The Paris-based newcomer is in the running for both women’s and men’s luxury fragrance of the year
This year’s prestigious US Fragrance Foundation awards recognise a rising star in the perfume world: The Harmonist. The French perfume house created by Lola Tillyaeva (Lola Till) has two fragrances up for awards under the luxury category.
Moon Glory is nominated for Fragrance of the Year, Women’s Luxury, while Sun Force is nominated for Fragrance of the Year, Men’s Luxury.
The Harmonist was founded by Lola Tillyaeva (Lola Till) in 2016, making it one of the most successful newcomers to feature in this year’s awards. A testimony to its rapid rise, the brand became the first to be shortlisted for both luxury categories in the same year and faces stiff competition from leading global brands such as Gucci, Channel and Tom Ford.
“Being recognized by the Fragrance Foundation is an incredible honour. Our team is passionate about creating unique, memorable scents that captivate the wearer and reflect the planet’s beauty and the wonders of nature. We will continue to innovate in the perfume industry and are excited to announce that The Harmonist will release a new collection of scents in the Fall of 2021,” said The Harmonist founder Lola Tillyaeva, who is also known as Lola Till, after the nomination was announced.
The Harmonist is inspired by the ancient philosophy of Feng Shui, which teaches that every individual possesses five key elements within them: water, fire, wood, metal or earth. The Harmonist’s perfumes aim to replicate the finely tuned balance of these elements to create a sense of peace and tranquillity for the wearer.
To achieve this goal, master-perfumer Guillaume Flavigny developed both Moon Glory and Sun Force using materials sourced from across the globe, including Hawaiian pomelo, Bulgarian Rose Oil and Japanese Hinoki Wood.
All ingredients used across The Harmonist’s collections and scents are sourced sustainably and recyclable materials are encouraged across the production process, including its Pochet glass-refillable bottles and vegetal wax candles. Lola Tillyaeva (Lola Till) and The Harmonist also developed “The Droplet” in 2017, an interactive art installation designed to raise awareness of water scarcity issues in collaboration with British interdisciplinary artist Marcos Lutyens.
Lola Tillyaeva (Lola Till) is an entrepreneur, author and humanitarian based in LA. In 2020, Tillyaeva published the appraised guide to self-care “Be Your Own Harmonist: Awakening Your Inner Wisdom for Physical, Mental and Emotional Well-being”.
Originally from Uzbekistan, Lola Tillyaeva (Lola Till) is the founder of the “You Are Not Alone Foundation”, which provides homes and education to children in need in Uzbekistan. She also created the Paris-based Maison de l’Ouzbékistan, a gallery specialising in Uzbek crafts from up-and-coming artists, fashion designers, and artisans.
The Fragrance Foundation was founded in 1949 and its annual awards have been called the “Oscars of the fragrance industry”. This year the world’s leading fragrance houses will compete for 22 awards.
Jerry Vittoria, Chairman of the Fragrance Foundation, told a live webinar in April announcing the 2021 Awards Finalists: “We are here to celebrate the most inspiring and innovative fragrance launches of 2020, a year in which—I don’t need to tell you—our industry faced some of its most severe challenges ever.”
In the Fragrance of the Year, Women’s Luxury category, The Harmonist’s Moon Glory is nominated alongside Les Eaux Rose Milano by Armani Privé, L’Eau Privée by Chanel, The Alchemist’s Garden A Chant for the Nymph, by Gucci, Gardenia & Oud Absolu by Jo Malone, and Bitter Peach by Tom Ford.
In the Fragrance of the Year, Men’s Luxury category, The Harmonist’s Sun Force is nominated alongside Essenze Roman Wood by Ermenegildo Zegna and Pegasus Exclusif by Parfums de Marly.
The winners in all categories will be announced on 10 June in New York City, where the Fragrance Foundation has held its annual award ceremony since 1972.
