Spirits were high at on the Fragrance Foundation’s fiftieth annual awards ceremony on Thursday, with the “fragrance effect” in full force.

The event, held at The David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in Latest York, drew a record-high 900 attendees from all corners of the industry and beyond, celebrating the buoyancy of a category whose sales are up 13 percent year-to-date, in response to Circana. Fragrance Foundation president Linda Levy noted there have been more nominations this yr than ever before. “2022 was such an excellent fragrance yr,” she said during her opening remarks. “We received more nominations than ever before.”

L’Oréal’s gains have been even greater — its fragrance sales were up 25 percent last yr — and that success was reflected within the winners. The group took home six statues in total, including two for Prada Paradoxe, the top-selling launch of 2022, and the Consumer’s Selection men’s honors for Ralph Lauren Polo Blue.

L’Oréal’s chief executive officer Nicolas Hieronimus was inducted into the Fragrance Foundation Hall of Fame, with Oscar winner Cate Blanchett readily available to present the honors. “The exceptional teams that Nicolas has led on the L’Oréal group over the past decade-plus have yielded the form of iconic fragrances that encourage all of us to see ourselves anew,” she said. “He’s a person who understands the best way to work with teams — and he’s had exceptional teams — and likewise the best way to work with the creators themselves.”

For his part, Hieronimus called on the industry to band together to counter regulatory restrictions currently into consideration in Europe and California. “There are regulations which can be being worked on with little or no scientific background, and with hasty decisions which will limit considerably the access to many raw materials, particularly naturals,” he said. “Now we have to defend the very beautiful creative art of perfume.”

Others presenting awards included Keke Palmer, Sergio Hudson, Diane Krueger, Jason Wu, Vera Wang, and Tai Beauchamp and Malaika Jones of Brown Girl Jane.

IFF master perfumer Anne Flipo closed out the ceremony by accepting the Lifetime Achievement Perfumer Award, describing being a perfumer as “rather more than a job; it’s a daydream.”

Here, the winners of the 2023 Fragrance Foundation Awards.

Lifetime Achievement Perfumer Award: Anne Flipo, Master Perfumer at IFF

Hall of Fame Award: Nicolas Hieronimus, CEO of L’Oréal

Fragrance of the 12 months, Universal Luxury: Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden Tears From The Moon Eau de Parfum

Fragrance of the 12 months, Universal Prestige: Maison Margiela Replica When The Rain Stops

Fragrance of the 12 months, Women’s Luxury: Chanel Gabrielle Chanel Parfum Spray

Fragrance of the 12 months, Women’s Prestige: Prada Paradoxe Eau de Parfum

Fragrance of the 12 months, Men’s Luxury: Tom Ford Noir Extreme Parfum

Fragrance of the 12 months, Men’s Prestige: Hermès Terre d’Hermès Eau Givrée Eau de Parfum

Fragrance of the 12 months, Popular: Nest Latest York Golden Nectar Eau de Parfum

Perfume Extraordinaire of the 12 months: BDK Parfums Gris Charnel Extrait de Parfum

Fragrance Editorial of the 12 months, Print or Digital: Town & Country: “Why Fragrances With Green Notes Are Going to Be In every single place in 2023” by April Long

Packaging of the 12 months, Luxury: Christian Louboutin Beauty Loubimar

Packaging of the 12 months, Prestige/Popular: Jean Paul Gaultier Le Beau

Indie Fragrance of the 12 months: Amouage Opus XIV Royal Tobacco

Fragrance Progressive Product of the 12 months: Veronique Gabai Aroma Heart

Media Campaign of the 12 months: Paco Rabanne Invictus

Fragrance Hall of Fame: Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum

Consumer Selection, Candle & Home Collection of the 12 months: Nest Latest York Himalayan Salt & Rosewater

Consumer Selection, Men’s & Universal: Ralph Lauren Polo Blue Parfum

Consumer Selection, Women’s Prestige: Prada Paradoxe Eau de Parfum

Consumer Selection, Women’s Popular: Billie Eilish Eilish No. 2