Davidoff unveils stylish travel humidor

Davidoff has developed an Italian leather travel humidor for cigar aficionados on the move.

The Swiss cigar maker collaborated with Italian designer and craftsman Marcello Bottino, who specialises in innovative textile design.

“Many aficionados have been expressing the need for a more stylish way to travel with their cigars than the practical cigar box,” said Charles Awad, Senior Vice President – Chief Marketing Officer, Oettinger Davidoff AG. 

“To address this, we have reinvented the travel humidor in collaboration with Marcello Bottino, an Italian designer and craftsman who helped us engineer this stylish accessory for optimal cigar care. The choice of materials had to be fully compatible with cigars, the technology enabling the humidity to be locked inside the humidor, the protection of the cigars – these are all the challenges we presented to Marcello Bottino. With his never-ending enthusiasm for new technologies, research, development and vision, Marcello has been the perfect partner,” he explained.

Davidoff's Explorer travel humidor

Key features of the first Davidoff travel humidor to be made in Italy include:

Lightweight materials: Thanks to the durable and lightweight textiles used, this high-tech cigar accessory weighs between 600g and 700g.

Smart tray engineered for cigars: The humidor has room for eight cigars and consists of two parts: the bag and the removable inner tray. The innovative tray – adapted for large and small cigars – is specially crafted with high fabric waves to prevent the cigars from being crushed, and a soft fabric to preserve the wrappers. The textiles are ergonomically adapted to the cigar shape.

Locked-in humidity: All the materials are welded together to maintain the ideal humidity level inside the humidor. The most innovative sealing properties were employed in the design, with strong magnets and multilayer construction using laminated fabric, as these are essential for achieving a tight seal with no stitching. When closing the bag, the snap sound made by the magnets and the air-filled cushion effect ensure protection for cigars.

Thanks to Davidoff’s humidification system, which releases humidity slowly and evenly, the cigars can be kept for approximately three weeks in the humidor. The color-coded hygrometer on the humidification system facilitates checking of the humidity level.

The travel humidors come in three different designs: Explorer: young, urban explorer, available in Alcantara and jeans fabric; Outdoor: rugged materials that will evolve with time, available in leather and canvas; and Business: Described as more formal, but still edgy, available in leather and wool.

Each humidor has two pockets, located under the flap, to store accessories, such as lighter, cutter and matches.

The humidors will be launched globally from September 2017. 

MCM paints New York (RED) at charity party

To kick off this season’s New York Fashion Week, MCM celebrated its philanthropic partnership with (RED) at the annual Daily Front Row Fashion Media Awards After Party. 

Hosted by model Ashley Graham at the The Wooly restaurant and cocktail bar, celebrities and guests enjoyed lots of entertainment that raised awareness for the MCM x (RED) partnership while highlighting the limited-edition accessories that will benefit the organisation.

Models Ashley Graham and Anne Vyalitsyna at the MCM party

Guests also enjoyed a surprise musical performance by Bermudian-born, masked DJ Noise Cans while enjoying festive cocktails and tasty treats throughout the evening.

Actress Bella Thorne

To mark MCM’s 40th anniversary, MCM joined (RED) in 2016, pledging $10m across 10 years to ameliorate the lives and health of women and girls across the globe.

Musical artist Young Paris

Founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006, (RED) is dedicated to founding the first AIDS-free generation. Engaging with cultural icons, multinational organisations and collaborators, (RED) has generated over $350m for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, to support HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia.

Masked DJ Noise Cans

Tumi takes travel to new heights in Fall collection

Tumi is rolling out exciting new styles and vibrant colours for its men’s, women’s and travel collections for Fall 2017, which will be found in travel retail locations across the world.

This season, Alpha Bravo styles are revitalised in lively seasonal blue camo, bringing a dynamic energy to the collection. The Luke Roll-Top Backpack is equipped with lots of smart interior and exterior pockets, making it perfect for overnight or weekend trips.

The Grantley Backpack is a new introduction to the assortment, featuring a wide zip opening for easy access into the main compartment, a separate dedicated laptop section, and many pockets in varying sizes for organising personal belongings.

