Fragrance Foundation Awards 2025: All Winners & Highlights

Every June, fragrance lovers look to The Fragrance Foundation Awards—often called the “Oscars of perfume”—for a snapshot of scent culture. The trophies boost sales, crown future classics, and spotlight the perfumers whose work shapes how we all smell next year. Let’s dicover Fragrance Foundation Awards 2025!

What is the Fragrance Foundation?

Founded in 1949, the non-profit group champions education, diversity, and sustainability in perfumery. Its stated mission is “to inspire the world to discover the artistry and passion of fragrance.”

The Fragrance Foundation Official Site

About the Awards

Since 1973 the Foundation has hosted this gala to honor excellence in fragrance creation, packaging, and storytelling. Winners emerge from a three-step process: brand submissions, expert judging, and consumer votes for the People’s Choice brackets.

The 2025 Ceremony at a Glance

• Date & venue: 5 June 2025, David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City.
• Guests: ≈ 1 000 industry leaders, perfumers, fashion icons, and content creators.
• Hosts & presenters: Laverne Cox, Vera Wang, Dapper Dan, Jackie Aina, Tyson Beckford, and more.
• Honorees: Ralph Lauren (Hall of Fame) and Daniela Andrier (Lifetime Achievement Perfumer).

• Mood: upbeat and inclusive. AI-driven ingredient films by cinematographer Louie Schwartzberg wrapped the room in moving art.

Red-Carpet Highlights

Sequins met silk suits on a baby-blue carpet that replaced the usual red. Many attendees leaned into “quiet luxury”—minimal tailoring paired with niche spritzes. Meanwhile, social feeds buzzed with real-time Q&As about sustainable sourcing and gender-fluid scent storytelling.

Full List of 2025 Fragrance Foundation Awards 2025 Winners

Fragrance of the Year

Women’s Luxury

Kilian Paris Sunkissed Goddess
Calice Becker

• A creamy solar bouquet of tiare, ylang-ylang, coconut and vanilla that feels like warm sand on skin.
• It triumphed because judges loved its “summer-in-a-bottle” storytelling and top-tier naturals sourced under strict traceability.

Women’s Prestige

Kayali Vanilla Candy Rock Sugar | 42
Gabriela Chelariu

• Pear, bubble-gum, caramel and woody tonka turn vanilla into playful nostalgia.
• It won for translating Gen-Z gourmand cravings into a refined, long-lasting eau de parfum.

Buy Sunkissed Goddess on Amazon – check current price here.

Men’s Luxury

Tom Ford Bois Pacifique
Rodrigo Flores-Roux & Adriana Medina

• Cardamom, turmeric and deep woods ride an amber-vanilla wave.
• The panel praised its bold Pac-Rim wood accord and cinematic launch film starring John David Washington.

Men’s Prestige

Ralph Lauren Polo ’67 EDT
Marie Salamagne

• Pineapple, bergamot and Haitian vetiver give the classic polo vibe a sun-drenched twist.
• It claimed the trophy for reviving heritage codes with refillable packaging and a hit campaign fronted by MLB star Aaron Judge.

Buy Bois Pacifique on Amazon – check current price here.

Universal Luxury

Byredo Desert Dawn
Jérôme Epinette

• Cardamom-rose petals open to dry sandalwood, papyrus and silk musk.
• Voters applauded its gender-fluid “dawn in the dunes” aura and biodegradable alcohol base.

Universal Prestige

Maison Margiela Replica Afternoon Delight
Carlos Benaïm

• Warm madeleine accord melts into sandalwood and Madagascar vanilla.
• It won for bottling pastry-shop comfort while staying light enough for daily wear.

Ultra Luxury

Tom Ford Black Lacquer
Guillaume Flavigny

• Ink, vinyl and rum glide over ebony wood and olibanum.
• Judges hailed its “black-tie but rebellious” scent architecture and avant-garde lacquer-black flacon.

