THE INSIDE SCOOP: LINDA G. LEVY
(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Fragrance Foundation)
On June 11th over 1000 guests from the worlds of fragrance, fashion, media, art and sports came together once again for another incredible night dedicated to the art of fragrance. The message in my opening remarks and to summarize the exceptional year since we last gathered for this event was a theme throughout the evening: community and collaboration.
At the David H. Koch Theater in NYC, the 53rd Annual Awards was a star-studded event that brought the fragrance industry together to celebrate our community and share our passion for fragrance. With high anticipation of 2026 winners to be announced in many categories, tributes of fragrance icons and honors to be bestowed, we gathered for this annual event which is certainly the most extraordinary night of the year for fragrance!
It was exciting to see so many from our community be a part of the Awards experience, taking photos from selfies to staging group shots in the lobby against our magnificent backdrops where we debuted our 2026 artist collaboration with Melissa Koby. The energy throughout the evening was exhilarating as the custom scent created by Honorine Blanc, our Lifetime Achievement Perfumer honoree, entranced all those who experienced the ambient scent of Cedar Jasmine 1986 as part of the welcome to the Awards in the grand Lobby.
Amidst the revelry of the winners and honorees who came up to accept their Awards, the program also dedicated time to reflect and remember with touching tributes to two legends we lost last year – Mr. Giorgio Armani and Mr. Valentino Garavani. Michelle Pfeiffer and Iman, respectively, friends and muses of each house, took to the stage to pay personal tribute in heartfelt moments. Each speaking to the impact the designers had on their lives, from careers to personal style, and to the broader fragrance wearing community in the US and globally.
Always major moments in the program are when the Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Perfumer Awards are handed out. This year, we were thrilled to present the Hall of Fame to Nordstrom, Inc. to celebrate their achievement in fragrance leadership and commemorate their 125th Anniversary. How fitting it was to give this Award as the country is about to celebrate its milestone 250th!
The other major Award of the night was the Lifetime Achievement Perfumer. This year’s honoree has touched so many lives with her triumphant repertoire of scents that have been revered by so many fragrance enthusiasts around the globe. Honorine Blanc of dsm-firmenich joined a legendary line-up of perfumers whose 30-year career in the USA was celebrated with this prestigious honor that casts the spotlight on an extraordinarily accomplished perfumer and her love of the craft.
It was an emotional night for all. One of the most meaningful moments of the night was when Jerry Vittoria joined me on the stage for one last time as TFF’s Board Chair. Together, we have opened and closed this magnificent ceremony together for many years. With this Awards show being Jerry’s last, all of the TFF community will remember and cherish this one for a long time to come. A big thank you to Jerry from everyone in the community!
A heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and the finalists who make our mission of celebrating the passion and artistry of fragrance an incredible community to be a part of. Visit TFF’s website for more information on 2026 Award Winners & Honorees.
For those who may have missed the exciting 2026 TFF Awards Winner announcements, we are proud to share with you the stories, photos and videos from our big night with this month’s special edition ACCORDS. Please enjoy excerpts from our Awards Event Journal featuring our creative collaborator Melissa Koby, and our honorees, Jamie Nordstrom for Nordstrom, Inc. and Honorine Blanc.
ACCORDS will be on summer holiday and we will see you back in September with a fabulous fall edition. Enjoy our Awards edition and the rest of the summer!
Photography from the event is available from Regina Fleming Photography. PIN 8598






