Travel retail trade prepares to meet at TFWA fair

Loewe and Crocs are among the exciting new exhibitors at this year’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2026, which will bring together the travel retail industry from September 27 to October 1 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.

The exhibition will showcase many of the world's leading travel retail brands spanning cosmetics, fragrances, fashion, food, tobacco, wines and spirits, including Campari, Bulgari, Clarins Group, Chanel, Ferrero and Longchamp. Among the brands making their debut in Cannes are Crocs, Loewe, Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite, Eau Thermale Avène, Bioderma, Anua, Molinari, Atyab Al Marshoud and A L'Olivier.

Conference line-up

Kicking off the event, the TFWA World Conference takes place on Monday 28 September under the theme Shaping the World of Travel Retail. TFWA President Sarah Branquinho will open the conference with her state of the industry address; she will be joined by David McWilliams, Gilles Roucolle and Charles Duhigg to share their perspectives on the forces underpinning the industry. The conference will be moderated by Stephen Sackur. 

A workshop programme will bring together leading experts to examine the trends, challenges and opportunities. On Tuesday 29 September, Pierre-Alexandre Koch and Denise van Wijk of Oliver Wyman will present findings from an exclusive TFWA study on opportunities for customer growth, while Marina Giuliano of Amadeus will explore the forces reshaping global mobility and where the next wave of travel demand could emerge.

On Wednesday 30 September, Anna Marchesini of m1nd-set will examine changing traveller behaviours and opportunities for growth in fashion, followed by Victor Dijon and Alex Liu of Kearney, who will present findings from an exclusive TFWA study on how AI can turn consumer data into growth.

TFWA Start up Day is back on Thursday 1 October 2026. Alongside TFWA’s partner, Mondelez International World Travel Retail, solutions and services companies such as Altavia Travel Retail, blynk, CXG, DWS, Illuminete x Trinax and Voiceback Analytics will present their innovations.

Purpose-driven initiatives

Alongside its business programme, TFWA is reinforcing its commitment to social impact through two purpose-driven initiatives. Delegates will be invited to support The Moodie Davitt Report’s #KickCancerThon, a fundraising campaign for cancer research and awareness inspired by the late Sinead Moodie, by cycling on stationary bikes installed in front of the Palais des Festivals. Collectively generated kilometres cycled will convert to financial contributions from TFWA to the cancer research programme at London’s Royal Marsden Hospital.

Additionally, the Yes We Cannes! Handisport initiative will promote inclusion and accessibility through adaptive sports activities.

Qatar Duty Free returns as the main partner of the TFWA Lounge networking space. Brand partners, including Haribo, Heineken, Lakrids by Bülow, Liviko Crafter’s, Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail (presenting its Drink More Water campaign), Pringles, Santa Margherita, Seeberger, Storck, Walker’s Shortbread and Wonderful Pistachios, will also contribute to the Lounge experience.

Furla chief sets out new brand ambitions

Italian fashion accessories brand Furla has renewed its commitment to the travel retail channel under new CEO Eraldo Poletto.

The seasoned fashion executive has made a welcome return to Furla, where he worked as CEO alongside the founding Furlanetto family more than a decade ago. (For details, see my interview with Eraldo Poletto in 2013.)

Furla's Iride bag

Speaking to journalists at the TFWA World Exhibition, Poletto hinted at his long-term ambitions for the accessible luxury brand and acknowledged that the journey has only just started.

He spoke of a “relaunch of brand passion for the product”, sparked in no small way by Gerry Munday, the supremely experienced travel retail executive whose passion for the channel knows no bounds.

“We can rebuild the brand with our knowledge and expertise,” Poletto said, noting the evolution of the airport shopping experience, where he’s seeing the establishment of more malls. “It’s an exciting time,” he enthused.

The travel retail market focus for Furla will centre on airports in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, including China.

Furla Spring/Summer 2026

At Cannes, Furla introduced its Spring/Summer 2026 collection, which explores Milan’s intimate details: refined entryways that open onto secluded gardens, interiors where metal meets marble, glass offsets ceramic, and mosaic plays against natural stone.

Leading the season is the Iride bag, dubbed ”the ultimate expression of the brand’s colourful and playful spirit and a vibrant explosion of joy”. At the heart of this new icon stands a sculptural jewel-like hardware, where Furla’s signature arch logo is reimagined with a diamond-cut design. Smooth and rounded to the touch, the closure is both a visual and tactile centrepiece, guiding the bag’s entire design.

The hardware plays with light and perspective, offered in either classic gold tones or in the same bold, vibrant hues of the bags. Seasonal colours are Mudec Yellow, Amatore Blue, Aperitivo Orange, Velvet Pink and Carta da Zucchero Blue.

Named after the Italian word for iris and rainbow, the Iride bag is available as a crossbody or a mini hobo and with an adjustable leather strap that allows for versatile styling.

With a nearly century-long heritage dating back to 1927, and a renewed vision for the future, Furla returned to TFWA to strengthen its presence in travel retail.

