2018 Accademia del Profumo Awards shortlist unveiled

The shortlist of fragrances nominated for the 2018 Accademia del Profumo Awards has been revealed.

The academy, which promotes the culture, history and diffusion of perfume across Italy, has shortlisted scents across seven different categories for 2018, including ‘Best Perfume', ‘Best Olfactory Creation' and Best Perfume Made in Italy', as reported by WWD. The awards will also give prizes for packaging, communication, artistic perfumery, olfactory creations and big brand collections. The winners will be unveiled at an awards ceremony to be held in Milan next May.

Members of the public will be able to vote for their favorite scent in the category of ‘Best Perfume', which is divided into men's and women's fragrances. From January 22 through April 14, fragrance fans can cast their vote via a mini website dedicated to the awards or through the academy's Facebook page. Shoppers at select Italian perfume boutiques and visitors to the March edition of Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna will also be able to vote in person.

There are a total of 13 women's ‘Best Perfume' contenders, including Gucci's ‘Bloom', the first first fragrance by the Italian house's creative director Alessandro Michele. Chanel's ‘Gabrielle' also features on the shortlist, as does ‘Scandal', the new fragrance by fashion's ‘enfant terrible' Jean Paul Gaultier.

The seven men's fragrances competing for the crown include Giorgio Armani's Emporio Armani ‘Stronger With You, which was one half of a male/female perfume duo released earlier this year. Trussardi's ‘Reflection' and Dior Homme's ‘Sport' have also been nominated.