Prix François Coty 2021 winner Fabrice Pellegrin and Prix d’Honneur François Coty winner 2021 Christopher Sheldrake, surrounded by François Coty Association President Véronique Coty, and judges Sophie Labbé, Émilie Coppermann, Tristan Auer, and Maurice Roucel (photos/collage: ©Despina Veneti)

Relaunched in 2018 by Véronique Coty, President of the Association François Coty and great-great-granddaughter of the eponymous giant of modern perfumery, the Prix François Coty returned (after a year of absence) with a ceremony attended by selected press, perfumers, and members of the fragrance industry at the Parisian Hôtel Lutetia, on December 2, 2021. This prestigious award honors perfumers taking into account their whole career, with emphasis on their audacity, distinct signature and modernity, with its past winners having been olfactory artists like Jean Guichard, Francis Kurkdjian, Maurice Roucel, Alberto Morillas, Jacques Cavallier, Sophie Labbé, Lorenzo Villoresi, Christine Nagel, Dominique Ropion, Olivier Polge, Olivier Pescheaux, Émilie Coppermann, and Shyamala Maisondieu. This year, the Prix François Coty was awarded to Firmenich perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin, who received his Lalique – 1928-designed – “La Victoire” crystal trophy from the hands of previous winner, Shyamala Maisondieu.

Clockwise, from left: Prix François Coty 2021 winner Fabrice Pellegrin making his speech; being presented by Véronique Coty; accepting his award from Shyamala Maisondieu (photos/collage: ©Despina Veneti)

The winner was selected by a seven-member judging panel that was presided by interior architect Tristan Auer, and included perfumers (and past winners) Jean Guichard, Alberto Morillas, Maurice Roucel, Émilie Coppermann, Sophie Labbé, and Dominique Ropion. The selection procedure is worth a mention: a committee of experts singles out a small number of perfumers, and all potential nominees are individually contacted in order to accept their nomination. Once they do, the perfumers/nominees choose three of the fragrances they have created, thus forming a portfolio on which they will be judged, blindly. The award to Fabrice Pellegrin comes as a recognition to a distinguished career during which he created, among many others, fragrances for Diptyque (Do Son, Eau Duelle, Volutes), L’Artisan Parfumeur (Sur L’Herbe, Au Bord de L’Eau, Bucoliques de Provence), Lancôme (Oud Bouquet), and Aèdes de Venustas (Cierge de Lune). He accepted his award noting the importance of being recognized by one’s peers, adding that as a creator he likes simple, discernible, direct olfactive messages.

Clockwise, from left: Prix d’Honneur 2021 winner Christopher Sheldrake taking the stage; accepting his award from Maurice Roucel; given a warm hug by Véronique Coty (photos/collage: ©Despina Veneti)

Playfully presented by (a kneeling down!) Maurice Roucel, this year’s Prix d’Honneur François Coty was given to perfumer Christopher Sheldrake, who became the fifth overall winner of this special award, after Edmond Roudnitska, Jean Kerléo, Jean-Paul Guerlain, and Michel Almairac. Famous for his remarkable œuvre for Serge Lutens (among many others, he composed Muscs Kublai Khan, Tubéreuse Criminelle, Sa Majesté La Rose, Ambre Sultan, Fille En Aiguilles, La Myrrhe, Chergui, and co-created – initially for Shideido – Féminité du Bois), and for being the Director of Fragrance Research and Development at Chanel, Mr. Sheldrake promptly thanked Serge Lutens, as well as Jacques and Olivier Polge, in his acceptance speech. Let it be noted that this year’s Prix d’Honneur awardee is also dynamically involved in the activities of the Osmothèque, being both its Vice-President, and the President of its “Société des Amis”.

Prix François Coty 2021 poster and vintage Coty Émeraude flacons and scented products from Véronique Coty’s collection (photos/collage: ©Despina Veneti)

The ceremony was preceded by an interesting conference dedicated to emeralds, as this year marked the 100^th anniversary of Émeraude, one of François Coty’s most exquisite and influential compositions. At the end, a visibly touched Véronique Coty thanked everybody for being there, followed by Osmothèque’s delegated Director, Anne-Cécile Pouant, who talked about the importance of Émeraude, as well as the mission of the Osmothèque, in the presence of its current President, perfumer Thomas Fontaine. All attendants had the chance to smell on blotters the spectacular reconstruction of this legendary fragrance, done in 2017 for the Osmothèque by its co-founder and perfumer, Jean Kerléo. One can instantly understand why Coty’s Émeraude is considered a precursor of Guerlain’s Shalimar (released four years after Coty’s fragrance); its mesmerizing combination of bright, resinous citruses and herbs (lemon, bergamot, orange, tarragon, lemongrass), a classic floral heart (rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang), and a hauntingly beautiful ambery base (opoponax, benzoin, vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood) is strikingly close to Guerlain’s subsequent fragrance (to my nose, the most important difference between them is that Shalimar’s citrusy opening does not feel green or herbal, and that its base, at least in past decades, was distinctively smokier, with leather nuances). The tribute to Coty Émeraude was concluded with an exhibition of vintage flacons and scented products selected from the impressive collection of Mme Coty.

Spoturno 1921 100ml flacon in the “autel” coffret presentation (courtesy of La Cité des Parfums)

Further news from the evening, bound to interest fragrance collectors, was that La Cité des Parfums has produced an extrait de parfum named “Spoturno 1921” (after Coty’s real family name), based on a 1920s formula that was adjusted according to modern material considerations, and IFRA regulations; the perfume comes in two limited editions: a 100ml bottle (1,400€/in 200 numbered pieces), and a luxurious “altar” coffret (5,000€/in 20 numbered pieces). The magnificent crystal flacon is the same for both editions, and features a presse-papier style stopper, and a golden label with the Spoturno family crest featuring a crowned phoenix (a befitting symbol for the rebirth of a fragrance legend). In the ultra-limited edition of only 20 pieces, the perfume comes sumptuously presented in a dark green box that holds an arch-shaped, ornate mini armoire with internal mirrors, ready to receive the precious flacon. The packaging was designed by this year’s President of the Awards’ judging panel, Tristan Auer, and realized by several artisans, while the extrait de parfum was composed by the Parfum Cosmetic World House in Grasse, under the direction of Patrice Blaizot.

According to the press release, the notes of the perfume are: Bergamot, Lemon, Lavender, Caraway Seed, Jasmine, Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Violet, Orange Blossom, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli, Heliotrope, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Musk. It opens with sparkling, nectarous citruses and fresh herbal touches, announcing a slightly powdery, deeply sensual floral heart that lies on a sweetly resinous, subtly woody, deliciously vanillic base.

It is, simply put, one of the most beautiful things I’ve had the chance to smell this year.

Editor’s note: If you’d like to purchase Spoturno 1921, support the Association François Coty and La Cité des Parfums, or learn more about their mission of preserving and communicating the perfume legacy of François Coty, as well as honoring contemporary perfumers, feel free to contact: vcoty@lacitedesparfums or nicolas@francoiscoty.fr

– Despina Veneti, Senior Editor

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