FRAGRANCES
A bouquet of prestige fragrance brands
One of the big winners of the pandemic years is fragrances, particularly niche and prestige scents. As consumer knowledge of the nuances of perfumery grows, so too does the desire for fragrances that reflect individuality and work as tools of self-expression.
The Estée Lauder Companies has brought the biggest stars of its prestige fragrance offering to the Global Beauty Plaza with openings from Jo Malone London, Tom Ford Beauty, Kilian Paris, Le Labo and Editions de Parfums de Frédéric Malle.
The stores take the fragrance shopping journey to new heights through guided consultations, fragrance profiling and rich retail design. VIP lounges and digital elements, including an RFID-powered Fragrance Finder tool, help create a richer, more experiential shopping journey for shoppers at the cdf Mall.
Tom Ford Beauty, Kilian Paris, Darphin, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Travel Retail Worldwide Sung Pak and Jo Malone London, Bobbi Brown, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle Senior Vice President and General Manager, Travel Retail Worldwide Ayaz Furniturewalla discuss the power of fragrance and how consumer preference is evolving, particularly in China. They discuss the biggest trends influencing their respective brands and how these prestige fragrance houses are bringing their evocative brand universes to life at the Global Beauty Plaza.

“Consumers are increasingly looking to fragrances as a way to indulge and escape from their day-to-day while also using fragrance to represent their individual personalities” – Sung Pak
The fragrance category has accelerated significantly over recent years, particularly in China. What do you think are the key drivers?
Sung Pak and Ayaz Furniturewalla: There has been a global acceleration in fragrances, particularly in China, where fragrance is very much an emerging category. During the pandemic we saw demand for fragrance take off and there are no signs of this slowing down.
As an affordable entryway to luxury, consumers are increasingly looking to fragrances as a way to indulge and escape from their day-to-day while also using fragrance to represent their individual personalities.
How are your brands specifically helping consumers indulge and represent their individual personalities?
SP: Fragrance is very personal. It really taps into people’s emotions as the sense of smell is so closely linked with memory and emotions. We know the consumer wants more than to just buy a product; they are looking for something that represents their lifestyles and sometimes they are looking for something more aspirational, which our fragrances help them achieve.
Interestingly, our more sophisticated fragrance users are purchasing fragrances for different occasions – we call this a fragrance wardrobe, which is central to the DNA of the Tom Ford Private Blend collection. This scent can change depending on their mood, the season, what they are wearing or even the time of day. We’re also seeing users layering scents to create something that is special to them, which is both fun and exciting.
AF: There is a strong emphasis on selfcare and wellbeing, which translates well with this category. As Chinese consumers seek more luxury brands, their mindset is shifting and they are increasingly becoming more interested and focused on the legacy, artistry and storytelling behind our brands and products. This is the type of consumer behaviour we typically see when people are purchasing other luxury goods.
When people first encounter the Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle brand, they are intrigued by the way the founder, Frédéric Malle, has elevated perfumery to art. He offers the greatest perfumers in the world the opportunity to fully express themselves through the creation of perfume masterpieces.
This special creative process results in a wonderfully diverse range of perfumes. As a consumer, you are encouraged to explore this eclectic collection to find a signature scent that embraces your own identity.
We welcome everyone into the house of Jo Malone London. Consumers will immediately feel this sense of being home and feeling included. Our townhouse-inspired fireplace seating area at our new boutique in the Global Beauty Plaza makes any customer feel at home, providing a relaxing space to receive personalised, one-to-one services, such as hand and arm massages with our stylists.
Gifting is also central to the brand which speaks to its spirit of generosity and kindness. There’s a strong emphasis on personalisation, which further allows the consumer to make each gift their own.

“We’re here to surprise and delight with these enriching experiences that make anyone’s trip truly unforgettable” – Ayaz Furniturewalla
“As Chinese consumers seek more luxury brands, their mindset is shifting, and they are increasingly becoming more interested and focused on the legacy, artistry and storytelling behind our brands and products”
– Ayaz Furniturewalla
What olfactive trends in your product offerings are performing well with Asian consumers?
SP: Surprisingly, we are seeing a strong preference for Tom Ford Oud Wood, a unisex fragrance, with the Chinese consumer. This woody fragrance has key notes of oud, exotic spices and cardamom.
AF: Light florals have always performed well with the Chinese consumer, so it’s no surprise our Wild Bluebell Cologne for Jo Malone London is always a popular hit. However, as Sung noted, we are also seeing a shift towards woody fragrances, such as the Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne and English Oak & Hazelnut Cologne.
How are your brands engaging with consumers in new and exciting ways at the Global Beauty Plaza?
SP: No matter where you are in the world, you will experience the same modern luxurious glamour that Tom Ford represents. Chinese travellers are drawn to this lifestyle and we are proud to continue to open Tom Ford Beauty locations in travel retail so travellers can experience the brand’s commitment to innovation, discovery, exceptional products and high-touch experiences.
Founder Kilian Hennessy was born into an illustrious dynasty of Cognac manufacturers so it only made sense for us to create a cocktail bar that is front and centre at the new Kilian Paris store. Visitors will immediately feel an authentic connection to the brand and its heritage, giving them more than just an opportunity to buy products, but a deeper understanding and hands-on experience of what the brand stands for.
AF: With the lift in COVID restrictions we are excited to be bringing back all our in-store services for Jo Malone London that range from the hand and arm massage to the Scent for You service, where our stylists take travellers on a fragrance journey to find a new signature scent. This is truly the best way for consumers to engage with our brands and experience our products the way they were intended.
Additionally, the way we activate our brands is unlike any other. We invite consumers to experience our brands and all they have to offer through fun and engaging activations that allow for learning, discovering and creating unforgettable memories. We’re here to surprise and delight with these enriching experiences that make anyone’s trip truly unforgettable.
Jo Malone London
Jo Malone London is a British fragrance and lifestyle house known for its distinctive scent portfolio and luxurious products for bath, body and home.
Jo Malone London’s bespoke design amplifies its elevated lifestyle positioning with plenty of enchantment

