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Tag: duty free

  • Shinsegae and Shilla to fight out Incheon T1 duty free bids

    Shinsegae and Shilla to fight out Incheon T1 duty free bids

    Shinsegae Duty Free and The Shilla Duty Free will fight out the contest for two Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 duty free contracts on offer, despite rival Lotte Duty Free tabling the highest bids in each case.

    The tenders followed incumbent Lotte Duty Free’s resignation from both concessions in February.

    As reported, four retailers – Lotte Duty Free, The Shilla Duty Free, Shinsegae Duty Free and Doota Duty Free – bid for the two packages, DF1 and DF5.

    While Lotte Duty Free submitted the highest offers for both packages (see figures below), Incheon International Airport Corporation opted to shortlist only Shilla and Shinsegae. The two retailers must now table their business plans to Korea Customs Service and Incheon International Airport Corporation by 5 June. A winner will be selected in mid-June.

    A Shinsegae Duty Free spokesperson confirmed the shortlist to The Moodie Davitt Report. A Lotte Duty Free spokesman said the company was “despondent”, given that it had tabled the highest bid.

    Lotte’s DF1 bid was +1.6% higher than Shinsegae’s and +27.2% higher than Shilla’s. On DF5, Lotte’s offer was +13.2% better than Shinsegae’s and +38.8% above that of arch-rival Shilla.

    Some Korean duty free market sources expressed shock at the result. One veteran retailer told The Moodie Davitt Report, “Lotte must have been penalised for dropping the [former] concession in the mid-term. Yet as evaluations are based 60% on the business plan and 40% on the monetary offer, it is not easy to understand that Lotte did not qualify… especially as it had paid a KW187 billion penalty (for its premature exit).

    “There is no specific regulation or degrading for a company which gives up a government concession in the mid-term.”

    One source told The Moodie Davitt Report, “The most probable scenario is that the licence evaluation committee of Korea Customs Service will award DF1 to Shinsegae and DF5 to Shilla in order to avoid potential monopoly issues [as Shilla also holds the rest of the airport’s P&C business reserved for major retailers -Ed].”

    Not surprisingly, Shilla is known to dispute that position. Korea’s Fair Trade Commission will not have a problem with the proposed structure, sources close to the company believe. Shilla could reasonably point to many other international airports which have a single retailer for one category (or in fact for all categories), the sources contend.

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  • Duty-free operators to get licenses for a decade

    Duty-free operators to get licenses for a decade

    Retail giants like Lotte and Shinsegae don’t have to worry about getting their duty-free licenses renewed every five years anymore.

    A task force on improving duty-free regulations decided on Wednesday to propose the government extend duty-free licenses for conglomerates to a maximum 10 years. Additionally, duty-free stores managed by small and medium-sized companies will be allowed to have their licenses renewed two times.

    Under the current law, conglomerate have to bid for duty-free licenses from scratch every five years. Small and medium-sized duty-free operators are allowed to renew their licenses once.

    If the government and lawmakers accept the proposal, it will undo the regulation changes made by the previous Park Geun-hye administration in November 2013, which cut the contract terms from 10 years to five.

    According to Yoo Chang-jo, a business professor at Dongguk University who is leading the task force, the goal is to make the changes effective from Jan. 1.

    “Currently, those with duty-free licenses have until next year or three years from today before their licenses expire,” Yoo said on Wednesday. If the revised regulation passes the National Assembly, “they will be allowed to renew their licenses once” for another five years.

    There have been complaints in the industry that extending licenses to a maximum 10 years is still too short and harms the duty-free operators’ competitiveness by limiting investment and contributing to uncertainty.

    The task force claimed that it limited the maximum to 10 years for a reason.

    “If the license is renewed after 15 or 20 years, there will be criticism that [the government] is favoring existing operators, which will not be accepted by the public,” Yoo said.

    He said the possibility is high for duty-free operators that are competitive to be picked again.

    The task force was formed last July after the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea came to the conclusion that license reviews by the Park government lacked transparency and fairness.

    Park was accused of influencing the government to strip the duty-free license held by Lotte Group in 2015.

    Lotte regained its license in a revaluation the following year after allegedly complying to several demands from the Blue House.