“This is the perfect moment to re-engage with our partners, introduce our newest designs and reaffirm our position as a leading voice in accessible luxury. Our objective is to highlight the evolution of Furla, where heritage meets innovation, and timeless elegance embraces playful modernity,” he concluded.

TFWA welcomes top brands to Cannes fair

Tax Free World Association (TFWA) is welcoming leading brands such as Hermès, Giorgio Armani, Coach, Zegna, Bally and Ralph Lauren to the 2025 TFWA World Exhibition & Conference.

This year’s fair takes place from 28 September to 2 October 2025 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.

Familiar names in luggage and leather goods such as Bally, Bric’s, Tumi, Samsonite and Delsey have also confirmed their participation in this year’s edition.

Powerhouses including Lacoste, Longchamp, Paul & Shark and Victorinox will have a bigger presence this year, while making a welcome return will be Furla, Napapijri and Coach, joining regular exhibitors Lancel, Coccinelle and Le Tanneur. A strong presence is also expected from leading eyewear groups including EssilorLuxottica, Safilo, Thélios, Marcolin and De Rigo.

The 2025 edition will also see a significant upswing in the number of brands showing at the Harbour Village with 30 official boats confirmed, up from 19 last year. For the first time, the Harbour Village will be fully integrated within the exhibition.

Top travel retailers including Avolta, Lagardère, Gebr Heinemann, 3Sixty, Dubai Duty Free and Qatar Duty Free have confirmed large delegations, while major international airports, airlines and cruise operators will also be attending.

Delegates will hear from high-calibre speakers during the TFWA Conference on Monday, 29 September. Two workshops, World in Flux: Travel Retail Amid Today’s Geopolitical Realities and Next Horizon: Charting the Future of Travel Retail, will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Innovation on show

The new Innovation Square will host the two workshops in addition to private evening events. TFWA’s ONE2ONE meeting service will provide opportunities for exhibiting brands, key buyers, airports and trade agents to focus on business. The exhibition halls will be open from Monday afternoon through to Thursday.

Registration remains open until the first week of September.

TFWA President Philippe Margueritte said: “It’s gratifying to see that so many of global travel retail’s most prestigious brands are planning to join us once again in Cannes for what is undoubtedly one of the most important events in our calendar. We look forward to welcoming these high-profile established names plus new game-changing tastemaker brands to TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in September."

Frankfurt Airport styles a new fashion space

MCM, Boss and Michael Kors are among the brands making their debut at a new fashion concept store operated by Frankfurt Airport Retail at Frankfurt Airport.

The 316sq m space dedicated to fashion, accessories, watches and jewellery (FAWJ) is integrated into the 1,934sq m Duty Free & Travel Value Shop in Terminal 1, Pier A Schengen at the German hub.

The new multi-brand fashion space at Frankfurt Airport Terminal 1

The multi-brand fashion concept is designed to stand out visually from the rest of the store. Upscale materials such as oiled oak, brass and white marble create a luxurious ambience.

The generic furniture concept developed by Frankfurt Airport’s retail partner Gebr Heinemann presents the ready-to-wear, sneakers, bags, sunglasses, watches and jewellery in a high quality and uniform environment.

Jan Richter, Director Purchasing Fashion, Accessories & Watches, Jewellery at Gebr Heinemann, said: "The tailor-made concept offers the brands positioned here excellent visibility and a high degree of flexibility to respond to significant trends, curate themes and thus keep the space constantly different, inspiring and surprising for passengers. We present the assortment in a casual and stylish setting, so travellers can quickly get an overview of the entire range and relax while shopping for a complete look."

Men's business unit

A highlight of the new space is the Men's Business Unit. Specially designed furniture showcases shirts and ties on the backwall, and a table displays Boss polo shirts, Happy Socks, Boss and Falke socks, underwear sets and belts. Montblanc offers cufflinks, leather goods and writing instruments.

Dirk Mörchen, Managing Director of Frankfurt Airport Retail, said: "We are excited to delight passengers in Frankfurt with the premiere of the Gebr Heinemann multi-brand concept in our core duty free shop. The FAWJ multi-brand area has a lot to offer thanks to numerous new brands. The ready-to-wear range shines with Tommy Hilfiger, CK, Marc Cain, Polo Ralph Lauren and Hugo, for example.”

Georg Fuhrmann, also Managing Director of Frankfurt Airport Retail, added: "The affordable luxury segment of leather goods around Furla and Coccinelle is now strengthened by the brands MCM, Michael Kors and See by Chloé, and the entire store gains in attractiveness for our customers with the new trend brands."

Jan Dieter Schaap, Head of Retail at Fraport AG, commented: "We are very pleased about the expansion of the stylish fashion and accessories range in our highly frequented Schengen pier. This will offer both our female and male passengers an even more holistic shopping experience."

Furla plays to the personalisation trend

Furla showcased a special-edition collection of its Metropolis shoulder bags that can be personalised with different flaps, called #myplayfurla, at the recent TFWA World Exhibition.

