Travel Retail Highlights
Cartier lends luxury allure to boutique concepts at Dubai and Bangkok airports
French watch and fine jewellery maison Cartier has unveiled two new boutique concepts at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. The stores were opened in partnership with Dubai Duty Free and King Power International respectively. The openings underline the luxury maison’s commitment to elevating the airport client shopping experience. The striking retail spaces, dressed in the luxury house’s signature gold and red colour palette, offer Cartier watches, jewellery and accessories lines for both men and women. Both boutiques combine Cartier’s key design codes with local colours and motifs, giving a subtle yet distinctive sense of place. This includes drawer pull handles that are made to resemble luggage handles and a dedicated ‘icon bar’ which showcases the maison’s most popular creations.
A Mashrabiya patterns adorns the facade of the Cartier store at DXB, the brand’s first in Middle East travel retail
A fiery orange fan-shaped panel adds a burst of colour to the elegant, understated theming of the DXB store
The new Cartier store at DXB, opened and operated in partnership with Dubai Duty Free, marks the brand’s first boutique in Middle East travel retail. It opened on 14 February and is located in Terminal 3, Concourse B. Commenting on the new boutique, Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman & CEO Colm McLoughlin said: “By placing the traveller experience at the heart of its travel retail concept, Cartier has brought the airport retail experience to new heights. We are excited to continue working with Cartier to offer true luxury shopping experiences tailored to the demands of modern travellers.” On 1 March, Cartier moved to a strategic new location at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok. The boutique is located in a high-traffic location after customs clearance at Level 4 Departures and is operated in partnership with King Power International. It is the first store in Southeast Asia & Australian travel retail to offer Cartier’s full range of masculine, feminine and unisex watches and jewellery products.
A golden 40-metre facade invites travellers to explore the Cartier boutique at Suvarnabhumi International Airport
Sense of place: A traditional Thai motif adorns the store facade, adding texture to a deep-red panelled wall
The store features a striking 40-metre façade, decorated with a traditional Thai motif in gold. It boasts two wide entrances which enhance customer flow and is divided into well-defined product zones. King Power International Chief Merchandising Officer Antares Cheng said: “With Cartier, our longstanding partner, we proudly introduce the reinvigorated boutique at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which enables us to initiate contemporary conversations with clients as we continue to uphold our tradition of service in making travellers feel at home.” Comment: These latest boutiques reinforce Cartier’s strategy to accelerate its presence at major world airports. What is striking about both is the strong elements of localisation in design, adding fresh flourishes to the luxury brand’s classic style. For both retailers, it also reinforces their already strong luxury credentials at a critical period, as travel at scale returns.
The Moodie Davitt eZine Issue 308 | 13 April 2022
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