Perfume: the inexhaustible emotion
Accademia del Profumo announces the winners of the 31st edition of its Prize, dedicated to the best creations in the world of fragrances. Inseparable from their fragrant content, clad in the most refined dies, the bottles have always been the iconic protagonists. In the following pages we present the packaging design of the award-winning and candidate products, trying to capture their personality, in a kaleidoscope of inspirational suggestions.
A synthesis of ancient and modern knowledge, culture, inspiration and sensitivity, that of Perfume is an art of invisible and impalpable creations, which reveal themselves in contact with the skin in an intimate bond with the wearer.
Alter ego and guardian of the fragrance the bottle, object of bewitching charm, invites us to open its contents and, drop after drop, to render the secret of an olfactory emotion that, once released, can no longer be bridled or contained.
Since 1990, Accademia del Profumo (1) has been committed to supporting and promoting the world of fragrances and its supply chain, enhancing the culture, knowledge and excellence of the same. Among the many initiatives put in place, the prestigious annual competition is undoubtedly the most awaited and followed of them all.
Once again this year, despite the effects of the health crisis including the disruption in programming live events, the award ceremony was held on June 30, in a brand new format that lived up to expectations.
The event, in fact, opened its doors to the general public for the first time, who were able to follow the ceremony hosted by Giorgia Surina which was premiered on the social channels of Accademia del Profumo, and later on podcast, as well as on television, in a dedicated episode of X-Style aired on Channel 5, Wednesday, July 8.
Here follow the six categories of the competition, with the respective winners.
Best Perfume
Consumers’ Jury
Every perfume has its legacy of skills, talents, culture and research, but the real magic lies in the emotions, dreams and memories that every fragrance can arouse in the wearer. For this reason, the most prestigious awards are those given to fragrances voted by the public.
Winners in this category were Chloé L’Eau and Dior Sauvage Parfum, proclaimed, respectively best men’s and women’s perfume of the year, with over 130,000 votes collected on the dedicated minisite, on the Accademia del Profumo social networks and through the QR code displayed in 500 Italian perfumeries.
Chloè L’Eau
The Chloé Eau de Parfum line of fragrances writes a new chapter in the saga, presenting itself in an essential, linear design, which releases the femininity of a radiant, free-spirited woman.
An expression of timeless elegance, the bottle, with vertical grooves reminiscent of the maison’s iconic pleating, retains the precious and timeless features of the line: stripped of the usual metal plate, it is lightened by a more airy note. A transparent casket, it allows the radiance of a fresh coral pink to filter through the glass. The final touch of the hand knotted grosgrain ribbon is the emblematic detail that links it to the refined universe of the maison.
Distributor: Coty Italia
Dior Sauvage Parfum
For this new Parfum, the Sauvage bottle has an even denser midnight blue opacity, like its fragrance, dressing the colours of a night sky lit by stars. A lively, almost turquoise glow gushes from the transparent base, on which the name of the maison is imprinted, sending out silvery flashes. Like a primordial reminder, the name Sauvage shines on the blue of the darkest and deepest night, with a new metallic splendor that prefigures all the opulence of the new fragrance.
To ennoble the unscrupulous masculinity of the fragrance, the essential elegance of the cylindrical bottle, surmounted by the horizontally pleated cap, in chromatic continuity with the bottle, on the top of which are engraved the initials of Christian Dior.
Distributor: LVMH
BEST COMMUNICATION
VIP Jury
Communicating a perfume is complex because the perfume itself is a medium with the most intangible and immaterial, but most powerful of the senses: the sense of smell. How can emotion and seduction of a perfume actually be recounted? Brands entrust their messages to testimonials who know how to embody and interpret the identity and exclusivity of the brand, transporting us to distant worlds or unexpected situations. The protagonists of Born in Roma Uomo Valentino e Gucci Guilty Pour Femme live their lives in two opposite cities - Rome and Los Angeles - not only geographically and tell two stories of inclusiveness and freedom, far from social rules and constraints, embracing diversity.
Born in Roma Uomo Valentino
The studs “carved” in the crystal of Valentino’s legendary and (always) surprising jewel-bottle, evoke the rustication of the facades of the famous buildings of the Capital and the glamorous aesthetics of accessories and streetwear. Manifesto of a bold and unconventional imagination, it mixes different eras, innovation and tradition, haute couture and urban culture, reverence and irreverence. And if for Pierpaolo Piccioli, creative director Valentino “Roman streets are a symbol of free thoughts and stratification of aesthetics and cultures”, Born in Roma Uomo is dedicated to the “aristopunk” generation that populates the city, people who embrace diversity and uniqueness, but are proud of their roots. Thus, the underground charm of the bottle, in its black and smoky dress, with its studded collar and the brand name of the Maison printed in pink letters on the leather-like label, claims its own free and unscrupulous identity.
Distributore: L’Oréal Italia Luxe
Gucci Guilty Pour Femme
The new version of Gucci Guilty fragrances resonates, once again, as a modern declaration of individuality, an unscrupulous manifesto of personal freedom and without hypocrisy.