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  • DFPC opening two stores

    DFPC opening two stores

    uty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) plans to open a luxury store at the SM Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City next month, plus an outlet at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

    DFP Luxe Store at SM and Landslide Store at the airport’s Terminal 3 will be the government corporation’s largest shopping outlets.

    DFPC COO Vico Angala says the 4200sqm Luxe Store “will set a standard for the affluent market, especially in Southeast Asian countries”.

    The multilevel outlet will include boutiques and shops offering high-end imported goods and a retail mix including labels such as Bally, Coach, Ferragamo and Michael Kors.

    Meanwhile, in the airport’s arrival lobby, the Landslide Store will offer chocolates, perfumes, liquor, tobacco and grocery items.

  • Sydney Airport reports 12.7% retail revenue rise in 2017

    Sydney Airport reports 12.7% retail revenue rise in 2017

    International Airport has reported a retail revenue increase of 12.7% to A$331.m ($260m) in its full year 2017 results.

    The strong retail performance reflected the Terminal One International luxury precinct’s (which offers luxury lifestyle speciality retail concepts) first full year of operations and completion of the new Marketplace area and Domestic food court.

    The consistent performance of the airport’s domestic terminals was also a factor. The transformation of Domestic Terminal Two continued in 2017 with first to Australia concepts and a mix of local and international brands including Desigual and Joe & The Juice.

    In 2017, the airport handled 43.3m passengers, up 3.6% from 2016. This is due to the fact it has has “successfully competed internationally to attract airlines and grow inbound tourism.”

    Overall revenue increased 8.7% from 2016 to A$1.5bn while EBITDA was A$1.2bn, a rise of 8.3% on the previous year.

    RETAIL PERFORMANCE

    Retail as a business contributed 23% of total group revenue in the period with duty free delivering strong growth. The standout core category performers were liquor, perfume and cosmetics. Currently, the airport has 244 retail outlets, 127 in Terminal One, 65 in Terminal Two and 52 in Terminal Three.

    In addition, all three terminals were fully leased with continued strong retailer demand for space. According to the airport, the retail offering  is delivering a superior passenger experience with continued focus on value, range and choice. The is proven via strong retail sales, passenger satisfaction scores and “positive sentiment.”

    The airport is focusing on providing high quality retail space in shopping areas and creating an “exciting and vibrant” retail environment. It is also continuing to develop a product and merchandise mix to meet the retail experiences of passengers and to identify appropriate retailers who can meet the airport’s service, operational and financial objectives. Enhancing its understanding of customer trends and behaviour is also a priority.

    Reflecting on the airport’s retail transformation, a statement in its annual 2017 results presentation said: “We’re proud to offer our customers more choice and value with the best of global, local, luxury and high street brands as part of our world-class shopping and dining offering.

    “The completion of our Terminal One International luxury fashion precinct [tailored to meet a diverse international passenger base] was a major milestone in our retail transformation this year. The precinct continued to perform strongly as passengers responded to a retail offering tailored to meet the unique needs of our 16.0 million international travellers.

    “Swiss watchmaker Rolex and Gucci completed the precinct, complementing a streetscape of global designer brands to suit all tastes, including Tumi, Michael Kors, Kate Spade New York, Hugo Boss, Emporio Armani, Tiffany & Co., Hermès, Burberry, Max Mara and Coach.”

    STRONG DUTY FREE OFFERING

    Heinemann Tax & Duty Free, which won the Sydney duty free contract in 2014 and operates the world’s largest standalone airport duty free, spanning 5,750sq m continued delivering a “strong contemporary offering” across its core products of liquor, skincare and fragrance.

    “Exclusive limited editions created a unique value proposition for international travellers,” the airport said.

    The travel essentials and Australian experience categories also continued to perform well, with larger store footprints proving successful following a number of openings.”

    CEO Geoff Culbert, who replaced former CEO and Managing Director Kerrie Mather in January after the former retired said: “2017 was an excellent year for the airport in which we welcomed a record 43.3m passengers. This increase of 3.6% was driven primarily by strong international passenger growth resulting from increases in airline seat capacity and load factors. We also continued to expand the number of direct services and frequencies from a wide range of destinations.