With #myplayfurla, the customer chooses the colour of the main body of the bag and then selects their desired flap, which is then snapped onto the main body. The seven different flaps are heavily decorated and embroidered and are country-specific. The countries include China, Japan, Africa and India. This collection is being launched in January into travel retail as well as the domestic market. Furla is making a special design for its opening at Harrods in London Heathrow Airport.

Furla's #myplayfurla collection [Picture courtesy Essential Communications]

"Tremendous progress"

The #myplayfurla collection was on show at the Cannes fair in October, where Global Travel Retail Director Gerry Munday spoke of the “tremendous progress” Furla has made in travel retail again this year, which reflects the upward momentum of the brand globally.

“The growth this year – especially given the challenging environment that we all face – has been incredible,” she told a press conference. “We’ve seen another 38% increase in travel retail turnover for the first half of 2016 compared to the same period last year, while the group as a whole is up 28%, so we’re growing ahead of the company.”

By the end of 2016, Furla will have 269 travel retail doors. Munday said that growth was coming from “everywhere”. This year, up to the end of August, the brand opened 22 new sales points in 20 locations from generic stores to personalised corners and boutiques. “They include all five continents, from Sydney to Casablanca, from Siem Reap to Birmingham, from Mexico to Dubai, from Budapest to Myanmar. We’ve also expanded our cruise business with a corner on the Queen Mary 2, while our inflight business, through our partners SKYlink, has grown from 10 to 40 airlines.”

Most of the growth is coming from Asia, Munday continued, but Europe is “surprisingly strong” and the rest of the year would see openings with Gebr Heinemann at Cairo, Harrods at London Gatwick South, IDFS at Marrakesh Menara, Shilla at Phuket (now open), and Top Pintercaioal LTDA at Manaus International Airport.

Munday noted that the US was the smallest market, but she was confident that the brand would see good growth in this region as well.

The Erica travel retail exclusive bag for Spring/Summer 2017

Travel retail exclusive products performing well

During the Cannes show, Furla showcased the Spring/Summer 17 collection, and also the ongoing development of its travel retail exclusive bag, which changes with each collection. For SS17, the company has introduced the Erica bag. This sits alongside the inflight exclusive products, which continue to perform well thanks to SKYlink, she said.

The Erica model is described as a small, sophisticated and extremely functional handbag in three bright colourways, each with an external pouch in a contrasting colour. The style has two compartments plus one secured with a zip for organising personal belongings.

The SS17 mainline collection, launching in January, is inspired by Arabian architecture, tribal prints, hot desert sun, lush floral colours and wild animal coats.

Bags become more functional than ever with softer and lighter materials and an emphasis on styles which leave the hands free while travelling: backpacks, cross-bodies, and reporters. At the same time, the collection is more decorative with lines defined by embroidery, lace, laser perforation, and adornments such as tassels, fringes, charms and knots. New leathers and materials see Gomma PVC combined with vit. Oasis calfskin; inflatable bags in metallic and bright colours; and strong fabrics inspired by weaving and rope techniques.

Throughout the season the palette develops from soft romantic shades to hot summer colours. Neutrals such as Petalo, Acero, Moonstone, Cappuccino and Sabbia contrast with Pesci, Ruby, Blu Ginepri and Malachite. As the season moves on, stronger colours such as Mango, Senape, Torches and Navy are introduced, while by mid-summer desert sand colours combine with sun golds and night silvers to reflect the moon and stars. Similarly, prints journey through soft lace and denim to animal (St Giaguaro, St Zebra, St Pitone), stronger graphic designs, and weave fabrics.

Collaboration with fashion illustrator

Newness is found in terms of shapes, materials and function. Metropolis remains a top-selling style for Furla. Metropolis Mask results from a collaboration with graphic fashion illustrator Domenico Principato, who has created three prints mixing tribal elements with shaman masks. The bags are available as a mini cross-body or shoulder bag.

Totes are important for SS17. A new style, Lucky, has a strong identity with strong solid, colour-block and graphic designs enriched with stud details. In the vit. Fleu Soft leather model, this iconic and functional shape is expected to appeal to women of all ages and regions.

Totes also feature in Vittoria, along with new drawstring shapes that give the style a fresh look. Lightweight, unlined construction along with a detachable internal pouch makes this a functional yet stylish bag. For glamorous nights, Vittoria Glam in vit. Fleu Soft Resinato with a woven panel is inspired by tribal elements. It is available in solid colours or colour-block variations.

For the business traveller, whether man or woman, the offer has no defined boundaries between the sexes. Soft leathers in smooth or grained, ostrich prints and waterproof fabrics are used for a range of business and casual bags.

The collection is completed by a full range of small leathergoods, textiles and – for SS17 – a wider range of men’s belts. Reversible and fully adjustable with a choice of buckle designs, materials and colours, belts are expected to be one of the biggest growth sectors in travel retail, and ideal for both ground and inflight sales, said Munday.

Furla flourishes in shift to "premium luxury"

A lot has happened in the fashion industry since I last spoke with Furla’s CEO Eraldo Poletto two years ago. The Chinese economic slowdown and currency woes, to name just two burning issues of the moment. But Poletto is his usual cheerful and ebullient self when we sit down at the TFWA World Exhibition in October to discuss Furla’s stellar progress. The Italian lifestyle brand ended 2014 with a turnover of €262m and, since the beginning of the year, the company has opened 39 stores. Impressively, Furla closed the first half of 2015 with turnover up 30% compared with last year, with Japan as the brand’s biggest market.

