Suntory achieves major milestone at Paris airport

Japanese whisky house Suntory has expanded its presence at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport with the opening of its first-ever pop-up at Terminal 1 and its first permanent brand space at Terminal 2, developed in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail and Extime Duty Free.

Located in one of Terminal 1's premier retail environments, the 5m x 3m House of Suntory pop-up invites travellers to discover Japanese craftsmanship, cultural storytelling and omotenashi-inspired hospitality through tastings and sensory experiences featuring Hibiki, Yamazaki and Hakushu whiskies.

The House of Suntory pop-up at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

“This activation represents an important milestone for The House of Suntory in travel retail, bringing together Japanese craftsmanship, cultural storytelling and elevated shopper experiences in one of Europe’s most iconic airports,” said Ashish Sagar, General Manager Global Travel Retail at Suntory Global Spirits.

The pop-up showcases prestige expressions from the Vintage and Luxury Collections, including Hakushu 18 Years Old, Hibiki 21 Years Old, Yamazaki 18 Years Old, Yamazaki 12 Years Old, Hibiki Harmony Master Select and Hakushu 12 Years Old, alongside educational content, new product innovations and the Hibiki 12 Years Old Travel Exclusive Series.

At the heart of the experience, a central showcase celebrates Hibiki as a global icon of Japanese artistry through guided tastings, storytelling and curated food pairings inspired by the spirit of omotenashi.

The space brings the art of Japanese gifting to life through authentic furoshiki wrapping – the centuries-old Japanese practice of wrapping and presenting gifts in decorative cloth, transforming gift presentation into an expression of care, respect and intention.

Exclusive to the Paris CDG pop-up, a limited-edition furoshiki design combines Japanese tradition with French cultural elegance, reinforcing collectability and a sense of place.

First permanent brand space at CDG

Complementing the pop-up, Suntory Global Spirits has also introduced the first permanent House of Suntory brand space at Paris CDG Terminal 2. Located within the LSM4 store – one of the airport’s largest and highest traffic spaces – this strategic placement strengthens the prominence of Japanese whisky in the airport.

Hibiki whisky gift wrapping

This permanent installation highlights the most prestigious expressions across three zones, designed to guide shoppers from discovery through purchase.

Illuminated lightboxes highlight key expressions and launches, creating strong visual impact.

The central brand and education area features Hibiki as a global icon alongside Yamazaki, Toki and Roku. Beautiful visuals and information cards communicate the characteristics of each expression. An educational module reinforces Suntory’s position as the founding house of Japanese whisky. 

The portfolio display presents the full Suntory portfolio in a structured, premium layout, ensuring strong visibility, ease of navigation and clear pathways to purchase.

MCM looks to retro-futuristic styles for 50th Anniversary Autumn/Winter 2026 collection

MCM has unveiled its 50th Anniversary Autumn/Winter 2026 collection, celebrating this milestone through the lens of Munich’s culture and music, blending cutting-edge materials with futuristic styling.

Described as retrospective yet futuristic, the collection highlights studded silhouettes and innovative leather goods reflecting the brand’s fusion of art, tech and travel.

MCM's cinematic campaign for Autumn/Winter 2026

The collection redefines nomadic luxury through retro-futuristic styles built around a rich autumnal colour palette. With a selection of lightweight and transitional mid-season pieces along with cold-weather essentials such as warm jackets, this collection is perfect for layering to create classy outfits for men and sophisticated clothing for women.

For the launch of the new collection, MCM unveils a cinematic campaign exploring individuality, connection and the emotional rhythm of modern life through intimate moments and the beauty of being together.

MCM Autumn/Winter 2026 Aren Sling Bag

Set inside the MCM Haus, the campaign centres on a family of distinct personalities. “As a son returns bearing gifts selected with remarkable precision, the story unfolds through micro-moments, understated humour and a carefully composed visual language,” said the German luxury brand.

Directed by Lucio Castro and photographed by Luna Conte, the campaign balances emotional subtlety with quiet sophistication.

MCM Autumn/Winter 2026 Pina Tambourine bag

The collection reflects the distinct personalities of the MCM Haus through reimagined heritage silhouettes, signature leather goods and forward-looking ready-to-wear.

From archival Pina styles and diamond-inspired Dia bags to travel-inspired designs, the season blends craftsmanship, innovation and modern mobility through a refined lens, while quilted leather, recycled nylon and retro-futurist accents add depth, texture and personality to the story.

A highlight is the Pina collection, which embodies mobile elegance through logo stud embellishments on leather and Visetos wallets, totes and tambourine bags.

Rémy Cointreau names new CEO Global Travel Retail

French spirits group Rémy Cointreau has announced that Carlos Radulovitch will take over the CEO Global Travel Retail position as of July 1, 2026.

The announcement came as Rémy Cointreau launched a three-year turnaround plan called RC Forward, aiming to boost operating profits by €100 million by the 2028/29 financial year. A core pillar of this strategy is to double sales in travel retail and emerging markets.