The design of the bottle rewrites the visual codes of sensuality: the sumptuous dualism of glass and metal, the hallmark of the Guilty line - which wears the colours of gold for the Pour Femme* fragrance - is re-proposed in the silhouette surmounted by the crushed cylinder of the small pendant cap, also golden, on which is reflected the soft pink of amber jus. A signature of masterly elegance, the intertwined double G of the logo cuts a window of light on the front and back of the metal armor, framing its transparent heart.
Consistent with the concept, the die in matt ivory, with the Gucci Maison logo in gold.
* Identical bottle for the men’s version, where the metal is gunmetal colored, in harmony with the purple-gray of the fragrance, while the die is dressed in black and silver.
Distributor: Coty Italia
Best Olfactory Creation
Technical Jury (2)
Who is the creator of perfume? An artist, a chemist or an alchemist? The craft of “nose” was born more than 4000 years ago, when perfumes were created to please the gods. Transforming substances into olfactory emotions requires knowledge of over 5000 raw materials, chemical and scientific bases, artistic creativity and a strong sensitivity.
Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc for her, created by Sonia Constant, and Bottega Veneta’s Illusione for him, signed by Antoine Maisondieu, were rated as the best olfactory creations of the year, through an all-blind selection process.
Narciso Rodriguez for her PURE MUSC eau de parfum
A true synthesis of clean lines and pure forms, the black and white bottle of Narciso Rodriguez for her PURE MUSC reflects the refined mastery and charm of the fragrance it contains, dressing the most essential of contrasts, the one between black and white: powerful and mysterious the former, symbol of purity the latter. Romanticism and rationality, beauty and logic, ambiguity and infallible precision... the duality of extremes is represented with incomparable style.
At the heart of the square bottle, made of translucent opaque glass, the milky white of the internal lacquering enhances a soft silhouette. The play of radiant two-tone colors includes the large rectangular black plastic cap and the horizontal, black and rough, milleraies-striped cardboard case, where the name of the fragrance and the brand are imprinted in black on the background of a white box.
Distributor: Shiseido Group Italy
Bottega Veneta Illusione for Him
Modern and visually intriguing, Illusione’s packaging is characterized by clean lines and craftsmanship, which has always been Bottega Veneta’s signature style. The square-shaped bottle design focuses on a strong sensory impact. The refraction of light in the solid glass evokes an immediate sense of luxury, enhancing the liquid inside and infusing it with light. The jus of this masculine fragrance is colored with a delicate yellow-green shade, appearing as if suspended in the transparent material of the soft-profile cavity. Almost “mirrored” in it, at the bottom of the thick base, a convex curvature recalls the shape of a drop of water. Above the bottle, the wide circular bakelite-like cap, with an ergonomic central opening, encloses the spray applicator
Distributor: Coty Italia
BEST PERFUME Made in Italy
Technical Jury (2)
A long tradition accompanies Italian fragrances. It was Caterina De Medici in 1533 who introduced the perfume to the French court thanks to her trusted perfumer, Renato Bianco, and the friars of Santa Maria Novella. The perfume was already widely used in the Italian courts of the Renaissance, also thanks to the research conducted by the great Leonardo Da Vinci. In fact, he experimented with the first techniques for extracting fragrances from plants and flowers and developed enflorage, a process that makes it possible to extract the essence from even the most delicate flowers. Bulgari dominated the category, winning the prize both women’s, with Splendida Tubereuse Mystique, as well as man’s perfume, with Bulgari Man Wood Neroli.
Splendida Bulgari Tubereuse Mystique
The bottle of Tubereuse Mystique from the Splendida Bulgari collection is inspired by the moment of twilight, the so-called “blue hour”, when the night flower begins to offer its most voluptuous notes emanating an aphrodisiac aura. And it is a mysterious midnight blue that dresses the iconic Bulgari design lines, which revisit the sumptuous aesthetics of Romanity in a modern key: the low bottle is cut at the top by two oblique semi-sections that meet on the sharp line of the shoulder, highlighting the long gold neck. The “crown” of the stopper dominate the whole. On the front inclined like that of a stele, the name of the fragrance shines in golden characters.
Distributor: Bulgari Italia
Bulgari Man Wood Neroli
A tribute to Bulgari’s Italian roots, Man Wood Neroli is inspired by the wild nature of the peninsula’s coastline. Like a powerful talisman capable of creating a link between the primordial elements and the modern urban landscape, the packaging of this fragrance draws strength from metal and gold, letting the elementary energy of the sun and vegetation vibrate in the transparency of glass, distilled in the green jus, like the oily nectar of the olive tree. Distinctive of Bulgari men’s fragrances, overlooked by the low, wide stopper, the bottle stands out in a monolithic rectangular block, evoking the austere, monumental geometries of ancient Rome. From the heaviness of the glass, warmed by an amber tinge, to the lettering of the brand that displays the Roman “V” dear to the designer, everything recalls a classical image of strength. The same style dominates the case, dressed in the same green and gold Mediterranean palette, and embellished with a slight embossing that frames the volumes.