Furla CEO Eraldo Poletto

New York flagship "one step ahead"

In October, a Japanese flagship began trading in Ginza, Tokyo, following a September opening at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. The latest major flagship has just opened its doors on Fifth Avenue, New York (51st Street), a store that Poletto describes as “one step ahead” for Furla, boasting a prominent façade on the busy shopping thoroughfare. And in November 2015, Furla is opening at two more key locations: Hong Kong’s Mira Mall and Rome’s Piazza di Spagna.

Furla now boasts some 192 travel retail locations, with 200 forecast by the end of the year. Poletto is clear about how he wants the stores to look. “The stores must be personalised to create a proper customer experience, so we will close a few locations between now and mid-2016, as it’s important to have the proper space and adjacencies.”

The Korean duty free market – a sales phenomenon for some luxury bag brands such as MCM – is managed directly by Furla. The company’s business at Seoul Incheon airport Is “doing very well and it will get better”, he says.

Furla Metropolis crossbody bag

Moving to "premium luxury"

Poletto does not seem overly concerned about the currency situation but acknowledges that the foreign-exchange headwinds create uncertainty. He is forging ahead with his strategy of “borrowing from the luxury industry what is beautiful, and the creativity in design and quality” and then offering “a great product at a great price” in stores that boast excellent customer service. He notes that Furla is moving from “premium” to “premium luxury” and the strategy is paying off. The company has made big investments in marketing and communications. From Spring/Summer 2015 onwards, star photographer Mario Testino is shooting the brand’s ad campaigns.

Poletto describes Furla as a “made-in-Italy, joyful, contemporary Italian lifestyle brand” that is eclectic in its use of colours. He cites the Metropolis as a very successful bag. This crossbody model is “a lot of fun and is very well made by a great team”.

Turning to the competition, Poletto admits that rivalry has become stiffer in the premium, affordable luxury end of the market thanks to Michael Kors, Coach, Tory Burch, Kate Spade and others. “I love competition. What’s different is our level of product; it’s made in Italy and is a step up from the other brands,” he enthuses. “We are the only made-in-Italy premium brand in accessories.”

Furla Artesia bag

VIP-level customer service

Despite the Chinese slowdown, which is hitting some luxury brands hard, Furla continues to generate double-digit growth within Greater China, but Poletto has noticed that fewer mainland Chinese are visiting Hong Kong and instead are travelling to Japan and Europe. However, he adds: “Our business in Hong Kong is important and is going very well.”

As Furla heads for €300m in annual turnover, the strategy now is to step up the customer conversion rate, including the number of units sold per head, with VIP-level customer service at the heart of its operations. Eraldo Poletto is a very happy man indeed.

Furla store in Macau exceeds expectations

Italian leather goods company Furla reports that it is delighted with initial sell-through at its new location at Macau International airport. In the first two months since opening the 10sq m personalised corner with King Power Duty Free, sales of its Spring/Summer 2015 collection have exceeded all expectations, according to Furla's global travel retail director Gerry Munday. The location is also now offering Autumn/Winter 2015 pre-fall collection which, said Munday, “shows every indication of proving equally popular”.

“Many thanks to King Power for their support with this opening,” added Munday. “We have opened many new stores in airports across Asia this year. All have proven to be a success and we look forward to opening many more in the months to follow.”

Furla's 10sq m corner in Macau airport

New corner in Zurich airport

Furla has also announced the opening of a new 10sq m personalised corner at Zurich airport landside with The Nuance Group. The new store officially opened in the duty paid terminal in March 2015 with the brand's Spring/Summer 2015 main collection.

Furla's new corner at Zurich airport landside

Said Munday: “It was a pleasure to work with Nuance again and I thank them for their continued support and belief in the Furla brand. We now have Furla boutiques scattered all over Europe and we look forward to opening many more in the future.”

Furla corners the market in Barcelona

Furla has opened a new 6sq m corner in the newly renovated store operated by Items D’Ho at Barcelona airport. The Terminal 1 store began trading in March, carrying the Italian fashion company's Spring/Summer 15 collection.

Gerry Munday, Furla's global travel retail director, said: “Thanks to Items D’Ho for their help with this opening, one of many new Furla openings in Europe this year, closely following our refurbishment of a Furla store in Cyprus. We look forward to many more Furla openings globally this year.”

Furla's new corner at Barcelona airport Terminal 1

Furla's refurbished 30sq m location in Larnaca airport, Cyprus, brings it in line with the accessories brand's new concept design. The refurbished store reopened in February with the assistance of CTC-ARI Duty Free, offering the Spring/Summer 2015 collection.

Furla's renovated store at Larnaca airport, Cyprus

Said Munday: “Almost every month sees us open a new duty-free store or an update of an already existing one, which keeps us extremely busy. My sincere thanks to CTC for their help with this renovation.”

