By: April Long
Last night, as the sun set outside the sky-high windows of the LVMH Magic Room, a new generation of rising stars were named. The Fragrance Foundation’s Notables Class of 2019 was announced at a cocktail reception to a crowd of enthusiastic guests, who sipped wine, cheered joyously, and stayed to mingle around tables adorned with white calla lilies at the program’s end. Each Notable was announced by a mentor, who paid heartfelt, often hilarious tribute to their nominee, celebrating their achievements both within their respective companies and in the fragrance industry as a whole. The 11 Notables, who were each asked to share something others don’t know about them and something valuable they’ve learned on the job, offered insights about the fragrance industry and insights into extracurricular activities ranging from musical theater aspirations to skydiving expertise.
IFF Perfumer Celine Barel kicked things off by introducing her Notable, IFF Account Manager Christina Da Matos, who paid homage to “ingredients from all over the world which, when combined, have the power to transport us.” Next, Gerard Camme hailed “talented and motivated” Notable Thomas Lamotte, Marketing and Events Manager for Atelier Cologne as “poised to make his mark in this industry” and Cosmo’s Marc Blaison praised Notable Nathalie Authier, Cosmo International Fragrances Senior Creative Trends and Marketing Expert for her “creativity and passion.” Notable Simone Bolotin, Senior Director, Influencer Marketing/PR for COTY revealed that she once “wanted to be the next Kristen Chenoweth”; Notable Julia Olivier, Senior Fragrance Development Manager at Firmenich, laughingly reported that she sampled Creamsicles and S’mores after arriving from France in order to understand American tastes; and Notable Adam Leibgorin, Senior Marketing Manager for Interparfums, outed himself as a French Wheel of Fortune winner, “which is why I don’t mind leaving certain things up to chance.”
Michelle McCabe said her Notable Liza Ketcham, Junior Sales Executive, Fine Fragrances for Givaudan, “represents how we like to do things at Givaudan—with heart and soul”; Tathiana Remick said Notable Kaleigh Prokop, MANE Junior Perfumer (and avid cocktail mixologist), “shows up every day with a hunger for knowledge”; Piero Savio praised Notable Katrina Guillermo, Senior Project Coordinator at Robertet (and skydiving enthusiast), for her ability to “find inspiration in every situation,” and Takasago’s Cutler Whitman, VP of Fine Fragrance, gave Notable Rachel Greenspan, Takasago’s Account Manager for Fine Fragrance Sales, a witty welcome, after which she said, “working in the fragrance industry has taught me more about creativity, trust, and teamwork than I ever could have predicted.” Lastly, Fragrance Foundation President Linda Levy honored Notable Alissar Taremi, Fragrance Foundation Marketing Director, for the Fragrance Foundation, for her exemplary “passion, talent, intelligence and creativity” and the commitment she has brought to helping develop successful new initiatives such as Fragrance Day and the Notables Think Tank. “When you find something you’re truly passionate about,” said Taremi, “you go all in.”
Levy wrapped up the evening’s festivities with a thank you to sponsors LVMH and MANE, and congratulations to all the Notables, who proudly posed for photos with their elegant blue glass awards. As a final wow, Levy announced the exciting debut of ACCORDS, the Fragrance Foundation’s new digital magazine featuring industry executives, icons, and perfumers, poised to launch February 8th. “This year going forward,” she said, “we are going to be laser focused on expanding communication and talking directly to the consumer.”