Cosmetics
•    Intimately Beckham Women – Coty Inc.
•    Samba Sexy Women – The Perfumer’s Workshop Int’l Ltd.

Best Packaging – Men’s Popular Appeal (There are only three finalists)
•    Derek Jeter Driven Black – Avon Products, Inc.
•    Intimately Beckham Men – Coty Inc.
•    Samba Sexy Man – The Perfumer’s Workshop Int’l Ltd.

National Advertising Campaign – Print 
•    Coco Mademoiselle – Chanel
•    Kelly Calèche – Hermès
•    L.a. L.A.M.B. Fragrance by Gwen Stefani – Coty Prestige
•    Prada Infusion d’Iris – Puig Beauty & Fashion Group
•    Trésor – Lancôme

National Advertising Campaign – TV
•    Coco Mademoiselle – Chanel
•    Jean Paul Gaultier “LE MALE” – Beauté Prestige International
•    Trésor – Lancôme
•    Usher He – Liz Claiborne
•    Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels – Victoria’s Secret Beauty

Fragrance of the Year – Men’s Private Label/Direct Sell
•    Banana Republic Cordovan – Inter Parfums USA
•    C.O. Bigelow Barber Cologne Elixir Blue – Bath & Body Works
•    Derek Jeter Driven Black – Avon Products, Inc.
•    G7 Gapmen Daily Grooming – Spiked – Inter Parfums USA
·        Gap Individuals – The Original (unisex) – Inter Parfums USA

Fragrance of the Year – Women’s Private Label/Direct Sell
•    Banana Republic Malachite – Inter Parfums USA
•    Christian Lacroix Rouge – Avon Products, Inc.
•    Secrets d’Essence Rose Absolute – Yves Rocher
•    Signature Collection Velvet Tuberose EDT – Bath & Body Works
•    Supermodel by Victoria’s Secret – Victoria’s Secret Beauty

Fragrance of the Year – Men’s Popular Appeal
•    Bijan Nude Men – Five Star Fragrance Company
•    Blue Seduction for Men by Antonio Banderas – Puig Beauty USA
•    Intimately Beckham Men – Coty Inc.
•    Mustang Cologne Spray – Aramis and Designer Fragrances
•    Samba Sexy Man – Perfumer’s Workshop International, Ltd.

Fragrance of the Year – Women’s Popular Appeal
•    Bijan Nude Women – Five Star Fragrance Company
•    Celine Dion Enchanting – Coty Inc.
•    Flirtatious – BeautyBank
•    Intimately Beckham Women – Coty Inc.
•    So Luxurious by Daisy Fuentes – BeautyBank

 
Fragrance of the Year – Men’s Nouveau Niche
•    Armani Privé Vetiver Babylone – Giorgio Armani Beauty
•    Bond No. 9 New York Andy Warhol Silver Factory (unisex) – Bond No. 9 New York
•    Bond No. 9 New York Saks Fifth Avenue for Him – Bond No. 9 New York
•    Courvoisier L’Edition Imperiale – Kraft International Marketing, Inc.
•    Tom Ford for Men – Tom Ford Beauty


Fragrance of the Year – Women’s Nouveau Niche
·   Bond No. 9 New York Andy Warhol Silver Factory (unisex) – Bond No. 9 New York
•    Bond No. 9 New York Bryant Park – Bond No. 9 New York
•    Gucci by Gucci – P&G Prestige Products, Inc.
•    Prada Infusion d’Iris – Puig Beauty & Fashion Group
•    Versace – EuroItaly

Fragrance of the Year – Men’s Luxe
•    Calvin Klein MAN – Coty Prestige
•    Diesel Fuel for Life Men – L’Oréal Designer Fragrances
•    Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Pour Homme – P&G Prestige Products, Inc.
•    Fleur du Male Jean Paul Gaultier – Beauté Prestige International
•    Usher He – Liz Claiborne Cosmetics

Fragrance of the Year – Women’s Luxe (Due to a tie, there are seven finalists)
•    Chanel Chance Eau Fraîche – Chanel
•    Coach – BeautyBank
•    Daisy Marc Jacobs – Coty Prestige
•    Dolce & Gabbana the one – P&G Prestige Products, Inc.
•    Emporio Armani Diamonds – Giorgio Armani Parfums
•    Kelly Calèche – Hermès
•    Nina by Nina Ricci – Puig Beauty & Fashion Group