Popular

Vacation® “After Sun”
Rodrigo Flores-Roux

• Aloe-gel freshness meets minibar gin, linen and green-tea verjus.
• It scored for quirky beach-core branding and clean, vegan formula under $70.

Buy Vacation® “After Sun” on Amazon – check current price here.

Consumer & Culture

Consumer Choice – Prestige

Burberry Her Intense

• Wild strawberry over ambroxan woods.
• Shoppers loved its louder fruit burst and refill-ready bottle.

Consumer Choice – Popular

Bath & Body Works Platinum

• Sparkling bergamot, “silver blooms” and patchouli musk in mist, lotion and EDP.
• Fans rewarded its easy layering and wallet-friendly refills.

Fragrance Hall of Fame

Rabanne 1 Million EDT

• Spicy leather-amber swagger that still sells one bottle every 30 seconds worldwide.
• The Foundation honored its cultural impact and 15-year sales streak.

Buy 1 Million EDT on Amazon – check current price here.

Creative & Innovation

Perfume Extraordinaire

Balmain Ébène
Maurice Roucel

• Ebony wood, myrrh and tobacco leaves fused by Maurice Roucel into a dense woody-amber.
• It won for masterful overdosing of natural ebony and couture-inspired bottle.

Innovative Product

D.S. & Durga Murder Mystery Set

• Six 10 ml “suspect” minis designed for Clue-style layering play.
• Judges loved its gamified education approach and 720 possible combos.

Indie Fragrance

Véronique Gabai Délices des Bois
Amandine Clerc-Marie

• Lush fig and jasmine glide into sandalwood and patchouli.
• It clinched the indie crown for eco-certified ingredients and Côte d’Azur storytelling.

Media Campaign

Lancôme La Vie est Belle L’Élixir

• Damien Chazelle directed Julia Roberts in a rooftop escape, mirroring the raspberry-cocoa scent’s self-liberation theme.
• The ad’s cinematic sweep and viral reach sealed its win.

Buy La Vie est Belle L’Élixir on Amazon – check current price here.

Design & Packaging

Packaging – Ultra Luxury/Luxury

Diptyque Fleur de Peau Holiday Edition

• A swirling holographic bottle crafted with felt-artist Lucy Sparrow.
• The panel praised its tactile art-toy feel that collectors snapped up in hours.

Packaging – Prestige/Popular

Marc Jacobs Daisy Wild

• Refillable daisy-cap bottle in meadow-green glass.
• Judges noted the playful cap redesign and plant-based plastics.

Buy Daisy Wild on Amazon – check current price here.

Home & Editorial

Candle/Home Collection

NEST Sunlit Yuzu & Neroli

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• Yuzu, mandarin and neroli blossom in wellness candles, diffusers and body oil.
• It won for mood-boosting aromachology data and 100 % recyclable glass jars.

Editorial Feature

“The Man with the Golden Nose” by Justin Fenner (Robb Report)

Buy NEST Sunlit Yuzu & Neroli on Amazon – check current price here.

Trends Spotted

Sustainability Front and Center. Several speeches underlined eco-certified naturals and traceable resins.

Gender Fluidity. Many winning scents blurred traditional labels, mirroring a market shift to inclusive marketing.

AI Creativity. Schwartzberg’s visuals hinted at how brands use generative tools to imagine new olfactive worlds.

Why This Year Stands Out

The 2025 roster balanced blockbuster names and daring indies. Moreover, the Hall of Fame nod to Ralph Lauren tied heritage to innovation, while Daniela Andrier’s lifetime honor reminded us that perfumery is art as well as science.

The Fragrance Foundation Awards 2025 celebrated creativity, community, and conscious luxury. Each trophy tells a story—of talented perfumers, visionary brands, and the evolving tastes of scent lovers everywhere. Which winner excites you most? Drop a comment and join the conversation.

Craving fresh inspiration after soaking in the awards buzz? Dive into our Summer Fragrance Guide next and discover the season’s must-try scents—link awaits!

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