    “Highlights for the year include solid growth in aviation services, resulting in part from successful and proactive marketing initiatives and long-term collaboration with tourism partners.”

    He concluded: “We are looking ahead to another year of opportunity for our industry. We are committed to the successful operation of Sydney Airport as a dynamic and diverse business that benefits our customers, investors, community and broader stakeholders, now and for the long term.”

     

  • Lotte Group Chairman jailed for duty free licence bribery

    Lotte Group Chairman jailed for duty free licence bribery

    Lotte Group, parent of the country’s leading travel retailer Lotte Duty Free, is reeling from the shock jailing of its Chairman Shin Dong-bin on 13 February 2018.

    Following a Seoul Court’s guilty verdict and simultaneous sentencing of 2 1/2 years in jail to Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin for bribery, Lotte Group voiced concerns over its future business plans.

    In an official statement, Lotte Group said the outcome was “unexpected” and it was “regretful” about the jail term, and insisted that Shin was innocent.

    “As soon as we receive the written judgement, the group will discuss with its attorneys for further process,” the group said.

    “But what worries us is not being able to achieve our promise with customers, such as listing our hotel business, completing the establishment of the holding company, as well as investment and employment expansion plans,” the group added.

    The group said it would activate its emergency management system to reassure employees, customers and shareholders.

    With Shin’s sentence, the business license for Lotte Duty Free branch in World Tower in southern Seoul may be at risk, according to industry watchers.

    The National Tax Service said it has launched a review of the licensing process upon the sentencing.

    In what is now referred to as the “duty free war” in 2015, Lotte had lost its duty free business right in the license screening process in November of that year. Then in 2016, the government announced a plan to dole out an additional duty free license in Seoul, for which Lotte won in December of the same year. The court found the duty free business as one of the management issues for Shin.

    The company will continue to support the ongoing 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games as an official partner with help of the vice president of Korea Ski Association, it added.

    Shin became the president of the Korean Ski Association in 2014 and has been supporting the Korean ski team since then. He is also a member of the 2018 PyeongChang Organizing Committee’s governing board and has been a member of the International Ski Federation since 2016.

  • Korean duty-free store sales record in December

    Sales to foreigners at South Korean duty-free stores reached a record high in December, industry data shows.

    But that comes despite a sharp drop in the number of tourists, following a diplomatic spat between Seoul and Beijing over a US anti-missile system.

    Sales to foreigners at local duty-free shops came to US$939 million last month, up 28 per cent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by the Korea Duty Free Shops Association. The figure is up 0.1 per cent from the previous high of $983 million, set in November.

    However the number of foreign visitors to local duty-free shops plunged 11.3 per cent on-year to 1.42 million last month, mainly due to Beijing’s ban on selling Korea-bound package tours in apparent retaliation over the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea.

    The number of Chinese nationals who visited South Korea last year stood at 4.16 million, down 48.3 per cent from the 8 million of the previous year, according to separate government data. Chinese nationals accounted for nearly half of the 17 million foreigners who visited South Korea in 2016.

    After months of dispute, the two countries agreed in October to normalise their bilateral relations, although Chinese tourists are yet to come back in volumes.

    Industry watchers say the latest increase in duty-free sales is attributable to small-scale Chinese traders.

    According to customs data, sales at South Korean duty-free stores reached a historic high of 14.5 trillion won last year, up 17.9 per cent from the previous year.

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  • Shilla Duty Free sets up second presence in Incheon airport

    Shilla Duty Free sets up second presence in Incheon airport

    With its new second store at Incheon International Airport (IIA), Shilla Duty Free says it now has cosmetics and perfume outlets at all passenger terminals in Asia’s three largest airports.

    The South Korean duty-free retailer says it has shops at all four terminals at Singapore’s Changi Airport and at Chek Lap Kok Airport in Hong Kong. Its first store at IIA opened in 2001.

    Cosmetics and perfume are considered key duty-free items as they generate strong revenue. In the case of IIA’s duty-free shops, cosmetics and perfume account for 38 per cent of all sales.

