SUMMER/FIFI 2008 A Fragrance Foundation Publication ® BLOOMINGDALE'S: FIFI 2008 UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AND OH, “Making things special and bigger than life… creating excitement by differentiating ourselves WHAT A from everybody else… by doing things that are just so unique and fun. It’s a cachet we have. We connect with our customer in a special way and, as a company, we do a really great job of presenting the NIGHT best, the latest, the newest and the greatest,” Zac Posen, Bernadette Peters The "Magic of Bloomingdale’s", as defined by Steeped in “Tunes-of-Glory” history, its century-old Drill Room sheltered under a Howard Kreitzman, the store’s Vice President for Cosmetics and Fragrances. A veteran re- vaulted roof soaring 80 feet above, New York’s Seventh Regiment Armory set a tailer of warmth, charm and candor (not to majestic backdrop for the 36th annual Fragrance Foundation FiFi® Awards gala. mention a delicious sense of humor), swarm of photographers and reporters of saffron jersey, and Taylor Momsen, aka “Gossip Kreitzman sat A jockeyed for front row spots as celebrity Girl”, in a filmy dress of the palest possible green, its down with The presenters and guests took their star turns on the red skirt a froth of wispy shreds, like tattered ferns. Forum to share his carpet, a scarlet horseshoe that provided easy access Carmindy, of “What Not To Wear” (who had just thoughts on the job for photo ops and sound bites. Simply radiant with signed with Coty ) and who most decidedly knows a he loves, his per- glitz and glamour was “Hairspray” star Nikki thing or two about what to wear – was ravishing in spective on the fra- Blonsky, sporting pear-shaped ear drops of midnight navy with a lavishly jeweled neckline - took grance industry “diamonds as big as the Ritz.” Admittedly “a to the carpet with Coty’s Michael Fishoff. and winning the perfume addict,” Blonsky was redolent of Vera All the buzz you’d expect heralded the arrival race for the fragrance industry’s “Oscar”… the Wang’s “Princess” worn in honor of the evening’s of “Desperate Housewives” Dana Delany, looking 2008 FiFi Award for Retailer of The Year. Hall of Fame honoree. Then there were Tova anything but desperate in a new-that-day haircut, Borgnine with husband, Ernest, so well remembered and the deliciously copper-headed Bernadette Peters Howard, tell us about the strategies that con- for his Oscar-winning role as “Marty”; Matthew on the arm of Zac Posen. (More about them later.) tributed to Bloomingdale’s win. Modine; top chef of “Top Chef,” Padma Lakshmi The awards ceremony kicked off as Blonsky I would say that really what it’s all about, first and in the most artfully draped, one shouldered number referenced the winners in the Editorial Excellence foremost, is that my team has done a really out- Continued on page 2 standing job in developing strong relationships in the market. The other piece of the puzzle is that ® not only do we have a long history in fragrance FIFI Tests Social launches, but also the ability to come up with vi- sualizations like nobody else. It is just amazing to Networking Waters me how our visual team keeps evolving and out- By Doug Bender doing itself. We just did the exclusive launch for Estée Lauder’s Sensuous, and I was so proud of he Fragrance Foundation decided to test the those guys. It’s incredible the stuff they come up Tsocial networking waters this year, offering with, and they hardly ever show me in advance. fragrance fans on Facebook, Iqons*, and MySpace ® They want me to walk in on a Friday morning, an insider’s view of The 36th Annual FiFi Awards & Celebration, and with it, an opportunity to help after they’ve been up all night putting it together, ® ® FIFI page on MySpace and just gasp…which happens every Friday choose FiFi Fragrance Stars of the Year. One in associated with traditional media, social networking morning. Our ability to make something bigger four Internet users frequent social networking websites, according to the Consumer Internet is a temptation that has many brands debating how Continued on page 5 Barometer. Operating at a fraction of the cost Continued on page 7 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: INTERNATIONAL FIFI COVERAGE • A COMPARISON: AROMATHERAPY, NATURAL PERFUME AND SYNTHETIC PERFUME • FORWARD PULSE: THE TWEEN MARKET • ON THE NOSE • FOUNDATION NOTES: NEWS, VIEWS & NEW DIRECTIONS FiFi 2008 Gala, Continued from page 1 Men’s Private Label/Direct Sell to Christian guests repaired to and Technological Breakthrough categories, Lacroix Rouge and Derek Jeter Driven Black, the lounges for which had been announced earlier at the FiFi both Avon Products, Inc. cocktails, dinner, Finalists Breakfast, and introduced Hip-hopster group, Danity Kane, hip- industry news and Bloomingdale’s Michael