Suntory opens first boutique at Hong Kong Airport

Suntory Global Spirits, together with Duty Zero by cdf under China Duty Free Group, have unveiled a new chapter for Japanese whisky enthusiasts with the first permanent House of Suntory shop-in-shop at Hong Kong International Airport.

The premium 30sq m space in Terminal 1 Departures, East Hall North is the first-ever collaboration between The House of Suntory and Duty Zero by cdf and features key brands including Hibiki, Yamazaki, Hakushu, Toki and Roku.

The House of Suntory shop-in-shop at Hong Kong International Airport

“The launch of our first permanent House of Suntory shop-in-shop at Hong Kong International Airport marks an inspiring new milestone in our partnership with Duty Zero by cdf,”  said Suntory Global Spirits Managing Director Global Travel Retail Ashish Gandham. 

“This space allows us to share the very best of Japanese craftsmanship with a truly international audience. By uniting immersive design with our most exceptional whiskies, we continue to premiumise the global travel retail spirits landscape, enrich the traveller experience, and strengthen the presence of The House of Suntory across this vital channel.”

A gateway to Japanese artistry

The shop-in-shop’s exterior brings Japanese aesthetics to life through a combination of natural materials and modern lines. Translucent Washi screens introduce a warm, inviting glow, while wooden lattices inspired by Kigumi craftsmanship create a sense of structure and balance.

At the entrance, a striking merchandising installation celebrates the latest limited editions and innovations, setting the tone for an elevated, collectors-first experience.

Stepping inside, travellers encounter a circular feature wall inspired by the Marumado rounded windows found in traditional Japanese architecture. This focal point frames Suntory’s flagship Japanese whiskies – Hibiki, Yamazaki and Hakushu – inviting guests to pause and appreciate each icon within a gallery-style celebration of Japanese whisky artistry. 

Anchoring the experience is a dedicated tasting bar with expert brand ambassadors. Here, the Beatification of Time concept spotlights rare, higher-aged and high-value releases.

An adjoining Art of Japanese Gifting zone offers beautifully presented gifts and personalised recommendations.

“We are committed to creating a world-class retail environment where iconic brands can showcase their portfolio and express their heritage in a compelling way,” said Duty Zero by cdf Deputy General Manager Mr Enzo Li. “This new House of Suntory opening adds further depth to our prestige spirits collection, offering travellers a refined destination for discovery, gifting and rare whisky exploration."

Molton Brown unveils Tea Ceremony campaign

UK fragrance house Molton Brown has held an experiential collaboration in partnership with travel retailer Avolta at London Heathrow Terminal 3 to support the launch of its new Tea Ceremony fragrance in travel retail.

Running from 3-30 March, the activation was designed to bring the new scent collection to life through storytelling and multi-sensory touchpoints. Conceived as a tranquil interlude within the busy airport terminal, the space reflected the sense of inner calm that sits at the heart of the fragrance story.

The pop-up invited travellers to discover the new Tea Ceremony fragrance through relaxing hand and arm massages, alongside a complimentary Tea Ritual – a branded takeaway tea bag paired with a fragrance sample from the new range.

Adding a memorable, shareable touch in the lead-up to Mother’s Day on 15 March, a live illustrator was present on selected peak travel days, offering bespoke fingerprint gift tag personalisation.

Members of the Club Avolta loyalty programme were eligible to receive an exclusive loose-leaf tea strainer with qualifying purchases.

To maximise launch visibility, Molton Brown implemented a large-scale wall takeover across Heathrow Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5.

MCM celebrates 50th anniversary in new campaign

MCM is marking five decades in fashion with a year-long campaign heralding a series of exciting initiatives, including a fresh logo.

The newly designed logo for MCM's 50th anniversary campaign

The German luxury brand is launching the global Icons Reinvented initiative in which some of MCM's best-known designs will be reinterpreted, including the iconic Stark Backpack, the Liz Shopper, the Ella Boston Bag and the Ottomar Weekender.

