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Tag: dior

  • DFS Group Cambodia gala opening

    DFS Group Cambodia gala opening

    Luxury travel retailer DFS Group Cambodia has marked the opening of its first store, T Galleria by DFS, Angkor, with a gala event for more than 300 guests.

    DFS T-Galleria Angkor Cambodia

    In the resort town and provincial capital of Siem Reap, near the ancient temple of Angkor Wat, T Galleria by DFS, Angkor is the largest duty-free luxury department store in Cambodia. It offers travelers an integrated retail, hospitality and leisure experience with 170 brands across 86,000 sqft (7989 sqm).

    The opening celebration began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, after which traditional Cambodian Apsara hostesses led guests through the two-storey store for traditional cultural performances and demonstrations by Cambodian craftsmen.

    DFS T-Galleria Angkor Cambodia 3

    From DFS Group were chairman/CEO Philippe Schaus and co-founder Robert Miller, while special guests included Cambodia’s Senior Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth and Minister of Tourism Thong Khon.

    DFS Cambodia

    The store features a curated collection of Cambodian artisanal products designed and produced by more than 30 Cambodian artist workshops. At the event, Angkor Artwork, a Siem Reap design studio, demonstrated the art of lacquer work, while Golden Silk, one of the last fully integrated silk producers in the world, wove silk spun from Cambodian silk worms.

    DFS T-Galleria Angkor Cambodia 2

    Traditional Khmer motifs and carvings feature throughout the store, including a nearly 20m art installation suspended above the vaulted atrium.

    DFS T-Galleria Angkor Cambodia 1

    T Galleria by DFS Angkor also ranges more than 130 international brands including watches and jewellery from Bulgari, Cartier and Tiffany & Co and fashion from Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Fendi, Gucci and Saint Laurent. There are also more than 30 beauty and fragrance brands such as Cle de Peau Beaute, Dior, Estee Lauder and Giorgio Armani.

    DFS T-Galleria Angkor Cambodia 5

    The gala event also marked the official opening of the onsite restaurant, the first Crystal Jade outlet in Cambodia, serving traditional Chinese cuisine in a setting overlooking the gardens and reflecting pools outside.

    DFS T-Galleria Angkor Cambodia 6

    DFS T-Galleria Angkor Cambodia 8

    The event also provided a platform to officially announce the company’s sponsorship of several non-profit organisations focussed on helping underserved populations in Cambodia. Schaus presented a donation to Kuma Cambodia, which aims to reduce poverty through providing education, healthcare and nutrition to vulnerable youngsters, English and computer courses for teenagers, and workshops and guidance for parents and guardians.

  • BeautyFresh has bold Asian ambitions

    BeautyFresh has bold Asian ambitions

    Singapore cosmetics startup BeautyFresh is eyeing the eCommerce potential in its home market and broader Asia.

    Stocking more than 70 international brands including Chanel, Dior, Jo Malone and Nars, the company ensures authenticity of its products by scanning them with ultraviolet light to check for defects. Employees also check to ensure products are not near expiry dates.

    Director Jack Wong has a background in online security, so is using his expertise to ensure that client data is secure. The web developments and encryption of the BeautyFresh site are similar to those of online banking (signified by a green lock in the URL).

    Meanwhile, market research firm Mintel says that a growing number of Chinese consumers are going online to buy international beauty products.

    Jo Malone_BeautyFresh.com (1)

    Its research shows that 58 per cent of Chinese consumers bought foreign products online from a domestic shopping website in the six months to the end of November last year. The top three countries buying beauty products were South Korea (47 per cent), Japan (29 per cent) and France (27 per cent).

    According to the report, cross­-border eCommerce grew more than digital retail generally last year, a trend that is expected to continue.

    While cross-border eCommerce is increasingly competitive and provides great sales opportunities, the report warns that brands need to be increasingly responsive to consumer demand.

    Quality of products (63 per cent) and prices (38 per cent) are the top concerns for Chinese online buyers.