Distributor: Bulgari Italia
BEST Packaging
Technical Jury (2)
The first impact with the product is always visual. It is no coincidence that the packaging is one of the elements that contribute to the success of a fragrance. A beautiful package must be able to attract attention, it must stand out thanks to its shape, color, type of material, and above all it must be in line with the fragrance it contains.
Best packaging was won by women’s Idôle Lancôme and men’s Montblanc Explorer.
Lancôme Idôle
With a name that has been present in the universe of the fashion house for decades, Idôle embodies the values of a new generation of women, capable of achieving success without giving up their femininity. And to pay homage to their courage in achieving what seems impossible, one of the thinnest bottles in the world was born: 15 mm thick, they emphasize a perfect geometric shape, to be held naturally*. Light as if it were virtual, more transparent than ever in its metal frame, it is a page yet to be written, on which to project the reality and dreams of each one. In the centre of the perfectly smooth facade, a circular halo carved into the glass draws a vibrant heart in the rectangle containing the warm, joyful pink juice. The same nuance tints the metallic reflections of the minimal cap, with its original “T” shape to facilitate opening. The die proposes the formal elements and tone on tone colours of the bottle.
* Available in three refillable sizes to reduce environmental impact, the bottle can be customized with protective covers
Distributor: L’Oréal Italia Luxe
Montblanc Explorer
Losing oneself to discover new horizons. It’s an invitation to “mindful” and sustainable travel, the new Montblanc men’s fragrance, dominated by the masterful “international” blend of Italian bergamot, Haitian vetiver and Indonesian patchouli (the latter are the result of Givaudan’s sourcing for Shared Value program in support of local producers).
The “scratched-like” saffiano pattern on the coating protecting the thick glass bottle is the unmistakable signature of Montblanc creations from 1926 to the present day, as is the shining star (evocative of the six glaciers of Europe’s highest mountain), made in Hamburg and assembled by hand in the Montblanc Pelleteria in Florence. The die also shows the saffiano motif playing on shades of grey, and completes a design of refined elegance.
Distributor: Beauty & Luxury
Best Affiliated, Independent and Big Brand Artistic Perfume
Technical Jury (2)
Like a painting, a book, or indeed any art work, perfume is an artistic expression. The creations of the so-called artistic perfumery draw on history, they are rich in suggestions, they venture in the discovery of original ingredients, often rare, that can excite with unique, precious, sometimes revolutionary notes.
In some cases the search for new fragrances springs from independent perfumery brands, which undertake innovative, or simply different paths to give life to olfactory renditions that reward the desire for exclusivity and uniqueness. At other times the desire for distinction has pushed the great international brands to create exclusive and refined collections for lovers of artistic perfumery, which are an unmistakable detail for those who wear them...
Three fragrances without distinction of genre have been awarded: Tom Ford Lavender Extreme, best exclusive big brand perfume collection; Poppy&Barley Jo Malone London, affiliated brand best artistic perfume; Arancia di Sicilia Perris Monte Carlo, best independent brand artistic perfume.
Tom Ford Levander Extréme
Worked like never before to become something unique, lavender is the protagonist of Levander Extréme. For this bold, charismatic and extraordinarily luxurious fragrance, the iconic bottle from the Private Blend collection, recognizable for its exclusive architectural silhouette inspired by a chess piece, comes in a silver edition.
Visible among reflections and strokes of light, the brand and the name of the fragrance engraved on a sculpted relief plate in the same silver shade, make the bottle even more elegant and enigmatic in its metallic and monochromatic cladding.
Distributor: Estée Lauder Companies
Perris Monte Carlo Arancia di Sicilia
Perris Monte Carlo’s journey continues among the excellence of its Italian Collection and Arancia di Sicilia is the new fragrance dedicated to the island’s most iconic citrus fruit: sanguinella.
An olfactory synthesis of naturalness, sweetness and energy, this fragrance is also made in collaboration with the Capua company which, since 1880, has distinguished itself for the quality of its production of citrus essential oils. The classic elegance of the bottle is well suited to the personality of the fragrance, balanced between freshness, atmosphere and aromas of the territory, revisited in a modern key.
The slender rectangular bottle is coloured with the straw yellow of the jus, enhanced by the golden cap and label. The logo of the brand becomes a decorative leitmotiv, multiplying in the geometric pattern on the glass and on the white cardboard of the die; its warm gilding in relief personalizes the whole package.
Distributor: IPD
Jo Malone Poppy & Barley
A cologne that embodies all the pillars of the London perfumery Jo Malone: the ingredients that give body to the fragrance - poppy and barley - are among the most beloved symbols of English culture, as well as an expression of naturalness and authenticity. Equally iconic, and ideal to contain it, Poppy & Barley’s elegant bottle combines stylish elements, balanced between modern and classically British. The harmoniously sized parallelepiped is softened by the geometric facets on the corners, and finds lightness in the crystalline transparency of the glass and the jus. Inscribed in a double golden frame, the label with its sober and retro taste is applied to the centre of the bottle, whose proportions it follows. The rounded and sparkling cap, the density of the glass at the base that enhances the curved profile of the recess, convey a sense of refined luxury.
Distributor: Estée Lauder Companies
