On October 18, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) perfumer Sophie Labbé became the first woman to win the François Coty prize for best creator of perfumes.

Sophie Labbé is the force behind perfumes such as Organza de Givenchy, Emporio Armani pour Homme, Boss Woman, Premier Jour by Nina Ricci, Promesse by Cacharel, Jump by Joop, and Jil Sander Sport Women.

It was Labbé’s encounter with Jean Kerléo, a lover of perfume, which persuaded her to enter ISIPCA, an international school specializing in perfumery, cosmetics and food flavouring, from which she graduated first in the "François Coty" year. She then went on to study at the Givaudan perfume school in Geneva, where she spent six months working on olfaction and raw materials and developed a real love of the products. Two years later, in 1992, she joined IFF.

For the past six years, the François Coty prize, named after the father of modern perfumery (1874-1934), has been awarded to the great international "noses" by a jury of professionals from the perfume industry and celebrities. The president of the 2005 jury is Baroness Nadine de Rothschild.

The prize rewards both the prize-winner's entire career and his or her latest creations. It sets out to pay tribute to perfumers and creators of perfume who, albeit highly regarded in their professional circles, are generally unknown to the public at large.