The townhouse-inspired fireplace seating area offers the perfect area for travellers to immerse themselves in the brand
Within Jo Malone London’s Block C Store, consumers are enchanted by an elevated and updated store design which features clean lines, intricate architectural elements and traffic-stopping focal points. This includes a distinctive, floor-to-ceiling LED screen installation at the front of the store which highlights launches.
A townhouse-inspired fireplace seating area offers the perfect place for consumers to immerse themselves in the brand and receive personalised, one-to-one services. A reimagined discovery table encourages consumers to try out the collection for themselves while a large, double-sided free-standing sink – the first of its kind for the brand in travel retail – allows guests to fully engage with the complete range of Jo Malone London products.
Jo Malone London is a brand known for gifting. Shoppers at the cdf Mall can enjoy a dedicated personalisation area in which to personalise their purchases with embossing and engraving services alongside a selection of bottle charms.

At the centre of the store is a signature tasting bar that provides space for one-on-one services and a dedicated personalisation area featuring embossing, engraving and bottle decoration
Tom Ford Beauty
Tom Ford Beauty, which is described as ‘the architect of modern luxury glamour’, has opened a retail destination in Block C. The store features interactive design elements for an elevated customer experience, while its curated fragrance, colour cosmetics assortments and state-of-the-art technology ensure a seamless shopping journey through the world of Tom Ford.

Tom Ford Beauty is offering bespoke Lunar New Year luxury gifts in-store
At the centre of the boutique is a Private Blend Lounge that allows for a personalised discovery of artisanal fragrances, such as iconic Oud Wood and White Suede. The lounge features the first-ever digital play table in a Tom Ford duty free setting, including Fragrance Finder and Makeup Virtual Try-On programmes.
In addition to the in-store Private Blend shopping experience, the new Fragrance Finder app helps guests discover the scent that best captures their individual style. Leveraging radio frequency identification (RFID) technology via an interactive screen, consumers can discover the inspiration behind the brand’s TF Private Blend fragrances. Virtual Try-On allows consumers to uncover new makeup shades and looks from the brand’s cosmetics collection.

Travellers can experience the Tom Ford play table and consultation area to find a fragrance and try on different runway makeup looks
Kilian Paris
The Kilian Paris store in Block C will have an event-ready juice and cocktail bar in-store featuring fragrance-inspired cocktails.
The brand will also pilot a new service, encouraging consumers to wear several fragrances together and explore a variety of olfactive territories for different occasions and/or moods.
A discovery table featuring liquors and Don’t Be Shy fragrances, the brand’s original fragrance line, will feature the full assortment of luxurious scents to capture consumers’ attention and provide easy browsing.
A Sunburst Sculpture with liquors, decorated with ornate carafes, will showcase Kilian’s family heritage and branding. There will also be a dedicated olfactive discovery backwall and makeup station. Regional heroes Apple Brandy on the Rock and Sacred Wood will be available.
Underlining the brand’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, the store will feature Kilian’s first-ever ‘Make a Wish’ wall, created to provide an elevated lifestyle presentation of its gifting offerings.

Travellers can experience Kilian Paris’ fragrances and their respective scent-inspired cocktails and mocktails
Le Labo
Le Labo’s travel retail concept in Block C offers clients a distinctive and immersive experience, showcasing the brand’s signature genderless perfumes, candles and other sensorial formulas for the body, hair and face.

Le Labo invites travellers to embark on a sensory journey that celebrates the artistry and craftsmanship of each creation
As a special offering in travel retail, travellers can purchase exclusive 30ml travel-sized formats of Le Labo’s top scents and single candle votives.
Le Labo Fragrances was born in Grasse and raised in New York, the city where the first Le Labo boutique opened in 2006 on Elizabeth Street, in Nolita. Le Labo’s mission is to bring soulful beauty into people’s lives by creating memorable sensorial experiences through their craft, which is deeply rooted in slow perfumery.
Le Labo creations are made with carefully selected, high-quality ingredients from around the world. When possible, the brand partners with local craftspeople and small-scale businesses and aims to use sustainable materials and packaging.
Editions de Parfums
Frédéric Malle
Frédéric Malle, introduced by Editions de Parfums in 2000, is a completely original concept whereby the world’s greatest noses compose exclusive, creative fragrances that would be sold under their respective creators’ names.

Shoppers can find their signature scent with a dedicated consultation area for 1:1 perfume matchmaking
The new Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle store at Block C features an eclectic style. It mixes modernist architecture with classic French decorations and contemporary art and design inspirations.
Smelling columns showcase the brand’s hero perfumes which create a scented personal experience for consumers visiting the store. Upon entering, consumers will also be welcomed by a distinctive rose installation, which highlights the key rose ingredient across the brand’s top three perfumes.
Within the space, there is a dedicated consultation area for one-on-one fragrance profiling as well as a special display of the brand’s Portrait of a Lady hero line to allow for cross-category exploration.

Spotlight Series – March 2024
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