Whenever designers, models, celebrities and top-tier beauty and fashion executives converge in one venue, it’s bound to create an of-the-moment trends statement. And this year’s Fragrance Foundation (TFF) Awards gala, which took place on June 5th at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, in Manhattan, was no exception. Especially when the 2019 inductee into TFF’s Hall of Fame was the iconic fashion designer, director and beauty mogul Tom Ford, who also scored big with Fragrance of the Year, Women’s Luxury. Chanel accepted several trophies, including one for Packaging of the Year-Women’s.

A bridge of color also drew together fashion and beauty. Vivid punctuations of scarlet, from swirly skirts and sheer bodices to statement lips, were notable among the sea of sophisticated black gowns on the red carpet and in the theater. Shades of crimson also stood out boldly on several perfume packages that received awards during the evening’s festivities.

More than 900 people filled the elegant venue, known as the home of the New York City Ballet. As a special touch this year, in keeping with the event, TFF president Linda Levy told the crowd that her dream had come true with a custom-made scent created by another of the evening’s distinguished honorees, IFF’s Dominique Ropion. Described as “a perfumer extraordinaire,” Ropion’s exclusive creation, Fleurs de Soir, was subtly released into the theater’s reception hall.

Laura Slatkin, founder of NEST Fragrances, received the “Game Changer” award for her pioneer-ship in home fragrance—and for her dedication to those afflicted with Autism, a cause that Levy announced The Fragrance Foundation will be supporting in 2020.

The event, hosted by actor and singer Jane Krakowski (dressed in siren-red flouncy floor-length), was filled with jokes and anecdotes about the perfume industry, as celebrity presenters entered the grand stage to present awards to some of the beauty industry’s finest creative talent for achievements both in packaging and formulation, as well as media and social accomplishments. During Tom Ford’s acceptance speech, Leonard Lauder, who was sitting nearby to me, rose and gave shout-outs to Ford, as well as to John Demsey and Karen Khoury, who Ford credited in his speech. (The Tom Ford beauty and fragrance brand is part of The Estée Lauder Companies’ portfolio.)

On a serious note, Jerry Vittoria, chairman of The Fragrance Foundation, delivered an impassioned speech, saying that there is a lot of misinformation about ingredients and practices. The need for transparency and sustainability are mandatory for the industry to move forward, he told the crowd.

Award-Driven

The first award for the evening was for Best Packaging-Men’s, which I’m proud to say was accepted by Beauty Packaging’s board member Paul McLaughlin. The multi-talented package designer who’s VP creative at Elizabeth Arden, received yet another TFF trophy, this time for John Varvatos JVxNJ, a collaboration with Nick Jonas. According to the brand, “the signature flask bottle is painted with a custom pearlized midnight-blue lacquer to produce a classic, yet edgy finish. The gunmetal dog-tag and hex-nut cap engraved with JVxNJ adds a nod of rock-n’ roll, that is an aesthetic deeply rooted within the John Varvatos brand.”

The kudos for Best Packaging-Women’s went to Chanel No°5 Limited Edition Eau De Parfum—in its noticeably striking red bottle.

With the brand’s remarkable 18th TFF award, Tom Ford Lost Cherry was announced as Fragrance of the Year: Women’s Luxury. With its red cherry-colored internal coating, the signature Tom Ford bottle “embodies passion and mystery” thanks to Verescence’s technology COLOR’in, “an innovative, compatible and unique” decorative coating applied on the inner surface of the glass bottle. A subtle translucent pink lacquering lends additional appeal.

Marc Rosen, who, himself has received seven Fragrance Foundation Awards over the years, told Beauty Packaging: “This was a very glam evening—a once-a-year gathering of the industry’s ‘who’s who’ which honors the year’s new fragrances and their packaging. Special honorees Tom Ford and Laura Slatkin spoke eloquently and from the heart. A good time was had by all.”

Here’s the complete list of 2019 winners:

Fragrance of the Year, Women’s Luxury—Tom Ford Lost Cherry
Fragrance of the Year, Women’s Prestige—Jo Malone London Honeysuckle & Davana Cologne
Fragrance of the Year, Women’s Popular—Ariana Grande Cloud
Fragrance of the Year, Men’s Luxury—Chanel Bleu De Chanel Parfum
Fragrance of the Year, Men’s Prestige—Dior Sauvage Eau De Parfum
Packaging of the Year, Women’s—Chanel No°5 Limited Edition Eau De Parfum
Packaging of the Year, Men’s—John Varvatos JVxNJ
Home Collection of the Year—Diptyque 34 Collection
Perfume Extraord­inaire—Symrise
Fragrance Hall of Fame—Donna Karan Cashmere Mist
Media Campaign of the Year, Women’s—YSL Black Opium Eau De Parfum
Media Campaign of the Year, Men’s—Chanel Blue De Chanel Parfum
Social Media Campaign of the Year—Marc Jacobs Daisy Love
Consumer Choice, Women’s Prestige—Marc Jacobs Daisy Love
Consumer Choice, Women’s Popular—Victoria’s Secret Tease Rebel
Consumer Choice, Men’s—Paco Rabanne 1 Million Lucky
Consumer Choice, Influencer—@JeremyFragrance

Announced previously by The Fragrance Foundation:

Face of the Year—Martha Hunt
Instagrammer of the Year—Mona Kattan
Editorial Excellence, Print—The Oprah Magazine: “What the Nose Knows April 2018,” written by Alix Strauss
Editorial Excellence, Online—Allure: “The Beauty of Living Forever Through Fragrance,” written by Tynan Sinks
Breakout Star Award—Dior Sauvage EDT
Indie Fragrance of the Year—Byredo Eleventh Hour