These models embody the concept of Smart Luxury – a form of luxury that MCM describes as timeless, mobile and responsible. The new interpretations focus on lightweight constructions, hands-free functionality, modular interiors and flexible forms that adapt to different situations and settings. Sustainability and longevity are central to the designs, all of which follow the Bauhaus design principle of form follows function.

Heritage brand ambassador Herbert Lieb muses on MCM in a campaign video

The special campaign is accompanied by a newly designed anniversary logo, inspired by archival motifs and the Roman numerals found throughout its birthplace: Munich. And in a campaign video, MCM’s heritage brand ambassador Herbert Lieb – a long-time employee who worked for the brand for 40 years – provides insights into the history of the house and the brand.

Founded during the Golden Age of Munich in 1976, MCM has evolved in line with cultural movements, from Munich's creative underground in the 1970s and hip-hop culture in New York in the 1980s and 1990s, to the global popularity of K-pop since the 2000s.

MCM celebrates 50 years of craftsmanship

Sung-Joo Kim, Chief Visionary Officer of MCM, reflects on the brand's ability to look to the future: "For 50 years, MCM has been focused on evolving. Our heritage does not belong to the past – it belongs to the future."

The 50th anniversary celebrations span Europe, the US and Asia, uniting fashion, music, design, sport and contemporary culture. MCM boasts a global community of Mavericks – creatives, entrepreneurs and cultural protagonists who define their identity through movement and individuality.

Stay tuned!

Rémy Martin marks Lunar New Year with top artist

Cognac brand Rémy Martin has partnered with renowned Chinese artist Xue Song to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

To mark the arrival of the Year of the Horse, Xue Song has created an artwork in collaboration with Rémy Martin, featuring the Centaur – the brand’s emblem – which has inspired a series of limited-edition Lunar New Year gift boxes for Rémy Martin XO and VSOP.

Rémy Martin XO 2026 Lunar New Year Edition

Xue is a top Chinese artist with a pop art style that transforms disparate printed fragments into meaningful images. Inspired by the idea of the Centaur paving the way, Xue has fused collage and Chinese ink to create his 1.8m x 1.2m masterpiece, which features the Centaur leading a pack of horses into the future.

Xue’s vivid, symbolic artwork is featured on special edition bottles and gift boxes for Lunar New Year 2026. Collectible limited-edition presentations of Rémy Martin XO and Rémy Martin VSOP are on-shelf in the travel retail channel. The roll-out is being supported by a series of high-profile activations in leading airports. These include Hong Kong, Singapore, London Heathrow, Dubai, Taiwan, Osaka, Bangkok, Melbourne and Istanbul.

Co-ordinated communications with retailers

In selected markets, traditional red Hongbao envelopes featuring Xue Song’s limited-edition design elements are gwps for purchasing customers. The shopping experience is reinforced through coordinated communications developed with retail partners, ensuring storytelling and visibility across retail channels.

The in-store activations feature a Lunar New Year ritual experience, which invites shoppers to create a personalised greeting card, crafted using woodblock stamps and Chinese calligraphy. Shoppers are guided to create their own spring couplet with the campaign’s tagline Centaur Paving the Way, to convey blessings of prosperity and auspicious beginnings, alongside custom-designed motifs.

“For Chinese travellers, Lunar New Year represents a peak period for premium gifting, and Cognac naturally plays a central role in these celebratory occasions,” noted Rémy Cointreau CEO Global Travel Retail Fida Bou Chabke. “It is therefore a strategic priority for us to amplify the visibility and desirability of the House of Rémy Martin within the global travel retail environment during this holiday season.

“By activating strongly during this high-impact period, we aim not only to reinforce our leadership in Cognac, but also to deepen our cultural relevance with travelling consumers. The Rémy Martin x Xue Song collaboration reflects our long-term vision: investing in bold, creative expressions that speak to a new generation while remaining true to our heritage, and fully unlocking the commercial potential of critical consumption moments."

MCM’s Spring/Summer collection is now and forever

MCM has introduced its Spring/Summer 2026 collection featuring reimagined silhouettes, crafted to evolve with the wearer and remain iconic over time.