    BeautyFresh offers free delivery on orders worth US$40 or more, and offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

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  • Dior Hong Kong opens Times Square boutique

    Dior Hong Kong opens Times Square boutique

    A Dior Hong Kong exclusive store has opened in Times Square mall, the boutique continuing the style of its Avenue Montaigne flagship store in Paris.

    Dior Hong Kong times squares.jpg 3

    Its design concept is a mix of 18th century and modern, says the Times Square Facebook page. The interior was designed by architect Peter Marino, who was also responsible for the Paris flagship.

    Dior Hong Kong times squares.jpg 2

    Dior exclusive shops feature women’s garments, leather goods, footwear and accessories. There are five zones in the new outlet, with two rooms devoted to bags (one features the complete range of Dior handbags, while the other has exotic bags). The other zones are the Footwear District, Ready-to-wear Salon and Ornaments/Accessories District.

    Dior Hong Kong times squares.jpg 4

    Dior Hong Kong times squares.jpg 1

    Features of the decor include a fireplace and table by Juan & Paloma Garrido, a film installation by Yoram Mevorach Oyoram, a circular bench by Christopher Schanck and tables by Christophe Delcourt and Thierry Lemaire.

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  • Singapore retail rents fall

    Singapore retail rents fall

    Singapore retail rents are falling according to the latest figures from real-estate company DTZ Southeast Asia.

    Average monthly first-storey rent across the island eased by 1.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter to about S$30.15 (US$22.22) a sqft in the first quarter this year, says the company – the fourth consecutive quarter of decline. This is 7 per cent down on a year ago.

    Headwinds continued in the retail market in Orchard/Scotts Rd, as average monthly first-storey rent there fell 1 per cent to about $37.65 a sqft..

    According to the latest Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) statistics, the occupancy rate in the area fell by 2.1 points to 92.3 per cent last year, the lowest since 1996.

    Retailers in Orchard/Scotts Rd are expected to face pressure, especially in the face of regional competition from Bangkok, South Korea and Taiwan, which offer affordable shopping. Cheaper air fares coupled with a relatively strong Singapore dollar made shopping more expensive in Singapore, and also contributed to weaker retail sales.

    In the other city areas, the occupancy rate dropped by 1.6 points to 91.6 per cent, and average monthly first-storey rent fell by 2 per cent to $21.35 a sq ft.

    Rents were also pressured by the relatively large impending supply this year: mixed-use projects slated for completion include OUE Downtown Gallery, Tanjong Pagar Centre and Duo Galleria.

    In similar vein, the occupancy rate in suburban areas fell by 1.4 points to 92.0 per cent, and average monthly first-storey rent subsided 1 per cent to about $31.40 a sqft.

    Service critical

    DTZ director of retail Anna Lee says quality of service has become even more critical for onground retailers.

    “With competition from eCommerce coming at full force, retailers are placing greater emphasis on providing highly personalised services. Many have revamped stores to include private rooms and lounge areas with superior furnishings.”

    An example is the new Tiffany & Co outlet at Ion Orchard. Apart from being the brand’s first street-facing store in Singapore, the two-storey outlet also showcases a private viewing space with custom furnishings. Another example is Dior, which has also had a revamp at Ion Orchard. It now has lounge areas, marble features and luxurious carpets, and has added a personal stylist to provide shoppers with fashion advice.

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  • Dior Opens Largest Flagship Store in Singapore, 1st Ladies Duplex in South East Asia

    Dior Opens Largest Flagship Store in Singapore, 1st Ladies Duplex in South East Asia

    Christian Dior has officially re-opened its duplex ladies boutique at ION Orchard, its largest flagship boutique in Singapore measuring over 700 square meters, and the first ladies duplex boutique in South-East Asia.

    The newly-minted retail space provides a look inside the unique, creative and luxurious universe of Dior.