Furla opens new store in Moscow

Italian leather goods company Furla has opened its second travel retail location in Moscow Vnukovo airport with a 30sq m personalised corner in the duty-paid store in Terminal D. The first began trading in 2013 in the duty-free shop in the same terminal. Both are operated by RegStaer. The new corner opened in January with Furla’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection.

Above and below: Furla's new corner at Moscow Vnukovo airport

Said global travel retail director Gerry Munday: “We have been very busy with our European openings, with personalised corners in Germany, Turkey, Israel, France, and now Russia, which are all doing extremely well. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank RegStaer for their support with this opening.”

Travel retail exclusive line

In other news, Furla has announced the launch of a global travel retail exclusive line, following the success of its Icon Piper bag and to meet the growing demand for difference within the channel.

The Furla Piper travel retail exclusive collection

The Piper Medium Dome is described as a modern, limited-edition bag, available in soft Ares leather in Rose, and new Caramello and Storm colours. To distinguish the bag, the company has designed a charm not found in the main collection. The three colours will be featured in the main Autumn/Winter 2015/16 collection but are exclusive to travel retail in the Piper line.

“I am extremely pleased that Furla has the confidence and trust in travel retail to warrant the development of this exclusive line," said Munday. "The travel retail business continues to grow steadily for the brand on a global basis on the ground, in the air and at sea. I am very confident that the addition of this exclusive Piper bag will give further appeal to the Furla brand and become a compelling offer for travellers looking for something a little different to the high street.”

Furla blends art and style

Italian premium accessories brand Furla has announced a number of new store openings across Asia and has unveiled its Spring/Summer 2015 collection, inspired by the art world.

In China, the company has opened a 45sq m branded new-concept shop-in-shop in Shanghai Pudong airport Terminal 1, operated by Chinese travel retailer Sunrise Duty Free. The new Furla store opened on August 12 with its Autumn/Winter 2014 collection.

New Furla store at Shanghai Pudong airport Terminal 1

Said Gerry Munday, global travel retail director: “Asia remains a key focal region in Furla's Silk Route business development strategy with China's key locations Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong all seen as vital locations for outlets both on domestic and travel retail markets.”

Shortly after the Shanghai opening, a 124sq m boutique began trading in the new Haitang Bay Duty Free shopping complex in Hainan, in collaboration with China Duty Free Group. The new location officially opened on September 1, showcasing the Autumn/Winter 14 collection.

Furla's boutique at the new Haitang Bay Duty Free mall, Hainan

“Given its large scale, this boutique is rather unique as it allows more room to showcase our collections,” said Munday. “Working with China Duty Free Group has been a very enjoyable experience and we are honoured to have had the availability of such an extended space. It’s very positive that the group shows this confidence in Furla’s performance and we share the same expectation.”

A few weeks later, on September 17, Furla opened a 27sq m dedicated shop-in-shop at Chengdu airport (domestic terminal 2), in partnership with top travel retailer Dufry Group.  

“Chengdu airport is one the busiest airports in terms of passenger traffic, so we are confident that business here will be excellent for Furla and will help us to keep on increasing our presence in East Asia," said Munday.

Turning to Furla’s overall growth, she added: “Furla’s travel-retail growth continues to reflect the brand’s increasing domestic presence globally with turnover increasing by 37% from 2012 to 2013. Since 2010 we have increased the number of doors in travel retail from 33 to 175 in 44 different countries and that number is moving up all the time.”

Spring/Summer 2015 collection

In major product news, Furla has unveiled details of its Spring/Summer 2015 collection, inspired by the synthesis between art and style. “It's an energetic, playful collection that takes inspiration from the neo-pop, a post-modern vision of pop-art, playing with many different techniques and materials,” explained the firm.

The collection features urban graphism, with splashes of paint on leather or rubber, the use of resins and cartoon-like colour matches in metal accessories and details. The palette is also strongly connected to the art world, combining vibrant primary tones with sweet and playful colours, strongly contrasting with neutrals. “The result: a collection in which every Furla bag is an ultra-modern piece of art,” it said.

Totes continue to be a dominant theme throughout with new drawstring shapes, hand-woven seasonal offers and perforated, foldable styles.

Furla Candy bag Spring/Summer 2015

For 2015, Furla also continues to develop its men’s offer with a globally focused collection.

For women, the Basic collection sees a new key item, the satchel, with front exterior pocket, side snaps to widen the gusset, detachable shoulder strap and added skus in Saffiano leather. Light business totes with top zip compartment, drawstrings in two sizes with pouches attached to the inside, and easy over-the-shoulder totes with micro-suede lining, are all offered in fresh colour palettes and come with sleek hardware design, new Furla charm branding and restyled elevated details.

The Premium line centres on strong colour blocking for visual, on-trend impact, along with elevated construction and hardware, clean lines and sophisticated shapes. New shapes include smaller totes with detachable shoulder strap; perforated satchels with distinct patterns; sophisticated hobos; and a cross-body mini-satchel.