MCM Spring/Summer 2026 collection

“Defined by timeless sophistication rather than reinvention, this collection moves beyond age and trends and is designed to evolve with you,” the German luxury brand said.

Wearable across generations, the collection – dubbed Forever Yours – includes accessories, bags and ready-to-wear that elevate outfits for both men and women. Featuring quilted bomber jackets, double-breasted blazers, boxy jackets and more, the pieces fuse martial arts inspiration with playful motifs such as the MCM rabbit-robot hybrid: the Rabot.

MCM Spring/Summer 2026 collection

This season, MCM introduces new iconic shapes. The New Liz revisits a signature classic through a modern lens, while the Dia debuts as a fresh silhouette for Spring/Summer. Additionally, the Milla, Dessau bucket and Aren crossbody evolve, balancing versatile proportions with everyday functionality. Elevated materials, metallic detailing and classic colourways define the collection’s key expressions.

MCM Spring/Summer 2026 collection

Anchored in MCM’s travel heritage, the season introduces additions to the brand’s core travel collection, including the Ottomar trolley with leather corners drawn from archival trunks. Designed for contemporary movement and durability, each piece is crafted to perform.

Château Patache d’Aux marks Lunar New Year

Bordeaux wine brand Château Patache d’Aux is celebrating Lunar New Year 2026 with the launch of a striking limited-edition label, unveiled through high-impact travel retail activations in international hubs.

Chateau Patache d'Aux Lunar New Year edition wine

The exclusive Lunar New Year edition is being showcased with activations in partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail at airports in Paris, Bordeaux, Geneva and Amsterdam. The celebration will continue into the Middle East with a rollout at Dubai Duty Free from the end of January, ensuring strong visibility during one of the most important gifting periods in travel retail.

A Cru Bourgeois Supérieur wine with a long and distinguished history in the Médoc region, Château Patache d’Aux has featured a horse-drawn carriage – a patache – pulled by three horses on its label, symbolising the three families who have shaped the estate’s success over generations. This enduring emblem represents authenticity, pioneering spirit and deep-rooted tradition, making it a source of inspiration for this Lunar New Year release.

In 2026, Lunar New Year falls on 17 February, ushering in the Year of the Fire Horse – a symbol of energy, renewal and prosperity.

Drawing on the symbolic importance of the horse and the festive codes of Lunar New Year, Château Patache d’Aux’s limited-edition label offers a contemporary reinterpretation of the estate’s visual heritage. The design reflects the values of renewal and prosperity at the heart of the celebration.

Complementing the limited-edition bottle, the estate has created a Lunar New Year gift box. Elegant, distinctive and culturally resonant, the box enhances the wine’s appeal for premium gifting.

Commenting on the special edition, Ieva Olina, Key Account Manager Travel Retail at brand owner AdVini, the international wine group, said: “The horse has always been a powerful symbol for the estate, and aligning this with the Year of the Fire Horse allows us to tell a compelling story in airport environments. Through our activations with Lagardère Travel Retail across Europe, and soon with Dubai Duty Free, we are delighted to bring this exclusive release to travelling consumers at some of the world’s most important international gateways."

MCM gets into the holiday mood

The Charles Hotel in Munich is celebrating the city’s spirit of craftsmanship and contemporary style with a festive collaboration with German luxury brand MCM.

MCM decorates The Charles Hotel's Christmas tree in Munich

MCM has kicked off a holiday takeover at the Florio Restaurant inside the hotel, which is part of the luxury Rocco Forte Hotels group.

The upscale restaurant is decorated with sparkling lights and a Christmas tree designed by the brand.

To celebrate the start of the season, MCM welcomed guests with food, drink and festivities.

MCM baubles on The Charles Hotel's Christmas tree in Munich

In other news, stylists and creators (@valentinoxdior and @sylves1er took over MCM’s SoHo store in New York for a karaoke-fuelled styling session where they sung, danced and curated their favourite MCM looks.

Shoppers could book their own styling session or visit the store to discover their standout picks.