    Expanded in size and given a complete facelift, the exterior sees a floor-to-ceiling, highly visible transparent glass façade patterned in Dior’s signature ‘Cannage’ alongside beautifully animated windows on both the external street-facing and internal mall façades.

    The lighting gives the façades a beautiful transparency and glowing, kinetic effect.

    The opulent interior developed by international renowned architect Peter Marino, emulates the design concept of Dior’s legendary boutique on Avenue Montaigne in Paris.

    The tone is set by shades of opalescent grey and crisp white.

    Classically inspired moldings can be found on walls and ceilings. Luxurious grey zibeline carpets complement the polished limestone floors. The furniture juxtaposes the modern with the classic as Louis XIV chairs are paired with varied upholstered fabric.

    The 18th century details blended with modern elements and art pieces to achieve a feminine and glamorous aesthetic, In addition, Dior commissioned several world’s leading contemporary artists to create works of art which are displayed throughout the boutique.

    The exclusive VIP salon on the 1st floor comes complete with a fireplace, with its dedicated fitting room, accessible only by a private elevator for a more personalized and intimate experience.

    On the 2nd floor is the fine jewelry and timepiece salon with a dedicated entrance, an accessories salon, bags gallery & salon devoted to Dior’s complete range of handbags from Lady Dior to Diorever, as well as a footwear salon.

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  • Dior Homme Kuala Lumpur debut

    Dior Homme Kuala Lumpur debut

    The first Dior Homme Kuala Lumpur boutique has opened, inside Suria KLCC shopping centre.

    While Dior has several boutiques in the Malaysian capital, this is the first store dedicated to the French luxury label’s men’s range.

    White dominates the new boutique’s interior design, contrasting with hardwood floors and black accents, all of which allow the product to be the hero.

    The store stocks ready-to-wear collections, leather goods, footwear, eyewear and jewellery.

    To mark the Dior Homme brand’s arrival in Malaysia, a limited edition clutch numbered from 1 to 10 was released.

  • China, e-commerce bolster Burberry’s sales growth

    China, e-commerce bolster Burberry’s sales growth

    The mobile and e-commerce news from Burberry is an indication that luxury fashion brands can succeed in the space, despite initially struggling to do so. Luxury brands have historically avoided e-commerce due to the demands of building and managing online operations, preferring to outsource those functions whenever possible.

    However, Burberry’s movements show that these high-end brands can successfully build a strong digital presence. Fellow luxury brands such as Hugo Boss and LVMH’s Fendi and Dior are starting to develop their own e-commerce capabilities as growth in China becomes sluggish, according to a report.

    Meanwhile, China’s economic uncertainties haven’t hit Burberry too hard, but the brand was not immune to the slowdown. While traffic at its bricks-and-mortar stores slowed significantly (20%) in the former protectorates of Hong Kong and Macau due to a decrease in tourism, consumers in Mainland China continued to buy outerwear, scarves and apparel from the luxury brand. China accounts for about one-third of Burberry’s global revenues, according to estimates.

    Burberry will find out if that renewed momentum in Asia can spread to Hong Kong and Macau during the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations. Burberry will focus on cost controls and mobile to meet analyst expectations.

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  • Dior China opens largest flagship yet

    Dior China opens largest flagship yet

    Dior’s new Beijing China World boutique is the French luxury label’s largest flagship store in China.

    Dior China opened the store this week in conjunction with its re-staged Spring/Summer 2016 presentation. The retail space is split across two levels, featuring a floor-to-ceiling, double layer glass facade that emulates the fine feminine fabric in the fashion house’s Cannage print.

    Dior Beijing China 1

    Designed by Peter Marino, the interior is inspired by Dior’s Paris flagship and dotted with a carefully curated group of artworks by contemporary artists. Each of the 10 pieces, which include a bench by Terence Main and a video art wall by Yorame, reflect the codes of the house.

    There is also a sculpture Siamese Metal 5 from British artist Richard Deacon, the work Waterwall, Roselyn by Gregory Ryan and table lamps by Veronique Rivemale are also displayed in the store.

