MCM and The Standard unveil holiday collaboration

This season, MCM and The Standard High Line hotel in New York have come together to redefine holiday magic. The MCM x The Standard Christmas Tree was unveiled on 3 December, combining MCM’s bold digital nomad style and The Standard’s iconic downtown cool.

Adorned with gold and silver ornaments, custom MCM rocket ships and stars, and topped with a bespoke MCM star, the tree is a reflection of the brand’s Munich to Mars collection.

MCM x The Standard Christmas Tree (Instagram: @mcmworldwide)

Friends of MCM gathered to celebrate the beginning of the season, including Valentino Bonaccio, Fatou Fall, Jessica Wang, Nate Katsuki, Caroline Vazzana, Alexa Losey, Salina Williams, Karina Bik, Yana, Melissa Vale and Taylor Reed.

This Christmas, MCM has also transformed The Charles Hotel in Munich and Hotel de Rome in Berlin into a festive dreamscape, in collaboration with Rocco Forte Hotels Germany.

In other holiday initiatives from MCM, shoppers can have their initials in their favourite colour added to their new go-to bag by experts in selected stores. And for pet lovers, guest artisans will be at selected stores ready to customise MCM leather goods with a one-of-a-kind pet portrait.

Artisans at selected MCM stores will customise bags with pet portraits 

Some stores will also feature DJ sets, singing Santas and cosy gatherings with pretzels, mulled wine and hot chocolate.

Meanwhile, MCM website visitors can explore tailored gift ideas through a gamified journey that transforms holiday shopping. The company has created an innovative online experience that blends the magic of gifting with a personalised experience powered by cutting-edge AI.

Festive Rémy Martin reaches for the stars

Rémy Cointreau is continuing its year-long celebration of Rémy Martin Cognac’s landmark 300-year anniversary with the release of new limited-edition holiday gifts inspired by the stars.

Remy Martin XO Reach For The Stars 70cl limited-edition Cognac 

Drawing on the brand’s Centaur emblem, Rémy Martin XO and Rémy Martin VSOP are presented in festive packaging featuring the Centaur star constellation. The collection of glittering celestial designs celebrates Rémy Martin’s connection with the earth and sky, past and future. Both expressions are available in all key airports.

The gift editions are embellished with star formations and astrological motifs in glowing metallic gold, silver and red.

For the festive gifting season, Rémy Martin XO is captured in a limited-edition bottle and collector’s coffret. The glass decanter features a star-dusted Centaur constellation design in gold, silver and red. The gift box is decorated with celestial artwork and has a central window giving a glimpse into the Cognac inside. Sliding the two halves apart reveals the XO decanter.

Rémy Martin XO is created by Baptiste Loiseau, Rémy Martin’s Cellar Master, who draws from hundreds of eaux-de-vie to create a Cognac of aromatic complexity.

Celebrating the end of this 300th anniversary year, Rémy Martin VSOP welcomes the holidays with the energy of the cosmos. The frosted glass bottle is presented in a limited-edition gift box with the seasonal red and gold star scattered design, ideal for gifting, celebrating or collecting.

“This festive season, I am delighted to work together with our key global travel retail partners to offer travellers this limited-edition Reach For The Stars Cognac collection,” said Rémy Cointreau CEO Global Travel Retail Fida Bou Chabke. “Each expression highlights our centuries-old heritage and unwavering commitment to excellence – and is the perfect way to toast the holiday season and celebrate special memories with family and friends."

MCM opens boutique at Singapore Changi Airport

German luxury brand MCM has opened a boutique at key travel hub Singapore Changi Airport. The new store is operated by China Duty Free Group in Terminal 3.

To celebrate the opening, a limited-edition commemorative pendant inspired by Singapore’s iconic Merlion will be launched in December.

MCM's new boutique at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3

In other retail news, a new MCM boutique began trading in the summer in the mainland Chinese city of Changsha, Hunan Province. It is located in the city’s iconic 95-floor IFS Tower, bringing the brand’s fresh blend of fashion and culture to the heart of the Chinese metropolis.

“This new location embodies the vibrant spirit of the city in a space surrounded by fashion’s biggest names while offering a selection of MCM best-sellers and our newest collections,” said MCM.

Rémy Martin dreams big for tricentenary

Rémy Cointreau is continuing its year-long celebration of Cognac house Rémy Martin’s 300-year anniversary with a high-profile pop-up activation at Dubai International Airport, in partnership with Dubai Duty Free.