Furla Spring/Summer 2015

In the Icon line, the Alice bag continues with new seasonal colours such as Emerald, Ocean and Sunny plus an added cross-body style, while other lines include new tote and drawstring functionality; expandable sides; interior woven pockets for an element of surprise; and material combinations such as Vitello Pop Star front, Suede sides and Cervo back.

The Fashion line-up spans small bags and pochettes. A new Pop theme comes to life with hand-painted totes, all individually numbered, while a backpack becomes a key item. Stud versions build on a rock theme, further explored with hand-sewn chain detail. The Metropolis bag features an animated cartoon look with a novelty mini cross-body style and colour-block closures that bring personality to the line. It also has a piping detail.

Colourful Candy

The Candy bag continues to develop its colourful, fun, gomma gel look. This season sees a Candy Sweetie mini cross-body in multiple colourways. Highlights are the hand-painted Candy Satchel where each sku is unique and numbered; and the new Bubbles creative concept with 3D resin bubbles on the exterior. Candy Cartoon brings the Vanilla line to life with a cartoon-animated theme and quirky colour-block locks.

For men, the SS15 Uomo offer sees a new global assortment with improved branding, improved price positioning and elevated quality. With every piece made in Italy, each item features a personalised zipper-pull, symbolising the key to success. Materials include Cervo, Saffiano, double leather Cervo/Saffiano, printed leather in Tropical Camouflage, and high-resistance nylon. The colour palette allows men to be on trend with royal blue, turquoise, taupe, grey, black and a Tropical Leaves camouflage print in tones of blue or taupe.

The Lifestyle collection has a strong emphasis on accessories such as shoes, eyewear, watches, textiles and jewellery. The collection will initially be offered through domestic markets, with travel retail set to follow in time.

Elisabetta Canalis wears Furla sunglasses at Milan Fashion Week 

Celebrity spotting

Meanwhile, in celebrity news from the brand, Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis was spotted wearing Furla sunglasses during her appearance at Milan Fashion Week in September, following her wedding with Brian Perri.

Canalis chose a round frame in warm shades of stucco and tortoiseshell brown with gradient lenses, which the company describes as a sophisticated, retro-inspired design embellished with luminous crystal details at the temples.

Shenzhen airport welcomes 13 luxury brands

Thirteen luxury fashion boutiques have begun trading in Shenzhen Bao’an airport’s new terminal. Ranging from 60sq m to 150sq m, the standalone boutiques comprise Bally, Hugo Boss, Cerruti 1881, Coach, Dunhill, Emporio Armani, Ermenegildo Zegna, Furla, Montblanc, Salvatore Ferragamo, Shanghai Tang, Tommy Hilfiger and Versace. The stores are operated by LS travel retail China, a division of Lagardère Services group.

Bally is among the 13 brands now trading at Shenzhen airport

“Our fashion concept perfectly complements the amazing architectural design of the terminal,” said Eudes Fabre, general manager of LS travel retail China. “In collaboration with our brand partners and Shenzhen airport, our vision is not only to enhance the brands we have on offer at this airport but also to offer new innovative travel retail concept where consumers can truly experience our consistent world-class service standard. These openings signify our wealth of expertise and knowledge in high-end luxury retailing but also our ambition and ability for growth in China.”

Emmanuel de Place, COO of LS travel retail ASPAC, added: “We have successfully brought a dynamic mix of the world’s leading luxury fashion brands into a world-class travel retail shopping experience at Shenzhen Bao’an international airport. We are very proud of our strong growth in luxury fashion across the region and particularly in China with such modern and forward thinking airports as here in Shenzhen. With more than 20 years’ presence in the Asia Pacific region, we are now operating more than 260 stores in nine countries.”

Sun Zheng Ling, deputy general manager of Shenzhen Airport Group, observed: “Shenzhen is a lucrative market with great potential, especially for luxury fashion in travel retail.”

LS travel retail operates 27 luxury fashion stores across the Asia Pacific region, beginning with its first multi-brand boutique, The Fashion Gallery, which carries 17 brands. This was followed by several standalone luxury fashion branded stores such as Coach, Hugo Boss, Longchamp and Salvatore Ferragamo in Singapore and at locations across China. 

MJ Rabbit loves... Furla travel bag

Furla's new travel tote combines the best of form and function. This elegant calf leather handbag folds down ingeniously so you can pack it totally flat inside your suitcase. Amazing!

Furla's travel tote

The tote folded flat

One of my all-time favourite Furla handbags is the now-sold-out Ginza bag - a furry delight, which reminds me of my black rabbit Biggles (RIP). Here it is:

Furla Ginza handbag

MJ Rabbit meets... Furla CEO Eraldo Poletto

China is high on the agenda for many brands seeking growth – and even more so at Italian accessories company Furla. The firm recently embarked on an ambitious mission under CEO Eraldo Poletto to drive sales in the Chinese market following the signing of a joint-venture deal to open 100 shops in four years in more than 40 cities across Greater China.

The deal with Fung Group – the private investment firm of Hong Kong-based entrepreneurs Victor and William Fung – was signed at the beginning of 2013, and Furla holds 51% of the JV. Execution of this plan is starting now, and Poletto is positively beaming at the prospect of the potential in the vast Greater Chinese market.