Gould, who stepped up hopped to the stage to present Bath and Body, gossip and to accept the Retailer of the Year award. congratulations all Brought to the stage, at that point, was around. Nicole Doring of Sephora Shadyside, The night Pittsburgh, PA, who, having scored 97% on the had a thousand exam, was applauded as the top scorer of the eyes, all on FiFi. k 2008 Certification exam. Taylor Momsen Presenting the awards for best advertising campaigns was Alison Hannigan (more usually ® seen on “How I Met Your Mother”) with FIFI Finalists Breakfast trophies going to Kelly Calèche, Hermès, for Flooded with sunlight, print, and Coco Mademoiselle, Chanel, for TV. Sean Avery, celebrated skatester of the sunflowers and New York Rangers, there to present the Hall of sunny smiles Fame Award, gave rise to a chuckle confiding that he and honoree, Vera Wang, share “a love ith the grand ballroom of New York’s of ice skating Carmindy and a passion WMandarin Oriental Hotel filled to ca- for fashion.” taken by Origins Organics, Origins Natural pacity, Rochelle Bloom, president of The Inspired, she Resources, and Interior Scent of the Year, Fragrance Foundation, gratefully – and so said, by her claimed by Gump’s San Francisco Home graciously – acknowledged all the event mother’s love Collection, Latitudes International. sponsors for their support, in particular, CPC of fragrance, In an announcement that garnered Packaging Magazine for the brochure, “A Look Wang accepted heartfelt cheers and a rolling crescendo of at Outstanding Packaging” and Cosmetic her FiFi, applause, the prestigious Fragrance Hall of World and Beauty Fashion for the “2008 FiFi remarking that Fame FiFi went to Annick Goutal Eau Voters Guide.” Singled out for special recog- “nothing is d’Hadrien, Gary Farn Ltd., the award nition was Media Sponsor, Condé Nast more personal presented by Bernadette Peters (scheduled for Bridal Media, for stepping up again, as they than how we an encore presentation later in the evening). have year after year, in support of the event, choose to Taylor Momsen, in tandem with Matthew with Bloom continuing on to mention that Dana Delany present Modine, stepped up to do the honors for Men’s the flowers – gleaming silver bowls massed ourselves…and scent is the most intimate way and Women’s Nouveau Niche, secured, with white hydrangeas and the yellowest pos- we have to seduce, cajole and intrigue.” respectively, by Armani Privé Vetiver Babylone, sible, plate sized sunflowers – would be Next up, awards for Best Packaging Giorgio Armani Beauty and Prada Infusion “scent” to patients at St. Luke’s-Roo- presented by Minka Kelly of “Friday Night d’Iris, Puig Beauty & Fashion Group. sevelt Hospital. She also referenced Lights” who handed trophies to Marc Jacobs Finally, for the coveted and much- the tiny cards standing at each Daisy, Coty Prestige, and Attitude by Giorgio trumpeted Fragrance of the Year awards, Ms. place, noting that the little papers, Armani, Giorgio Armani Parfums, for Women’s Peters returned to the stage arm-in-arm with embedded with flower seeds, and Men’s Prestige, and to Christian Lacroix “guru of fashion,” Zac Posen. Soon to launch would, when planted, watered Rouge, Avon Products, Inc., and Intimately an eponymous fragrance, Posen declined to and set in the sun, bloom into a Beckham Men, Coty, for Women’s and Men’s give details except to say that it’s an “edgy small arrangement of flowers. Popular Appeal. Designer Cynthia Rowley floral,” and, in sync with Ms. P., announced Katherine Rizzuto, expert joined Dana Delany to present Women’s and Daisy Marc Jacobs, Coty Prestige, as the winner on all things bridal, and publisher in the Women’s Luxe category. of Brides magazine, pressed the au- In a charming moment of humor and dience to act on the considerable, wit, Don Loftus held up the FiFi for the winner fragrance and beauty selling opportu- in the Men’s Luxe category, Dolce & Gabbana nities to be found in the upcoming wed- Light Blue Pour Homme, P&G Prestige ding season. Products Inc., saying “it’s nice to win a Coty Lauren Glassberg, WABC’s star re- Award,” a good-natured reference to the big porter on beauty, food and fashion, notably winners of the evening. “Neighborhood Eats,” took the podium to In her warm and gracious closing, emcee the ceremony and noted that fra- Rochelle Bloom thanked The Fragrance grance has a way with me…and thanks to Foundation Board of Directors, her staff, you, I smell pretty darn good,” and went on supporters and especially the “deluxe” to reveal that even her dog, aptly named sponsors - Coty, Firmenich, Givaudan, IFF and “Coco,” gets in on the act. Symrise - who make the FiFi Awards, the The anticipation nearly palpable, the “Oscars” of the fragrance industry, the magical eight nominees for the Fragrance Hall of event that it is.