    Shilla Duty Free, part of Hotel Shilla, says it expects overseas business to soon exceed KW1 trillion (US$939 million).

    Its new store covers 2100sqm and offers products from 110 brands including Chanel, Dior, Estee Lauder, Lancome, SK-II and Sulwhasoo. It features a “digital beauty bar” that uses such technology as a VR “beauty mirror”.

  • Duty Zero by CDF off to strong start in Hong Kong

    Duty Zero by CDF off to strong start in Hong Kong

    CDF-Lagardère (CDFL), the joint-venture from China Duty Free Group (CDFG) and Lagardère Travel Retail, which won the contract to operate the duty-free liquor and tobacco stores at Hong Kong International airport (HKIA) has revealed initial performance of its Duty Zero by CDF-branded stores has been better than expected.

    As reported, the six Duty Zero by CDF stores, spanning 1,631sq m were launched by CDFL on November 18. According to the joint-venture, business performance in the first 10 days has been booming with sales revenue higher than expected.

    Purchasing strengths

    The succssful opening is believed to be due to the purchasing strengths of China Duty Free Group (CDFG) and Lagardère Travel Retail, which have been fully exploited in the commodity procurement process. This has led to a wider range of Chinese liquor and tobacco and imported liquor and wine collection being offered to consumers.

    CDFL also suggested the implementation of the most “competitive pricing strategy” in the Asia/Pacific airport market contributed to its early success; liquor and tobacco products are now 15%-30% lower in price.

    Another key factor was the decision of CDFL to equip HKIA with an international management and operation team. This has ensured the smooth and successful operation of the newly opened stores.

    CDFG and Lagardère Travel Retail are also understood to have provided support and assurance to HKIA in relation to commodity mix, supply of goods, pricing strategy and personnel support. This was after CDFG adopted a similar strategy in terms of commodity procurement and pricing following its triumph in the recent Beijing Capital International airport tender.

    In addition, support from parent company China National Travel Service Group, the largest travel service provider in China, on elements such as passenger flow and integrated marketing also helped, according to the retailers.

    “Injected new confidence and expectation”

    When interviewed by Chinese media, China National Travel Service Group vice general manager Li Gang said: “The operation of HKIA represents a milestone and touchstone for the development of China’s duty-free industry.”

    Following its triumph in the HKIA tender, CDFG president Chen Guoqiant vowed to do everything possible to deliver a “satisfactory result” for HKIA and its customers.

    Hong Kong Airport Authority is understood to be please with pleased with the initial performance of the liquor and tobacco stores, which have “injected new confidence and expectation in the international development of China’s duty-free companies”, according to CDFL.

    Over 3,000sq m

    Meanwhile, two Duty Zero by CDF stores, have opened in the East and West lobbies targeting domestic passengers from airlines such as Air China and Hong Kong, European and American passengers respectively.

    Ultimately, eight duty-free liquor and tobacco stores covering 3,400sq m will be introduced, including the “most complete single malt whiskey mix among Asia Pacific airports” and “most complete Asian alcohol and beverage product mix among global airports,” according to CDFL.

    A Hennessy counter and store featuring Hong Kong afternoon tea and local food will also open, with all stores set to be operational by June 2018 and present a “more beautiful” image to consumers.

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  • DFS Announces New Partnership With Iconic Luggage Brand Rimowa

    DFS Announces New Partnership With Iconic Luggage Brand Rimowa

    DFS Group, the world’s leading travel retailer, is excited to announce its new partnership with prestigious luggage brand RIMOWA. Known for its sleek suitcases with their distinctive hard-shell grooved exteriors in traditional aluminum or high-tech polycarbonate, RIMOWA is recognized as the pioneer manufacturer of luxury luggage for the world traveler.

    “At DFS, we believe that travel and lifestyle go together and so we continue to introduce products that are designed to enhance the experience of our discerning traveling customers,” said Christophe Chaix, Senior Vice President Fashion, Watches, Jewelry and Accessories. “RIMOWA is synonymous with innovation, quality and durability, making it a perfect partner for our accessories portfolio.”