“We celebrated a big launch [into China] at the beginning of this year with our Fung Group joint venture,” he said, speaking to me at the TFWA World Exhibition in October. “We are starting now. Our strategy calls for 100 doors in four years, in Hong Kong, Macau and China. Our plan is quite aggressive. We are in good shape and we monitor developments every day – it is an interesting business.”

Opportunity lies in premium brands

Poletto added that the wider Asia Pacific region was also important for Furla. Asia (excluding Japan) currently accounts for 13% of the company’s turnover, a figure he described as “quite small”. “We can grow our retail and wholesale turnover by triple digits,” he said. “It can be developed significantly. China should be much higher when you consider that Japan made up 27% of our sales in 2012. China can grow more and can exceed Japan.”

He continued: “China has already been for a while a key destination and we can see interest [from the Chinese consumer] outside China in our international business. The Chinese know Furla as a premium Italian brand which is not in the luxury space. Our brand is for the middle classes where there is big potential in terms of population – the number of people who want affordable luxury. Our timing is good because there has been some slowdown in China’s overall economy. The opportunity is on the premium side.”

Poletto describes Furla as a family business with a strong Italian heritage and a retail-focused international mindset. “We have a retailer mindset, which is unique,” he said. “We use Italian craftsmanship and we can compete with the luxury brands. We are closest to the luxury feeling, in terms of our products and our in-store environment, for example, but we are a value-for-money proposition. Our price/product perception is value for money.”

Furla CEO Eraldo Poletto

At this point in our interview, we are politely interrupted by an executive from China Duty Free Group (CDFG), who wants to show Poletto the plans for the operator’s impressive Haitang Bay retail and entertainment complex on Hainan Island, a resort off the Chinese mainland, where Chinese travellers can buy goods at duty-free prices. This tourist facility – which will house the biggest duty-free shopping complex in the world – will boast 70,000 sq m of retail space with boutiques for Louis Vuitton, Prada, Cartier, Gucci, Ermenegildo Zegna and Ferragamo. And Furla, of course. The grand opening will be held in the June-August period in 2014, the CDFG manager revealed.

Poletto’s face is a picture as he looks at the presentation on the manager’s iPad. “This is incredible, incredible,” he enthused, almost open-mouthed at the sheer scale of the project and its luxury ambience.

Poletto has a lot of experience of the Chinese market and first started visiting China in 1996. “I admire China as it has moved from a factory to a market. I go every three months and I discover something new - every time it’s more exciting. The Chinese want to win; they have ambition, and I like their curiosity and their energy.

“Things have developed at amazing speed since I first visited, when there were no highways or cars. They’ve done in 10 years what Europe did in 100 years. They have a desire to learn and become better.”

The China challenge

By all accounts, operating in the Chinese market is difficult, so what are the challenges Poletto has faced so far? “You have to have a proper understanding of the market and a proper partner who understands China. It is a complex market – the north of the country is different from the south and west.

“You have to understand real estate, you have to give the right training and get the right people in the shop. You need a strong partner, like Fung Group. They know the country, the rules, how it all works. We put in the brand expertise and they put in their expertise in the market, the consumer and logistics.

“You also need to understand the culture and respect the culture,” he added.

“China is evolving at incredible speed – they travel and they know. Their education is getting more sophisticated. The Chinese are the most elegant editors who visit our Milan showroom. They know what they want and what to expect. We can underestimate them but they are sophisticated and ahead of the curve.”

Furla offers its regular product assortment in China but there are plans in the pipeline to produce something specific for the market, noted Poletto. Furla boutiques in China offer the brand’s new store design concept, now being rolled out across the world, and do not feature special VIP rooms.

Social media in China

In terms of marketing, Furla stores are always the focus. “We have a focus on digital marketing and we use social networks such as Weibo to create a community. But the store is always the centre of interest and we hold special events. We act very local and we use national celebrities.”

At this point, Poletto shows me images on his iPhone from WeChat – the Chinese equivalent of the WhatsApp mobile messaging service - showing Furla products customised in different ways by Chinese women. He is fascinated by these live alerts showing Furla products becoming part of women’s daily lifestyles.

Besides China, Indonesia has been a dynamic market for Furla, but currency issues have weighed on the brand’s performance in that country. Poletto describes the Middle East as “phenomenal” in terms of the speed of the region’s development and its “faster pace”.

Opportunities beyond China

Perhaps surprisingly, Poletto calls Japan a “terrific” market for Furla. The country represents 27% of the brand’s business and is its biggest market.

In Thailand, following an agreement with the prestigious Thai partner, Central Marketing Group (CMG), the distribution division of the multinational Central Group, the first Furla flagship store began trading in Bangkok in 2012. And further proof of Furla’s growing presence in the Asia Pacific region was the inauguration of the first mono-brand store in Mumbai, India.

The US makes up only 9% of Furla’s sales, but here again there is a “great opportunity”.