With more than 25 years of international leadership experience and a depth of travel retail expertise, Radulovitch has led large-scale international business across EMEA, Americas, Asia and the Middle East, with deep expertise in global consumer and luxury brands.

Before joining the group, Radulovitch served as CEO of Ted Baker in London, where he led the EMEA business across retail, travel retail, e-commerce and wholesale operations in 11 countries.

“We truly believe that Carlos’ extensive knowledge of the travel retail channel and proven track record of delivering growth will facilitate the transformation of our GTR business and help our valued partners to grow faster with the Rémy Cointreau portfolio in both the short and longer term,” said Ian McLernon, Group Chief Markets Officer.

“I am excited and ready to support Rémy Cointreau’s remarkable brand portfolio of exceptional spirits. Strengthening our presence, engaging our partners with the highest standards and delivering a strong and result-oriented roadmap is an exciting challenge I am ready to lead,” added Radulovitch, who will be based in Singapore, where the company's Global Travel Retail office is located.

MCM unveils mischievous Cozy Cat fragrance

MCM has added a new line to its growing animal-themed fragrance collection.

MCM Cozy Cat Eau de Parfum

“Mischievous and magnetic, Cozy Cat captures the untamed spirit of curiosity with notes of violet, peach, sandalwood and vanilla,” the German luxury brand said.

The unisex Eau de Parfum is presented in a 100ml bottle with a three-dimensional sculpture of the cat character on top.

The woody floral fragrance features top notes of violet leaves, wildberry, peach and black rose, with middle notes of suede, benzoin and ambrette, and base notes of sandalwood, tonka bean, cedarwood, labdanum, musk and vanilla bean.

The new Cozy Cat fragrance joins Charming Pup, Darling Doxie, Mighty Bear and Jolly Rabbit.

Hibiki 12yo returns as travel retail exclusive

Suntory has unveiled Hibiki 12 Years Old Travel Exclusive Series whisky, bringing the expression exclusively to travel retail in key international airports for the first time in 11 years.

Reimagined with a bottle design inspired by Japanese nature, the release invites travellers to rediscover Hibiki through a lens of Japanese artistry.

Fifth-generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo revisits Hibiki’s original vision, blending Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita whiskies matured in American, Spanish and Mizunara oak.

Hibiki 12 Years Old Travel Exclusive Series whisky

The packaging draws inspiration from Kacho-Fugetsu, the classical Japanese concept that celebrates nature through flowers, birds, wind and moon, complemented by the flowing elegance of water. These elements are expressed through seasonal motifs and flowing forms that reflect Japan’s changing seasons.

Hibiki’s signature 24-faceted bottle, representing Japan’s 24 microseasons, remains central to the design. The updated packaging also incorporates the Marumado motif, a circular window used in traditional Japanese architecture to frame nature like a living painting.

“Hibiki 12 Years Old has always held a special place within The House of Suntory portfolio, and we’ve seen continued appreciation for this expression from whisky enthusiasts around the world,” said Masaki Morimoto, President of The House of Suntory. “Reintroducing Hibiki 12 as a newly reimagined blend exclusively in travel retail allows us to bring it back in a way that is both intentional and globally accessible, while honouring the craftsmanship and harmony that define the brand.”

Tasting notes

Hibiki 12 Years Old is golden amber in colour with a nose of persimmon, jasmine, cardamom, hint of orange and sandalwood. The taste of spiced orange peel, toasted cinnamon and butterscotch has a rich, long finish with a spiced, soothing aftertaste.

The 43%abv whisky is available in a 700ml bottle with a recommended travel retail price of approximately $188.

The release made its debut exclusively at Dubai Airport in May, and was available across selected travel retail locations from June in international departures and arrivals stores. 

Key locations include Singapore Changi, New York JFK and international airports spanning London, Seoul Incheon, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Delhi, Mumbai, Paris, Doha, Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Sydney, Melbourne, Taipei, Amsterdam, Bangkok, São Paulo, Bangalore, Panama City, San Francisco and Hainan.

MCM wins top accolade at Positive Luxury Awards

MCM has been recognised as Fashion Business of the Year at this year’s Positive Luxury Awards 2026. 

The award, judged by an independent panel of experts, thought-leaders and industry executives, recognises the luxury business in Fashion & Accessories that has demonstrated actions in the last 12 months to achieve higher and higher standards across ESG.

In an exclusive interview, Positive Luxury explores how responsibility is being embedded across every area of the business – from sourcing and innovation to operations and consumer engagement. Here is an edited excerpt from the interview.

How does sustainability influence your business decisions and why is taking action so important to you? 

Sustainability plays an increasingly important role in how MCM approaches business decisions across design, sourcing, operations, retail, partnerships and long-term strategy. As a global luxury brand with deep roots in craftsmanship and cultural expression, we recognise the responsibility we have to contribute to a more thoughtful and future-focused industry. Sustainability is no longer an add-on to our business decisions, it is the primary filter through which those decisions are made, including:

Integrated sourcing: Every new material must undergo an environmental impact assessment before it ever reaches the design table. We collaborate across all functions – from sourcing to marketing – to ensure information flow and ethical strategy execution.

