Tariffs may rise and fall, but for beauty’s hottest category in the U.S. — fragrance — the mood was celebratory Thursday at the 2025 Fragrance Foundation Awards at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater.
“This is all in the context of the American fragrance market enjoying incredible year-on-year growth” said Jerry Vittoria, chairman of the Fragrance Foundation.
Linda Levy, the event’s host and the president of the Fragrance Foundation, added, “2024 was a remarkable year for fragrance, with more product launches and new brands than ever. What’s really exciting to me too is a new generation of young customers engaging with fragrance for the first time, and fueling our world of fragrance to grow.”
Founders and executives agreed: fragrance’s growth is universal, spanning all price points and demographics of shoppers.
“Scentbird is on fire,” said Bettina O’Neill, executive vice president of business and development of the company, which recently unveiled its latest collaboration with Neiman Marcus. “What’s really working for us is that we have fragrances at a smaller size and a smaller price, and the customers can try lots of things and not worry about investing.”
For Parlux president Lori Singer, who just unveiled Drake’s first eau de parfum, Summer Mink, “it’s about a compelling narrative,” she said. “Parlux fragrances are doing incredibly, incredibly well. And we’re seeing that with Drake, which is literally flying off of shelves at Ulta Beauty.”
Linda Suliafu, Ulta’s vice president of fragrance, agreed. “It is one of our first exclusive men’s launches, and it has truly made it — all of our guests love the bottle and the scent, and the visuals came to life in a beautiful way.”
In the more traditional sales channel for the category, department stores, it’s also been a boon. “We love being a place of discovery — we know that our customer is always looking for what’s new and what’s next,” said Elizabeth Miller, vice president and divisional merchandise manager for beauty at Bloomingdale’s.
“It’s an incredible market, and it’s just so nice to have a night to come together and celebrate,” agreed Marissa Galante Frank, the retailer’s fashion director.
Also on the department store front, Nordstrom Inc. is “continuing to have solid performance,” in the category, said Debbi Hartley-Triesch, the retailer’s executive vice president and general merchandise manager of accessories, beauty and home. “We’ve seen new customers enter into beauty through the category. Fragrance evokes emotion, gives self-confidence and it helps our customers look good and feel their best.”
Jean Madar, chief executive officer of Interparfums Inc., acknowledged that broader uncertainties in the global economy required agility — but he was still bullish. “We have to navigate a lot of unknowns, but when we look at the business worldwide, we are maintaining market share,” he said.
As for how fragrance is faring in the holiday period around Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Edgar Huber, chief executive officer of Nest New York, said it was early days, but he was optimistic.
“We’re up 19 percent year-to-date, and I find the business is doing well,” Huber said. “Back-to-school and the holiday season will be the real indicator about business health, though.”
For newer entrants, “We have an amazing founder who is so close to her clients on social, knows what they want and delivers,” said Stacy Lilien, president of LoveShackFancy, which only launched fragrance two years ago and has since introduced new juices and formats.
Agreed the brand’s general manager of beauty, Stephanie Supko, “She allows them into the whole world of LoveShackFancy, which separates us from everyone else.”
Also on the newer front, Teri Johnson, founder and chief executive officer of the Harlem Perfume Co., is gearing up for her Sephora launch with an exclusive fragrance that’s taking a more seductive tone.
“We all have this natural sensuality and this beauty and femininity. You might not be inspired by a certain man, or being on a certain date, but you can put this on your skin and your body that will catalyze it for you,” Johnson said of the scent.
For more seasoned players, “There are so many more people interested in the fragrance and particularly because they believe it further expresses their personality and individuality,” said Alina Roytberg, cofounder of both Fresh and The Maker.
Her cofounder, Lev Glazman, said the world of fragrance has become more accessible to a consumer that’s even more engaged. “It’s no longer an enigma,” he said. “And it’s not just about a signature fragrance, it’s about creating a language of how you come to the world.”
“I’m studying like crazy,” said Carol Hamilton, who recently retired from her four-decade career at L’Oréal. “I need to understand its evolution. Some of the big guys were not awarded tonight, some of the new guys were out there telling the industry the world is changing. That’s what’s so fabulous about the industry today.”
Added Silvia Galfo, the president of L’Oréal’s Luxe division in North America, “There is a collecting behavior from younger generations because they think of it as a status symbol, or that it’s a sign of intelligence. Collecting fragrance makes them be part of a bigger thing.”
Said Leslie Hendin, cofounder of West Coast fragrance brand, Liis, which was nominated for its first FiFi in the niche fragrance category this year: “It’s been great to see the creativity of fragrance right now — we’ve gotten past gender, we’ve gotten past all of these barriers and now it’s just, anything goes.”
The L’Oréal gang showed up en masse as Ralph Lauren was inducted into the Fragrance Hall of Fame that evening, and his honoring was accepted by his son, David Lauren.
“It’s very emotional to get up in front of this industry because these people who have dedicated their lives to building amazing fragrance brands — and to see my father honored is to know he succeeded by telling stories in his life. It’s never been about a fragrance or a tie or a dress,” David Lauren said.
He accepted the award from Tyson Beckford, who is a longtime collaborator of the brand. “This is a lot of fun,” he said. “I’m like, why did you wait so long to invite me?” he joked.
The evening also honored Daniela Andrier, Givaudan master perfumer, as the year’s Lifetime Achievement Perfumer.
Andrier’s career has spanned many of fragrance’s greatest hits, and as she looks back on her repertoire, she described an old juice as her Proustian madeleine. “Suddenly, I was 30 years younger,” she said of smelling an old favorite she wore as a teenager. “The world came back to my memory: places, people and even clothes. I went to my husband and he immediately loved it. This world is beautiful and we are a part of it.”
Ramzy Burns, general manager of Lancôme at L’Oréal USA, took home an award for the brand’s latest campaign with longtime ambassador Julia Roberts. “Lancôme is 90 years young. When you think about Julia and La Vie Est Belle, the fragrance is about happiness and life being beautiful. It’s more about how happiness looks for yourself. We executed it, we exploded it, and we knew it was so relevant to what’s happening in fragrance.”
