Guided by ScentXplore’s core principles – ‘explore,’ ‘discover,’ ‘share,’ and ‘connect’ – and with a strong focus on people, the People’s Choice Niche Fragrance Awards was launched in 2022. This initiative was created to recognize and celebrate excellence in artistry, innovation, and quality, made possible by niche brands, perfumers, distributors, retailers, and content creators. What sets ScentXplore’s Awards apart is its unique approach: the winners are chosen by the attendees themselves – true enthusiasts of niche fragrances who have their voices heard.
In its sixth edition, ScentXplore celebrated excellence across nine categories, honoring both iconic names – such as the Omani house Amouage (founded in 1983), the perfume magazine Nez, and the online encyclopedia Fragrantica – and more recent fragrance brands like Lorenzo Pazzaglia (2015) and Day Three (2023). A standout moment of the ceremony – held on the final day of the event, Saturday, December 7 – was the tribute to master perfumer Sophia Grojsman, recipient of the discretionary Lifetime Achievement Award.
The vision, magnitude, and diversity of Amouage‘s extensive collection, built over four decades, were recognized in the Brand Concept & Portfolio category. The Omani house also won the Ethos & Approachability award, which recognizes a brand’s raison d’être and ability to connect with and make their fragrances more accessible to a worldwide audience. Amouage was represented by its Chief Creative Officer, Renaud Salmon.
The Most Impactful Content Creator – Vlogging award was given to Felix Ramirez, also known as Mr. Felix. One of the most prominent voices in the Spanish-speaking community, with hundreds of thousands of followers, Felix not only works on social media but also serves as an ambassador for niche brands and conducts masterclasses for them. He thanked his fiancée, Abril, who, in his own words, is also his camera girl, and announced that their wedding would take place in a few days.
MaxAroma won Best Distributor/Retailer. In addition to its excellence in customer service, as recognized by the voters, the e-commerce platform stands out for fostering a connection with the fragrance community. Collaborating across the perfumery sector, Hamed Arefian, MaxAroma’s co-founder, highlighted the invaluable contribution of his team, whose dedication and hard work were instrumental in earning the award.
Represented by founder and perfumer Michael Paul, Day Three won in the Up-and-Coming Niche Brand category, recognizing the creativity and dedication of emerging brands that shape the future of niche perfumery. Their fragrance La Tacita de Café won the Début Fragrance category, which celebrates the launch of a brand’s journey in the industry. This new category was introduced specifically for the latest edition of the ScentXplore People’s Choice Awards. The award was presented by none other than the legendary Michael Edwards.
Three Fragrantica columnists – Beth Butterfield, John Biebel, and Patric Rhys – all based in the United States, took the stage to receive the statuette for Most Impactful Content Creator – Writing, presented by Nez Magazine’s editor, Dominique Brunel. In their speech, they emphasized the hard work done behind the scenes by dozens of writers around the globe, in multiple languages, working collectively with strong team spirit.
Lorenzo Pazzaglia took home two awards: Rising Star Perfumer – for Lorenzo himself – and Fragrance of the Year, with Sun-Gria. The first category highlights new talents in the industry, celebrating their bold ideas and creative energy in perfume-making. The latter honors a 2024 release that embodies not only an alluring scent but also authenticity, exceptional quality, and outstanding performance. Surprised and overwhelmed with joy, Lorenzo expressed heartfelt gratitude to his supporters.
Attendees had the opportunity to sample the fragrances of the five finalists for Fragrance of the Year during the ceremony.
At the close of the ceremony, Amouage presented the Content Is King special award to Nez Magazine. An initiative hosted by Amouage and presented at ScentXplore, the award recognizes groundbreaking innovation within the fragrance community by fostering the sharing and exchange of high-quality, scent-related knowledge. The statuette was presented by Renaud Salmon, Chief Creative Officer of Amouage.
As we celebrate the outstanding achievements of this year’s winners, it’s important to extend our congratulations not only to those who claimed the top honors but to all the finalists whose contributions continue to elevate the world of niche perfumery. Their creativity and dedication shape an industry that thrives on innovation, passion, and the pursuit of excellence.
A heartfelt thank you goes to the voters who participated in the ScentXplore People’s Choice Awards’ process. Without their engagement and enthusiasm, these awards simply wouldn’t exist. Their votes are a testament to the vibrant and engaged fragrance community, and we look forward to continuing this journey of discovery and celebration together!
Click here for more information on the ScentXplore People’s Choice Awards, including the finalists in all categories.