    On the second floor, the footwear section is adorned by a Gaia Imprint Low Table, designed by Vincent Dubour.

    Dior Beijing China 2

    Classic furniture pieces from Guillaume Piechaud, Paolo Giordano and Timothy Horn have been placed strategically throughout the space, and the store features a private VIP salon decorated with two Mineral Commodes designed by Juan & Paloma.

    The new Dior China flagship is located in Beijing’s Chaoyang district.

    dior beijing

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  • Burberry Seoul flagship opens

    Burberry Seoul flagship opens

    British luxury fashion brand Burberry has opened its first Korean flagship store in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul where the flagship stores of foreign brands are gathered in one place.

    The 13 story Burberry Seoul flagship store comprises 13 storeys, two underground and 11 above. The exterior of the store is inspired by gabardine, the plaid textile used to make the brand’s iconic trench coats.

    The construction of the Seoul flagship store was overseen by Christopher Bailey, the CEO and chief creative officer of Burberry.

    Burberry Seoul inside

    With Burberry opening its first flagship store in Korea, interest is building over foreign brands and their flagship stores located in the Cheongdam area. In the early 2000s, flagship stores were simply thought of as ‘large scale stores’. However, flagship stores have since become more important, as they are currently thought of as symbols that represent the influence and image of a brand.

    In addition, the elevated status of Korea in the Asian market is another reason foreign brands are devoting themselves to building flagship stores in the Cheongdam area.

    Dior opened the largest flagship store in Cheongdam in June, and other brands including Chanel and Cartier will also open new stores or move to the Cheongdam area.

    “Not only the Korean market, but also the Korean consumers who buy products from a brand are considered important [to these brands],” explained an industry spokesman in Seoul.

    “Flagship stores will play a large role in the Korean market, letting the heritage of a brand be known.”

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  • ‘First’ high-end luxury concession for Kunming

    ‘First’ high-end luxury concession for Kunming

    Lagardère Travel Retail has opened the first high-end luxury concession in Kunming’s Changshui International Airport in South-Western China, which the retailer says is the result of a ‘close and successful partnership’ with Yunnan Airport Group and Asiaray Media Group.

    Inaugurated in 2012, Changshui airport is said to be one of the largest and most modern in Asia and serves as a gateway to China’s Yunnan region with growing links to neighbouring countries of South-East Asia.

    Evidence of this can be found in the airport’s traffic reports, which show that the number of passengers at Kunming airport has risen rapidly in recent years. In 2015, the airport is expected to serve over 36m passengers and will be the fastest-growing of China’s large airports.

    The master-concession, encompassing an area of over 1,000sq m in the main departure concourse, brings together ‘ten of the biggest names in luxury fashion and cosmetics’, says LTR.

    Emporio Armani, Salvatore Ferragamo, Dior, Hugo Boss, Bally, Montblanc, Coach, MCM, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein Jean comprise a strong brand line-up offering a range of ready-to-wear, accessories and beauty products.

    Dublin-based Aer Rianta International originally opened 11 domestic shops at what was Kunming’s newly-built Changshui International Airport in south-west China in June 2012.

    The contract, secured in 2011, was seen as an important one at the time for ARI, marking its first Mainland China airport store openings where it held exclusive rights to sell duty paid fashion goods and accessories, perfume and cosmetics, confectionery, jewellery and souvenirs at the capital city airport in Yunnan Province.

    However, in September 2014, Aer Rianta International confirmed that it had has ceased duty paid operations at Kunming International Airport and in a brief statement issued at the time, ARI CEO Jack MacGowan said: “We are pleased that ARI Yunnan has reached this constructive and amicable agreement with Yunnan Airports Group in the best interests of both parties and look forward to potential opportunities for working together again.”

    ‘WORLD-CLASS SERVICE FROM SALES CONSULTANTS’

    According to LTR, customers will be able to enjoy “world-class service delivered by Lagardère Travel Retail’s sales consultants who benefit from the company’s ISO-9001 certified OSCAR training programme,” says the Paris headquartered group.