“We are getting organised and we are opening a store in New York next spring 2014. It is located on Fifth Avenue and we are finalising it now,” enthused Poletto, who, before joining Furla, was a member of the executive team and the Board of Retail Brand Alliance Inc, owner of the Brooks Brothers brand, based in New York.

In other retail news, Poletto revealed that a Furla concept store would be opening in London’s Regent Street at the end of November 2013. “This will be a big event in one of the key tourist cities.”

Regarding future company strategy, Poletto said: “It’s time for us to get focused on the countries we’re in. China is an amazing focus for us and the US is a focus, but we need to get deeper and stronger in the markets we’re in.”

Travel retail a top priority

Turning to the travel retail channel, Poletto noted: “Travel retail is absolutely one of our top priorities. We believe in a global shopper and we follow the customer during her journey, at the airport and in our shops. So travel retail is a key strategy. More than 60m Chinese travelled this year so it’s a must.

“Airports have become entertainment centres, not just shopping. It’s all about entertainment when your waiting time is so long.”

Asked about his personal highlight in the past year, Poletto said: “It’s all about the team – it’s a team effort. We look for the long term and we all have that attitude. 90% of our staff live outside Italy and 85% of these work in the stores.

“I love retail and travel; I’m a merchant. I love seeing new shops and concepts.”

Furla fact file

Consolidated turnover: €212m in 2012* (+18%)

Ebitda: 15% in 2012 or €32m* (+28%)

Sales by region:                24% Italy; 76% abroad

Of which:

•             27% EMEA (excluding Italy)

•             27% Japan

•             13% Asia

•             9% US                                                                                                                                                                 

Turnover travel retail: +93% (2012)

Turnover e-commerce: +158% (2012)

Countries in which Furla products are distributed: 91

Mono-brand boutiques: 328, of which 153 direct and 175 franchises

Multi-brand distribution: 1,290 points of sale

Employees: 925 (95% women)

*Forecast at the close of the financial year. 

Airport shopping heaven for fashionistas

Singapore Changi Airport is shopping heaven - the list of brands joining the airport shop roster expands seemingly by the week. 

The latest companies to join the luxury fashion emporium at The Fashion Gallery in Changi’s Terminal 2 are French shoemaker Repetto and Italian accessories specialist Furla. Both brands add to the store’s curated approach that enables shoppers to move seamlessly between their favourite brands. The award-winning store, which boasts some 17 fashion brands, is operated by LS travel retail, which aims to excel in customer service – an area that’s so critical for Asian customers.

Lee Charn Cheng, general manager of LS travel retail Singapore and Malaysia, says: “Asia presents a complex and varied mix when it comes to the combination of nationality profiles and preferences. We are pleased to have Furla and Repetto in our portfolio as they are increasingly sought-after by travellers in Changi Airport Terminal 2. Repetto is a well-known brand among the Indonesians and passengers are constantly attracted to their latest collections. Likewise for Furla, the brand has been growing in recent years with huge demand from passengers, and therefore, together with the support from the vendors, we are able to further enhance and continually refresh the shopping experience.”

Philippe Fontalba, luxury, fashion and accessories director of LS travel retail Asia adds: “We have a mission to make customers feel literally spoilt for choice with our on-trend brand assortment, and Furla and Repetto are welcome additions to the portfolio.”

Repetto at The Fashion Gallery in Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2

Gerry Munday, Furla’s director of travel retail, says Furla’s travel retail turnover has registered significant growth in the past two years. “The growth has been quite phenomenal, increasing by 93% from 2011 to 2012, with the number of doors up from 57 to 120,” she enthuses. “Through the partnership with LS travel retail Singapore, we continue to develop our presence in travel retail with the recent launch at The Fashion Gallery. We are glad to be part of The Fashion Gallery given that the store is a proven success within travel retail in offering a complete shopping experience for travellers to indulge their appetite for luxury fashion brands.”

Guilhem Peña, Repetto’s commercial director, says demand for Repetto’s ballet shoes is increasing in Asia. “Repetto is a worldwide brand which develops exclusive products and we are a luxury brand with increasing demand within the Asia region. We wanted to work with LS travel retail because we share the same strategy, vision and most importantly, LS travel retail encompasses great insights and the knowledge on how to sell the luxury brand. We perceive LS travel retail as a very important partner within the Asia market for the future in the duty-free business.”

Emmanuel de Place, chief operating officer of LS travel retail ASPAC, reveals that following the success of The Fashion Gallery in Singapore, LS travel retail will launch the second Fashion Gallery in Spain by February 2014.

“We are continuing to strengthen our portfolio and strategy in operating luxury fashion boutiques, especially with The Fashion Gallery in Singapore,” says de Place. “It’s an accomplishment to put 17 brands together within our beautiful concept balancing brand expectations on alignment. All the brands are incredibly satisfied about it and the store has won several awards. New launches are an important vehicle for creating excitement in travel retail and we are pleased to have Furla and Repetto on board with us.

“Following the success of The Fashion Gallery in Singapore, LS travel retail will soon be launching the second The Fashion Gallery in Spain by February next year. The Fashion Gallery has established a strategically important presence in Asia and we foresee similar success and development in Europe as well.”