    To celebrate this new partnership, DFS and RIMOWA are rewarding shoppers with special benefits. LOYAL T customers purchasing RIMOWA products from T Galleria by DFS will earn extra bonus points, while in T Galleria by DFS, Hong Kong, Canton Road, customers will get the chance to have DFS’ onsite craftsmen personalize the leather tag that comes with each piece of RIMOWA luggage, as well as to enjoy door-to-door delivery service to the customer’s in market home or hotel at their request upon selected purchase.

    RIMOWA will operate in key DFS locations around the world, launching first December 2017 in Hong Kong at T Galleria by DFS, Canton Road and T Galleria by DFS, Tsim Sha Tsui East; and will also be available in Macau at T Galleria by DFS, Shoppes at Four Seasons; in Japan at T Galleria by DFS, Okinawa; and Venice, Italy, T Fondaco dei Tedeschi, in early 2018.

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  • The Shilla Duty Free unveils “seamless retail” in Changi T4 beauty outlet

    The Shilla Duty Free unveils “seamless retail” in Changi T4 beauty outlet

    The Shilla Duty Free has unveiled its 1,375 square meter beauty store in Singapore Changi Airport’s newly-opened Terminal 4.

    It is the biggest among all the Shilla Central stores at Changi and is part of the airport’s first integrated duty free zone, which travellers reach after passing through the centralised area for departure immigration.

    The zone also includes DFS Group’s liquor and tobacco outlet, and passengers can make purchases across the two stores in a single transaction.

    A number of beauty brands not currently offered at other terminals are available in The Shilla Duty Free’s new store, including Hera, diptyque, Alexander McQueen, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley and Bath & Body Works.

    The store features high ceilings and has been designed to be spacious to “allow for more creativity in the designs of the brand counters”, the retailer said. Large digital screens have been incorporated into the walls and pillars, and amplify the key branding messages and promotions.

    The layout encompasses four distinct zones, with the aim of making the shopping journey “seamless and uninterrupted”. A vibrant cosmetics zone features at the store’s main entrance, while internationally renowned brands are carried in the skincare zone, The Shilla Duty Free said.

    A zone dedicated to introducing travellers to brands known for their artisanal and organic approach to beauty features next. The last zone highlights fragrances, and is intended to “immerse travellers in the romance of perfumery”.

    The Shilla Duty Free Vice President of Global Merchandising Division Raelene Johnson commented: “We are thrilled to present Shilla’s new seamless retail format to travellers. The entire store has been tailored with our shoppers in mind, as we try to understand the consumer psyche and focus on building a great experience for each one of them.

    “Whether it is the joy of browsing through the different segmented zones that pique their interest, or discovery of their favourite brands that are not readily available downtown, or the exclusive promotions, we are confident that shoppers will always have a pleasant and enjoyable time at our store.”

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  • Lotte Duty Free to partner with Klook

    Lotte Duty Free to partner with Klook

    Travel booking platform Klook has signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea’s Lotte Duty Free Shop to attract more travelers to South Korea by offering shopping deals.

    Shopping ranks as the top activity for 67.2 per cent of tourists in Korea, according to the Korea Tourism Organisation. This is followed by such activities as dining, cultural and historical tours, and sightseeing.

    Under the partnership, Klook will introduce Lotte DFS shopping discounts for its users. The discounts can be taken up in any Lotte DFS store in Korea. Also, Lotte DFS customers will be offered discounts of up to 70 per cent on Klook travel experiences in more than 120 destinations.

    The dual marketing campaigns are being rolled out this month.

    With its headquarters in Hong Kong, Klook became established in Korea early this year. Its services include e-tickets to Lotte World, entry to the Nanta Show culinary performance, Korea Rail Pass, restaurant deals and exclusive snow activities in Pyeongchang, where the Winter Olympics 2018 will be held.

    Klook’s network of more than 3000 direct partners includes such attractions as Bangkok’s Blue Elephant Cooking School, Disneyland, Hong Kong’s Ngong Ping 360 and Universal Studios.

    Founded in 2014, Klook has a team of more than 400 across 13 offices. Its services are available in seven languages, and it supports more than 30 currencies.