    “The industry leading training program covers customer service, brand philosophy and product knowledge, is unique in the travel retail industry and gives the font-line team the expertise and confidence to provide the exceptional service and personalised experience.

    “The addition of high-end brands to the retail offer at Changshui airport was made possible by the complete transformation of the main commercial surfaces in the airport’s departure concourse.”

    LTR and Asiaray Media have worked closely with Yunnan Airport Group to plan and implement the terminal’s commercial upgrade, which intends to elevate the passenger experience by aligning the quality of the commercial offer with that of the terminal’s ‘outstanding’ architectural design.

    “We are also very pleased to have the opportunity to further deepen our working relationship with our global brand partners that have taken part in this project. We look forward to further development in Kunming Changshui airport across the spectrum of categories. Our partnership with Asiaray creates novel and unique opportunities to drive passenger engagement and increase the visibility of the commercial offer.Eudes Fabre, General Manager – China for Lagardère Travel Retail, said: “This new opening is an exciting development for Lagardère Travel Retail in China. We are grateful to Yunnan Airport Group for their trust in our capabilities and for their effective support throughout the planning and building process.

    “We are now working together with the airport to offer exclusive and personalised services that improve the airport experience for our customers, create delightful moments and build loyalty.”

    Vincent Lam, CEO of Asiaray Media Group added: “We very pleased with the collaboration with Lagardère Travel Retail. They are a global leader in the airport retail and F&B sector and have demonstrated their professionalism, innovative spirit and understanding of local market trends throughout the different stages of this project. This partnership is an important development for our company.

    “We aim to create an innovative business model that benefits all parties by delivering an engaging experience between customers, shops and airport. This is our first pilot site where we have exclusive advertising concession at Kunming Changshui airport.

    “By closely integrating advertising and commercial assets within the terminal, we will be able to create a more interactive and ultimately more compelling experience for travellers. Our media assets will support the growth of the retail operation which shall certainly benefit us as advertising service provider riding on the business performance of such operation.”“We look forward to cover the other 25 airports where we have similar exclusive rights in the whole of China. This new development creates many new possibilities for our mutual brand partners.

    Wang Xinrui, Director of Commercial Management of Kunming Changshui International airport, added: “Kunming Airport is very satisfied with the outcome of our collaboration with Lagardère Travel Retail and Asiaray Media Group.

    “The newly-opened luxury brands significantly enhance the image and service provided by our airport and help bring our commercial offer in line with the best airports in the region. We look forwards to growing the collaboration with our partners.”

  • Dior Seoul flagship opens doorways

    Dior Seoul flagship opens doorways

    Luxurious style label Dior has opened a shocking flagship retailer in South Korea’s capital which we assure is like nothing you’ve seen anyplace on the planet ever earlier than…

    Designed by Christian de Portzamparc, the six storey Dior Seoul retailer contains a curvaceous white exterior barely harking back to an enormous enamel tooth.

    And inside is “a wealth of surprises” as Dior places it.

    In a decor made from wooden, lacquers, leathers, superb weaves and progressive melanges to excite the senses, inside designer Peter Marino has chosen to welcome guests with a suspended sculpture by Korean artist Lee Bul. The staircase is conceived as an unfurling ribbon that guides buyers to the ladies’s ready-to-wear collections, leather-based items, footwear, jewelry, watches and perfumes.

    But in addition to the Dior Homme area, and to an artwork gallery with a personal salon the place work by Marc Polidori, amongst others, are on present.

    The highest flooring is residence to the Café Dior by Pierre Hermé. “This new, full-sized location completely evokes the historical past of the Home in probably the most modern of visions,” says Dior.

    The Dior Seoul flagship, which opened on Saturday (June 20), is situated on a nook website within the Gangnam-gu district. It’s open every single day from 11am-8pm.