Future-proofing the brand: Taking action is vital because we are moving into an era of radical accountability. It is our responsibility to position MCM as a leader that plays an active role in improving the lives of our employees and partners.

Innovation over followership: We believe in playing a leadership role in the industry rather than being a follower. Action is the difference between a brand that simply survives and a brand that leaves a legacy.

Following a challenging few years for many businesses, how have you upheld your dedicated approach to positive change and resilience as core pillars of your strategy?

The past few years reinforced the importance of adaptability, agility and staying anchored in our core values. While many were cutting back, we invested in high-level organisational task forces to map our logistics and supply chain data and in ensuring a data and AI-driven decarbonisation platform. And we continued investing in innovative materials.

We’ve moved beyond high-level promises to a three-year plan with clear, measurable targets that are integrated into our core business model. By constantly benchmarking ourselves against industry peers, we ensured that we stayed ahead of global mandates, treating compliance not as a burden but as a competitive advantage.

Our Sustainability Initiative Committee provides unified leadership bridging Sustainability and Operations, the committee members have ensured that ethical and environmental standards are reflected in our daily operations and executive decisions.

How has your sustainability journey built trust with your consumers and added value for your teams?

MCM’s sustainability journey has strengthened trust by creating deeper alignment between our brand values and the expectations of today’s luxury consumers. Transparency, authenticity and accountability are increasingly important to our audience, and we understand that trust is built through consistent action and continuous progress. We’ve shifted toward third-party certifications like GOTS and rigorous material impact assessments. When a consumer sees an MCM hangtag, they aren’t just seeing a logo; they are seeing a verified claim of organic integrity and social responsibility.

Sustainability is no longer a siloed department; it’s a culture. We’ve held workshops with senior management and key functions to build a shared sense of mission and run global sustainability training for all employees. By creating sustainability material toolkits for our design teams, we’ve empowered our creatives to innovate using resources that reduce our overall environmental footprint.

Our recent Digital Product Passport initiative allows consumers to scan a QR code to see the full journey of their item. Internally, this same data stream has streamlined our administrative and legal management systems, creating a “single source of truth” that everyone trusts.

Fettercairn brings Garden of Scotland concept to life

Highland single malt Scotch whisky brand Fettercairn has unveiled a striking new pop-up at Taiwan Taoyuan Airport Terminal 2, in exclusive partnership with Everrich Duty Free.

Running from 1 January to 30 June 2026, the pop-up spotlights Fettercairn 14, 17 and 25yo – a travel retail exclusive collection – alongside the house’s Rare & Aged range, including 28, 40 and 50yo bottlings.

Fettercairn whisky's Garden of Scotland activation at Taiwan Taoyuan Airport

Introduced during the Aberdeenshire distillery’s bicentennial celebrations, the travel retail-exclusive collection is non-chill filtered, natural colour and available in a 70cl format.

Located in a high-traffic position adjacent to the airport’s luxury retail area, the 19sq m activation introduces travellers to Fettercairn’s distinctive new Garden of Scotland concept, which evokes the brand’s Highland provenance.

The pop-up brings a sense of place to the airport environment, effectively transporting shoppers to the Scottish Highlands. Its design features intricate copper structures adorned with flora and fauna motifs.

A dramatic copper still frames the brand’s single malt range, referencing Fettercairn’s copper cooling ring technology. This process, which drenches the stills with cool mountain water from the Cairngorms, allows only the lightest vapours to rise, resulting in the characteristically bright, tropical flavour profile.

A focus of the activation is immersive, flavour-led discovery, including guided tastings of the Fettercairn 14 and 17yo expressions. The pop-up also incorporates a sensory display that highlights Fettercairn’s distinctive flavour notes of dried pineapple, coconut and mango.

An important and dynamic market

Whyte & Mackay Managing Director UK, Europe & Global Travel Retail Mike Greggs said: “We are proud to bring this new Garden of Scotland pop-up concept to Taiwan in partnership with Everrich, and to introduce travellers to the distinctive character of Fettercairn in such an engaging way.

“Taiwan is an important and dynamic market for premium Scotch whisky, and this activation allows us to strengthen brand visibility while creating meaningful connections with shoppers through storytelling and sense of place. By combining education, tasting and immersive design, we aim to build lasting awareness of the Fettercairn portfolio and drive further growth for the brand in the region.”

Everrich Duty Free Vice President of Merchandising Patricia Wang commented: “We are delighted to partner with Fettercairn at Taiwan Airport to launch this exclusive pop-up, offering travellers a fresh premium whisky experience. Beyond retail, Everrich leverages category insight and selection expertise to curate immersive journeys. As demand for limited-edition and collectible whiskies grows in Taiwan, we work with leading distilleries to identify distinctive expressions that reflect evolving traveller preferences.

“Together, we have created a retail destination that celebrates craftsmanship, innovation and the unique story behind the Fettercairn brand."