The Design Solution Director Nick Taylor says his company’s approach to the look and feel of the main store “was to take an aspect from the character of the city and create a contemporary design which feels integrated into the airport’s fabric”.

“At the beginning of the process, we visited Wroclaw and took a tour around this historic city to get a feel for its spirit,” he says. “There are many unique qualities to Wroclaw, from the many bridges over the waterways, to the 250 ‘Krasnoludek’ – a mythological dwarf figurine found in the most unexpected parts of the city.

“Our inspiration was taken from the spirit of the old town square which attracts tourists globally, and is arguably one of the most beautiful in Europe. We created a leitmotif for the stores inspired by the Gothic gable ends of the gothic buildings and the colours from the facades prevalent in the main old town square. From this, the logo of the store was born – Wroclaw Duty Free.

“These ‘facets of colour’ were used to create striking three-dimensional canopies within the stores. We designed a new generation of fixtures for these stores, which give a crisp contemporary look and feel focusing on the product. In the Spirit of Poland shop, Sense of Place was enhanced by using warm stone ’setts’ similar to those found around the city and a local famous pattern from the Bolesławiec region.

“It was important for the designs to have a synergy with the airport, and so we extended the black glass concourse facade and created organic openings to the shopfronts with a reveal of timber ‘ribs’ to give an overall softer entrance feeling.”

Baltona has partnered with some key Polish brands in creating the new offer. They include:

Wedel is the strongest chocolate brand in Poland. Its portfolio includes Ptasie Mleczko, Mieszanka Wedlowska, chocolates, biscuits, wafers and chocolate bars. Since September 2010, Wedel has been owned by Lotte Group, the Japanese and Korean hotels-to-duty free powerhouse. The company has added a limited edition of its popular Torcik Wedlowski wafer cake to the Baltona offer.

Phenomé is a Polish brand of exclusive cosmetics made only from natural ingredients. The company portfolio includes facial skin, body and hair care products for women, men and children. Phenomé creams do not contain water; instead, they use hydrolates also known as ‘plant waters’ to nourish and hydrate the skin.

since 2004. A wide selection of products promotes the beauty of Poland. In 2011, the company expanded its portfolio to include Polskie Frykasy products, which combine traditional Polish flavours with modern design. Those include chocolate-covered fruit, nuts, honeys and preserves as well as unique gift sets that can be found at Wrocław Airport.

Dr Irena Eris is a women’s beauty brand created by Irena Eris, Doctor of Pharmacy. By putting the idea of holistic beauty into practice, the brand presents a comprehensive approach to body and mind care. A range of luxury cosmetics by Dr Irena Eris are available in Baltona shops.

CEDC International is one of the country’s largest vodka producers and spirits distributors. One of its flagship brands is Żubrówka Czarna, the only Polish vodka that undergoes oak charcoal filtration. Water used to make this vodka is sourced from the purest springs in the Białowieża Forest. The vodka comes in two variants, oak cask or ash cask aged.

Browar Stu Mostów is a unique craft brewery in Wrocław, with an open pub where visitors can watch the brewing process. The idea to make craft beer and show the difference between craft and industrial brewing dates back to 2014. The beers are divided into three lines, WRCLW, Salamander and ART creative collaboration.