Tumi's Luke Roll-Top Backpack

Top-flight small leather goods

Alpha 2, the pinnacle of Tumi’s design innovation, continues to elevate the business experience with a lighter and stronger assortment of business bags that are sleeker in profile and smarter in functionality. They are available in grey and navy/black colour block, in addition to classic black.

Tumi continues to expand on its accessories collection with updated and new assortments. Nassau, crafted from both smooth Italian leather and textured nappa leather, features a muted colour palette of black and brown. Highlights include the breast pocket wallet and passport case.

Monaco is a premium/sophisticated collection of top-flight small leather goods crafted from textured full-grain leather. Available in black or cobalt, the two card cases feature a new embossed finish, turned-edge construction, streamlined interior pockets and other subtle refinements.

For women, the Voyageur collection takes shape with a mix of bold prints and accents of colour. Each style, executed in nylon, is an elegant example of simplicity and purpose, with rich seasonal colours marine, crimson and mink, along with seasonal accessories print Gallery Floral injecting personality such as the Monaco Travel Kit.

A new addition to the assortment, the Just In Case Backpack folds seamlessly into a separate zippered pouch, making it great for travel.

The Voyageur Leather collection highlights the best-selling silhouettes of the Voyageur nylon collection in luxurious pebbled leather. Practical, elegant and refined, this sophisticated assortment is ideal for daily commutes, short getaways, or weekend excursions. The Small Daniella Backpack is carefully designed to accommodate the daily necessities and other small accessories in a petite silhouette.

The Capri Crossbody, dubbed a customer favourite, is now available in leather for Fall. This crossbody features a highly functional interior, a U-shaped front zipper pocket for smaller personal items as well as an additional front open pocket. The clean and modern Carolina Tote integrates sleek functionality with a classic carryall structure.

Daniela Backpack in the Voyageur Leather collection

Strong colours and graphic prints

Tumi’s Fall 2017 Travel collection celebrates New York. The strong colour palette and graphic prints derive inspiration both from city highlights, like the celebrated contemporary artworks at the Museum of Modern Art, and upstate features such as the tranquil landscapes of the Catskills and the Hudson River Valley.

This fall, the 19 Degree Aluminium collection is introduced in new seasonal colour blue. The cases in this aluminium assortment features a reinforced frame-case design, with two snap closures for carry-on bags and three snap closures for check-in bags, and die-cast corner caps for additional protection. The lightweight lining with an embossed diamond pattern complements the distinctive exterior pattern.

V3, Tumi’s lightest luggage collection ever, boasts exceptional design, colour and print expression through a multi-layer polycarbonate shell. The full range of carry-on and check-in sizes are offered in new seasonal colour white and prints Gallery Floral and blue camo. 

Godiva unearths luxurious Gold Discovery Collection

Premium Belgian chocolatier Godiva is to unveil in September a new Gold Discovery Collection of chocolate pieces inspired by the iconic Godiva Gold assortment.

Godiva Gold Discovery is a 28-piece collection of ganaches, pralines, mousses and caramels, including seven new recipes and nine restyled favourites, presented in a contemporary gold gift box embossed with the signature G and the Lady Godiva emblem. Tied with a gold satin ribbon and decorated with a refined hangtag, the collection is targeted at premium gifting.

Sumptuous: Godiva's new Gold Discovery Collection

Exciting new flavours and textures

For the new Gold Discovery Collection, Godiva’s chocolatiers have created a new Mexican-origin chocolate mousse Artisan Caramel, which joins the redesigned Artisan Sureau elderberry mousse and the Eclipse Fraise Litchi lychee strawberry mousse.

Among the pralines is an exotic new Allure Pistache pistachio praline and an Allure Pécan caramelised pecan praline, which sit alongside the updated versions of the signature hazelnut pralines Coeur Blanc and Coeur Lait in white and milk chocolate, an Amande Marquise praline with whole roasted almond, and the Volupté hazelnut praline with caramelised macadamia nuts.