The pop-up is the latest in a series of collaborations with the travel retailer, created to celebrate Rémy Martin’s milestone anniversary. These began in January with an evocative campaign in Dubai International Terminal 1 and T3 that spotlighted the house’s 300th anniversary XO Dragon Limited Edition. This was followed in May by a private event and tasting for selected Dubai Duty Free clients to present another special release, the 300th Rémy Martin Anniversary Coupe, which was available to purchase in Dubai Airport post-event.

Centred on Rémy Martin’s 300-year legacy, the Dubai Duty Free pop-up activation showcases the Cognac portfolio, alongside its rich history and heritage. The activation runs in Dubai T3 Departures Concourse B until 30 November.

The Remy Martin Dream Forward Expedition at Dubai Airport

Highlights include prominent displays of a series of limited editions, notably the 300th Rémy Martin Anniversary Coupe, the 300th Anniversary XO Limited Edition, and the latest release for the festive season – Reach for the Stars VSOP. Passengers are invited to participate in the experience of the Rémy Martin Dream Forward Expedition, which is being featured in selected airports throughout 2024.

This experience invites Cognac lovers to take a virtual flight to Cognac via immersive VR technology. Pop-up visitors are transported to the vineyards of Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne and up into the star-filled skies. The journey is punctuated by stops in the clouds to discover the secrets of Rémy Martin Cognac crafting, guided by the cellar masters, winegrowers and craftspeople who have shaped the house through the generations.

Travellers are then invited to discover the Rémy Martin Cognac collection through nosing via scent sticks, and an interactive digital gamification activity, complete with gift incentive. Tastings at the bar are complemented by the XO Opulence Reveal touch point, a luxury sensory food and Cognac pairing demonstration.

Finally, at the pop-up’s gifting station, travellers can personalise their purchase of the 300th Anniversary Limited Edition XO decanter with a selection of leather straps and tags that are exclusive to Dubai International Airport.

Gamification and personalisation

“We are delighted to celebrate Rémy Martin’s 300th anniversary with this exclusive pop-up at Dubai International Airport,” noted Rémy Cointreau CEO Global Travel Retail Fida Bou Chabke. “This latest partnership with Dubai Duty Free illustrates perfectly our commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences to our travelling consumers. For 300 years, Rémy Martin has been synonymous with luxury and excellence. This high-profile activation pays homage to our illustrious history, and offers the ideal opportunity to showcase our exceptional portfolio to a discerning global audience.”

Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi said: “It is great to be part of Rémy Martin’s milestone 300th anniversary celebration. Part of Dubai Duty Free’s mission is to offer our customers a diverse range of cutting-edge products and experiences, so we are pleased to collaborate with Rémy Cointreau Global Travel Retail in bringing this innovative and unique retail concept to our stores in Dubai International Airport. Rémy Cointreau has been a partner of ours for many years, and we are delighted to showcase the house’s exceptional Cognac portfolio, notably the 300th Rémy Martin Anniversary Coupe and the 300th Anniversary Limited Edition XO. We are sure that the immersive activation will be a big hit with our customers.”

Throughout 2024, Rémy Martin has held a series of special activities around the theme ‘We Dream Forward’ at major travel retail locations worldwide. These began with multiple high-profile activations in key airports, including Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore Changi, Istanbul and Frankfurt, among others, to celebrate Chinese New Year, which showcased the House’s XO Dragon Chinese New Year Limited Edition. In May, the focus pivoted to the 300th Rémy Martin Anniversary Coupe, which was introduced at various private events and highlighted via airport activations.

In August-September, the celebrations continued with a high-profile pop-up activation at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport – and the unveiling of a special 300th Anniversary XO Limited Edition. And in September-October, the house’s 300th anniversary was highlighted via a pop-up at Hong Kong’s High Speed Rail Station, which incorporated digital gamification elements and an XO personalisation service.

Throughout November-December, further 300th anniversary-themed activations are taking place in airports including Dubai, Qatar, Macau, Singapore and Auckland.

MCM creates capsule with Mirum leather alternative

German luxury brand MCM has introduced a new capsule collection using an all-natural leather alternative material, marking a major step forward in its eco-conscious luxury strategy.

The Mirum Capsule Collection is the result of a two-year creative design process that sees the brand’s Himmel Shopper reimagined with an advanced leather alternative that is consciously crafted from all-natural materials to ensure a lower carbon footprint than animal and synthetic leather.

