Estee Lauder

TRP Travel Retail Style Index: October 2020



Cartier Maillon de Cartier watch 2020

Welcome to a new travel retail column for DRG by Alison Farrington aka The Retail Planner (TRP)

As global travel picks up again, we look at the business and shopping trends of the travel retail world. In particular, the beauty, fashion, accessories, and watches & jewellery categories, dipping into the product exclusives and digital strategies that often launch in Asia and give the rest of the world an idea of innovations coming soon.

WHAT’S THE FUTURE FOR DUTY FREE SHOPPING? A major story this month, the entire travel retail industry is reeling from the latest government news that duty free is set to be abolished in the UK for everything bar alcohol and cigarettes from 1 Jan 2020. (more…)



TRP Travel Retail Style Index: September 2020



NARS Icons Sanya travel retail

Welcome to a new travel retail column for DRG by Alison Farrington aka The Retail Planner (TRP)

As global travel picks up again, we look at the business and shopping trends of the travel retail world. In particular, the beauty, fashion, accessories, and watches & jewellery categories, dipping into the product exclusives and digital strategies that often launch in Asia and give the rest of the world an idea of innovations coming soon.

DFS X WECHAT LIVESTREAM.  If you’re getting ready for a Golden Week shopping trip at the end of this month in time for the Chinese autumn break, then DFS is a go-to retailer with downtown and airport locations in Hong Kong and Singapore among others. Whether you still shop in physical stores or not, if there’s one thing Covid has done for consumerism, it’s to accelerate the trend for live stream shopping and this has been especially prevalent across China via WeChat. Now DFS has joined the live stream party. (more…)



Buy it now: Hot summer, cool scents



Fragrances to wear for a hot summer

We’re in the throes of a proper 30-degree sunny and muggy city summer. I’m not complaining one bit though, because I’m not a commuter and frankly I’ll take whatever I can get. But I believe in the power of smell to help temper the heat.

I’m back on the Hermès Eau de Gentiane Blanche this summer, a really great cooling smell (earthy and green with a trail of musk) that’s like an olfactory glass of iced cordial. I think it’s one of Jean-Claude Ellena’s best, but actually all the Hermès colognes are excellent and I love the 15ml spray bottles for when I’m flanneuring about town. (more…)



Ask Alison: Is it time for indie beauty brands to get in on duty free shopping?



Niche beauty Duty Free airport beauty Dezeen

Earlier this week, independent beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury made its airport retail debut at World Duty Free in London Heathrow. The week before, the eponymous brand was one of four indie beauty companies (alongside Anastasia, Hourglass and POLA) to be showcased within the DFS downtown store T-Galleria at Galaxy, Macau.

It’s about time these types of self-made or direct-to-consumer beauty upstarts joined the action within the travel retail space. (more…)