The restyled ganaches are in flavours of passion fruit and pink pepper, Eclipse Passion, Lady Noir with white chocolate and bourbon vanilla in a dark chocolate shell, Signature Lait with intense coffee, Tourbillon 85 with dark 85% chocolate and Egérie Noir with raspberry rose, which was created to celebrate the brand’s 90th anniversary last year. The caramels are the popular Ecusson chocolate caramel and a new Ecusson Blond salted caramel.

The Godiva Gold Discovery Collection, which will pre-launch in travel retail in September, will feature in high-profile promotions at three locations: T Galleria by DFS in Guam, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport with Lagardère and New York JFK airport with International Shoppes.

Matthew Hodges, General Manager Godiva Travel Retail, said: “The Godiva Gold Discovery Collection takes the iconic Godiva Gold collection to a new level with some fabulous new flavours and more contemporary presentations for some established favourites. It is designed to appeal to people who seek the latest experience, the most cutting-edge flavours, the most attractive gifts and indulgences.

“Our objective is to develop further the customer base of the most loved premium chocolate brand. We aim to refresh the image of the Godiva brand to attract new consumers, including status-conscious millennials, without alienating existing Godiva fans. To do that we have to leverage our Belgian heritage and our reputation for quality while innovating and surprising our consumers with exciting new flavours and textures.

“New Gold Discovery will help us to affirm our status as a brand which is aspirational, innovative and desirable while remaining relevant and accessible to today’s consumers.” 

Bombay Sapphire takes shoppers on a journey of discovery in an English garden

Bombay Sapphire gin brought its new experiential campaign to the prime shop-in-shop space at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport during the peak summer travel months to inspire shoppers to make their own cocktails at home.

The new campaign, A Journey of Discovery, sought to transport shoppers to an English garden and take them on a sensorial adventure revealing the unique botanical ingredients, sourced from around the world, in the multi-award winning gins Bombay Sapphire and Star of Bombay.

Bombay Sapphire gin campaign at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Distinctly different flavour pairings

A menu of hand-crafted gin cocktails helped shoppers discover their own favourite twist on the classic gin and tonic, with three distinctly different flavour pairings created to emphasise the range of botanicals and to appeal to different taste palates:

Bright and vibrant: Bombay Sapphire & Tonic with Lemon & Thyme. Fresh lemon heightens the bright notes of the coriander and lemon peel in Bombay Sapphire. Thyme harmonises with the angelica and liquorice.

Exotic and mysterious: Bombay Sapphire & Tonic with Mint & Ginger. Mint complements the fresh, bright notes of juniper, while fresh ginger draws on the spicier notes of the coriander, cubeb berries and grains of paradise.

Intense and aromatic: Star of Bombay & Tonic with Orange & Pink Peppercorn. Zesty orange peel accentuates the citrus flavours of the bergamot in Star of Bombay, while the pink peppercorns intensify the warming, floral notes of the ambrette seeds.

An in-store film highlighted the botanical journey behind the key ingredients of Bacardi-owned Bombay Sapphire. The space was designed to bring to life its heritage and home at the award-winning distillery at Laverstoke Mill in rural Hampshire, UK, with its Thomas Heatherwick-designed glasshouses, where the spirit is made.

Targeting a new generation of gin shoppers

Shoppers were given a passport to help them navigate their way around the event and to discover the key ingredients from botanical sampling trays. The passport contained recipes to inspire them to make their own cocktails at home or on holiday. Every purchase of Star of Bombay received two elegant jewelled stirrers to add to the experience.

Aude Bourdier-Rocourt, Regional Director Europe at Bombay Sapphire brand owner Bacardi Global Travel Retail, said: “Bombay Sapphire enjoys enormous popularity in travel retail in Europe and the discovery nature of this campaign enables us to reach a new generation of gin shoppers by intriguing them with how easy it is to create different taste profiles and new twists on the classic gin and tonic.”

Rüdiger Stelkens, Purchasing Director Liquor, Tobacco, Confectionery & Fine Food at Gebr Heinemann, which operates the retail space, added: “This is a perfect campaign for the summer months, appealing to Bombay Sapphire fans and connecting with other shoppers curious about the range of taste profiles of the Bombay Sapphire serves. We are pleased with the broad shopper appeal that has been created and how the passport encourages people to buy a bottle to make the drinks for themselves on holiday or at home.”