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  • Malaysia Airports reports +17.0% year-on-year surge in retail revenues

    Malaysia Airports reports +17.0% year-on-year surge in retail revenues

    Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) has reported a +17.0% year-on-year surge in retail revenue to RM623.5 million (US$151.8 million) in the nine months ended 30 September 2017.

    Group retail and food & beverage sales per passenger increased +12.3%.

    Non-aeronautical revenues at the group, which runs Malaysia’s major airports as well as having a stake in Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen Airport in Turkey, rose by +13.9% to RM1,169.2 million (US$284.7 million).

    Retail and F&B sales at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and low-cost terminal klia2 combined – the key locations for commercial activities at the group –increased +26.7% to RM1,546.8 million (US$376.6 million).

    Malaysia Airports’ retail arm Eraman posted revenue of RM536.3 million (US$130.6 million) across KLIA and klia2, up +15%. Sales per passenger increased +2.0% to RM12.37 (US$3).

    At Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen Airport, where the concessionaire is Setur Duty Free, duty free spend per passenger fell -5.5% to €8.81. Non-aeronautical revenue slipped -7.8% to €62.9 million.

    MAHB said group passenger traffic increased +8.6% to 95.3 million. International traffic growth in Malaysia (+14.7%) and Turkey (+6.6%) outpaced respective domestic growth.

    MAHB group revenue was up +10.1% to RM3,405.5 million (US$828.4 million). EBITDA increased +10.6% to RM1,478.4 million (US$359.6 million).

    Travel retail seems to be gaining a continuous growth, not only in Malaysia, but all Asia Pacific, without ignoring the high number of tourists purchasing goods in the country of origins of the brands.

  • Customs service’s estimated revenue to double in 2018

    Customs service’s estimated revenue to double in 2018

    The estimated revenue of South Korea’s customs authorities is projected to more than double next year due to a surge in licensing fees for duty-free shops, a report said.

    According to the report by the National Assembly and related government agencies, the Korea Customs Service’s estimated revenue stands at 97.8 billion won (US$87.3 million) for 2018, up 118 percent from this year’s 44.7 billion won. The estimate includes fines, forfeits, additional charges and other income.

    The main reason for the sharp rise is an up to 20-fold increase in the licensing fees for duty-free stores, which accounts for 60.5 billion won, or 61 percent of the total.

    Last year, the government revised a related law to jack up the fee, which had been under fire for being too low and giving big favors to operators.

    Coveted by large companies, local duty-free shops had been called the goose that lays the golden egg before they took a big hit from a diplomatic row between South Korea and China over the deployment of an advanced US missile shield here in 2017.

    The government periodically selects duty-free operators after a close scrutiny of aspirants and has pledged to overhaul the selection system to root out any wrongdoing following irregularities during the government of ousted President Park Geun-hye.

    The sharp increase in licensing fees is said to have helped eliminate room for excessive favors but has come as a double whammy to duty-free shop operators hit hard by the tumble in the number of Chinese tourists.

    The missile defense row, which led to Beijing’s ban on group tours to South Korea, has dealt a harsh blow to local duty-free shops and department stores, as Chinese tourists were their key customers.

  • DFS Group Kicks Off Its Seasonal Gifting Campaign

    DFS Group Kicks Off Its Seasonal Gifting Campaign

    DFS Group kicked off its Give Joy Together seasonal gifting campaign in
    style with the Art of Personalization shopping experience, which was held on November 11 at T Galleria by
    DFS, City of Dreams, Macau. The world’s leading luxury travel retailer sshowcased a bespoke approach to gift
    giving through craftsmanship and customization, simultaneously drawing attention to the wide range of exclusive
    luxury items available at the store.

    Global retail influencers Bag Snob and Mr. Bags and world-famous contemporary pop artist Boyarde joined
    senior DFS executives including Sibylle Scherer, President Merchandising and Consumer Marketing, Christophe
    Chaix, Senior Vice President, Fashion, Watches, Jewelry and Accessories, Nelson Mui, Vice President of Global
    Fashion Merchandising and Trends, and Johan Pretorius, Managing Director, Cotai Limitada, DFS at the event.

