Each year, The Fragrance Foundation celebrates the "FiFi," the "Oscars" of the fragrance world. Annette Green, President Emeritus of The Fragrance Foundation, conceived the idea of honoring the fragrance industry's creative achievements. She could never have known that The Fragrance Foundation Recognition Awards would become symbols of excellence around the world.
The first Awards Ceremony, attended by only 250 industry members, was held in the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza in New York. There were only seven awards and Chanel No 19 won for "Most Successful Introduction of a Fragrance."
In the intervening years, there have been many changes in categories and nominating procedures, as the Foundation has responded to the growing diversification and expansion of the industry.
For the first four years, the awards themselves were exquisite framed collages created by an artist, Bill Goldberg. Each incorporate the name of the winning fragrance and the company.
In 1975, Pierre Dinand was commissioned by The Fragrance Foundation to design a crystal award.
His creation -
a crystal sculpture featuring two 12" abstract columns embracing a droplet - was produced in France by Pochet and became an internationally acclaimed symbol. In 1989, the award was nicknamed "FiFi" by John Ledes, publisher of Beauty Fashion and Cosmetic World. The name has since been registered by The Fragrance Foundation with The United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Dinand’s iconic award was used annually until 2006, when a competition for the redesigning of the award was announced by The Fragrance Foundation. This competition, open to packaging and award designers with 10 or more years of experience in their respective fields, drew entries from around the world and was judged in two rounds by noted members of the international fragrance community. The winning design, created by Denis Boudard, the founder and designer of QSLD Paris and QSLD New World – USA, simulates a drop of perfume dissolving into and sending ripples through a slender sheet of crystal. “I wanted to create a sculpture which embodied the blending of glass and fragrance, because in this industry one cannot exist without the other,” Boudard noted. The design made its official debut as the new FiFi Award of The Fragrance Foundation at the 2007 FiFi Award ceremony in May 2007. The crystal award is produced by Pochet and the base by Qualipac.
The Foundation also awards the "FiFi" to outstanding fragrances, 15 or more years old, which have been chosen by the industry to have the distinction of being inducted into The "FiFi" Fragrance Hall of Fame. The award has become an icon for the global fragrance industry.
In 1993, the first annual European "FiFi" Awards for the most successful men's and women's fragrances of the year were presented in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Today's glamorous "FiFi" Ceremonies, held in New York City, are attended by over 1,000 members of the international fragrance community. The awards are presented by celebrities from the world of fashion, theater, film and TV.
Plans are underway to celebrate the year 2008 nominees, finalists and winners and to remember the fabulous fragrances of the past 36 years.
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