MCM Mirum Capsule Collection - Himmel Shopper

As it launched the collection on 4 November, MCM said: “Traditional leather alternatives are heavily reliant on fossil-fuel derived synthetics, which do not biodegrade and contribute to the global plastic issue. That’s why we are proud to partner with NFW to introduce Mirum alternative leather into the design and manufacture of our products. As a naturally circular, scalable, 100% plastic and water-free material, Mirum is an incredibly exciting resource for us.”

Every year, the fashion industry uses a massive amount of oil, to the tune of 342 million barrels according to a 2017 Ellen MacArthur Foundation study, to produce synthetic materials for use in apparel and accessories. MCM is committed to meeting aggressive sustainability goals and a big part of this is re-thinking the materials it works with.

Mirum is consciously crafted in the US by the pioneering biomaterials company NFW, which uses natural ingredients including rubber, agricultural waste fibres, and plant-based oils, pigments and minerals. As well as being durable, Mirum has a dramatically lower carbon footprint than conventional leather and synthetic alternatives, according to MCM.

The MCM Mirum Capsule Collection comprises two sizes of the Himmel Shopper, crafted from the naturally luxurious, 100% plant-based and recyclable material. The company hopes to include Mirum in more future releases.

The new collection coincides with the publication of MCM’s annual Sustainability Report which shows how the company has reduced its emissions, used more sustainable materials, expanded its upcycling programme, and assisted good causes locally and internationally.

“Our targets are grounded in climate science, guided by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This objective is at the core of MCM’s strategic planning, and we are committed to producing products that help, not harm. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, and we plan to go even further,” the company said.

Suntory unveils experiential shop-in-shop in Changi T4

Suntory has partnered with Changi Airport Group and Lotte Duty Free Singapore to open a new experiential shop-in-shop boutique at Singapore Changi Airport T4.

The 30 sq m store opening follows Suntory’s first ever shop-in-shop boutique in the travel retail channel, which made its debut earlier this year in Lotte Duty Free’s refurbished central duplex store in Changi T3.

Suntory's shop-in-shop at Singapore Changi T4

Inspired by the beauty of Japan’s natural world and elevated by Japanese craftsmanship, the new shop-in-shop invites travellers on an experiential sensory journey, seeking to foster a deep and lasting connection with the brand.

It showcases the full range of exceptional whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki, complemented by a strong focus on other Suntory craft spirits such as AO, Toki, Roku Gin and Haku Vodka.

Embodying Suntory’s signature aesthetic, the Changi boutique incorporates dynamic designs, including large display screens to attract footfall from afar. These screens project different seasons within nature, to evoke the changing natural environment that surrounds the birthplace of different Suntory spirits.

Immersive branded discovery stations featuring interactive screens invite travellers to embark on a journey of digital discovery, enhanced by a mobile tasting table where visitors can sample a selection of craft spirits.

“Travel retail is a vital brand-building channel for the group,” noted Suntory Global Spirits Managing Director Global Travel Retail Ashish Gandham. “I am delighted to further expand our presence at such a key airport location, in partnership with Changi Airport Group and Lotte Duty Free.”

Gandham continued: “This beautiful boutique is another perfect showcase for The House of Suntory’s exceptional portfolio of spirits, and exemplifies our commitment to delivering high quality innovation and rich experiences for our customers.”

Lotte Duty Free Singapore Managing Director Jeff Jeong Soongyu commented: “The high-end Japanese whisky category continues to perform positively, and this new shop-in-shop boutique will allow Lotte to further strengthen its offering and leverage demand.

“We understand that our discerning customers seek innovation and memorable experiences when they travel. This specialised boutique diversifies Lotte’s product selection and enhances the premium shopping journey for travellers."

MCM opens new boutique in Vietnam

German luxury brand MCM has opened a new store in Vietnam, located at Ho Chi Minh City’s Central Post Office.

MCM's new store in Ho Chi Minh City's Central Post Office

The bright, airy flagship store in the heart of Vietnam’s largest city has all the latest MCM designs, as well as the classic icons. It is operated by retail specialist DAFC.

Visitors can explore a unique art space and the latest collection From München To Mars for this year's Fall-Winter season.

In other news this month in the US, MCM is supporting the Susan G Komen® Breast Cancer Foundation. From October 18 to October 31, MCM Products USA Inc will donate to Susan G Komen® 10% of the retail sales price of each specially marked product sold, with a guaranteed minimum donation of $5,000.

The charity donation coincides with the launch of the new Soft Pink colourway in the brand’s signature Visetos monogram.

MCM Pink Collection