    “The Art of Personalization demonstrated how bespoke craftsmanship can transform luxury handbags and
    accessories into highly desirable one-of-a-kind gifts, and we were delighted that Bag Snob, Mr. Bags and
    Boyarde were able to join us,” said Nelson Mui. “Their collective talent and knowledge of the luxury retail
    market is vast and we were honored that they were a part of this exciting event.”

    Each celebrity presented a curated selection of pieces as gift inspiration for the holiday season. Bag Snob,
    passionate bag lover and founder of BagSnob.com, highlighted her top choices for seasonal gifts that included a
    DFS exclusive Bulgari bag and watch, a Tiffany & Co Key necklace, exclusive Tod’s shoes and an exclusive
    wallet on chain by Valentino. Style guru Mr. Bags, who has more than three million followers on Chinese
    microblogging site Weibo, promoted eight of his favorite products from the many brands available at the store.

    These included a Tiffany & Co Key necklace, bags by Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry and Bulgari, shoes by Rupert
    Sanderson, Bing Xu and Tod’s, and whisky by Johnnie Walker. Pop artist Boyarde, whose playful designs are
    highly sought after around the world, conducted mini workshops and conducted live paintings. The British artist
    also presented a selection of exclusively designed and hand painted bag straps and charms for her customers.

    Bag Snob gave her tips on how best to spend 24 hours in Macau, while VIP guests had the opportunity to offer
    their own thoughts on personalization. The visiting influencers also highlighted the customization services
    available in store at the Make it Yours counter throughout the holiday season, such as tag embossing, bottle
    engraving and personalized gift wrap creation.

    A silent auction to raise money for Make-A-Wish, the world’s largest wish-granting organization, was run
    throughout the event, reminding guests that gifting is also about giving to others less fortunate. Bidders vied for a
    fabulous leather jacket donated by AllSaints and handbags chosen by Mr. Bags and Bag Snob, all personalized
    with Boyarde’s iconic and eye-catching designs. This is the fourth successive year that DFS has partnered with
    the foundation, which has made dreams come true for over 415,000 children around the world who suffer from
    life-threatening medical conditions.

    The evening culminated in a party featuring two spectacular balloon drops. Any guest catching a glitter-filled
    balloon stood the chance to win amazing prizes, whilst shoppers who spent over MOP1000 enjoyed MOP200 off
    their purchase.

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  • Lacoste opens a store at Lotte duty free World Tower

    Lacoste opens a store at Lotte duty free World Tower

    Lacoste has bolstered its Asia Pacific presence with the opening of a 38 square meters store at Lotte Duty Free World Tower in Seoul.

    The new store reinforces Lacoste’s aim to strengthen and expand its presence in new geographical areas and find new ways of connecting with consumers before, during and after their trips.

    Lacoste CEO Asia Pacific & Global Travel Retail Jean-Louis Delamarre said: “We are thrilled to open this store in Lotte Duty Free World Tower.

    This opening in partnership with Lotte will allow us to further enhance our presence in Asia.”

    France’s premium casual brand Lacoste has been launching a ‘Life is a beautiful sport’ campaign based on the three values of authenticity, joy and elegance in the branding industry since 2014.

    Also in May, Novak Djokovic, world-renowned tennis player, was chosen as a brand new face to represent the brand. Lacoste selected Novak Djokovic as the new face of the brand to inherit the strength and fair play spirit that the brand has pursued since its founding.

    The comfortable elegance that Novak Djokovic shows and his unique play fit perfectly with the DNA of the brand, and it is raising expectations.Novak Djokovic has signed a five-year contract with Lacoste and will be active in and out of the court as an icon representing Lacoste’s brand.

    Lacoste was created by René Lacoste in 1933, a tennis legend. Rena Lacoste, famous for his persistent and robust play, has had the nickname of a crocodile, which symbolizes his brand. Meanwhile, as reported, Lotte Duty Free partially reopened the store on 15 January, 193 days after it was forced to close on 26 June 2016, following its unsuccessful 2015 bid to retain its licence.

    The 17,334 square meters store is the second-biggest in Asia and the world’s third-largest. The new space is +52 percent bigger than the original 14,011sq m shop. The integrated retail offer connects the new World Tower space with the existing adjacent store in the Avenuel building.

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