Grey Goose swings into action in Dubai

Grey Goose released a limited-edition exclusive version of its original vodka to celebrate its sponsorship of the recent Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Bottled at 43%abv and retailing at AED189/US$52.50 (75ml), it was only available at Dubai Duty Free stores. 

Grey Goose Vodka's Dubai Duty Free exclusive on promotion at Dubai International Airport

This was the second consecutive year that Grey Goose had been the official vodka sponsor of the event, which took place from February 17 to 29. Commemorative bottles of the Dubai Duty Free exclusive were produced, designed to create a memento of the occasion. During the promotion, anyone purchasing a bottle of Grey Goose vodka from Dubai Duty Free had the chance to win two of 120 tickets to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.  

Sandeep Chugh, Regional Manager, Middle East and Africa, Bacardi Global Travel Retail, described the partnership with Dubai Duty Free as an end-to-end brand-building opportunity for Grey Goose. The brand sought to engage with consumers at the event itself through a sophisticated cocktail offering, as well as inspire people to purchase a bottle of the limited edition as they passed through Dubai International Airport for home cocktail making.

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman & CEO of Dubai Duty Free, said he was delighted to continue the retailer’s partnership with Grey Goose as the official vodka sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship for the second consecutive year. 

Craigellachie debuts £3,500 whisky at Heathrow

Craigellachie 39 Year Old Single Cask whisky has launched exclusively at London Heathrow Airport, making it the brand’s oldest and rarest bottling available to buy.

Available exclusively at World Duty Free stores in all terminals at Heathrow, all 138 bottles are individually numbered and retail at £3,499.99 (70cl). 

Craigellachie 39 Year Old Single Cask

Distilled in 1980, the whisky was laid down in a refill bourbon hogshead, and in 2019 was singled out by the brand’s Malt Master Stephanie MacLeod for its notes of delicate oak, charred pineapple and toasted cereal. After 39 years of ageing, 138 bottles remain, each bottled from a single cask at 51.5%abv with no caramel colouring added and non-chill filtration.

The launch is supported across several touchpoints, including the airport wi-fi trigger and on digital screens in the World Duty Free stores. Members of the Red by Dufry loyalty programme are offered a special incentive of engraved glasses to members purchasing the product.

Shoppers purchasing the travel retail exclusive are entered into a competition to win a luxury trip to Scotland, including a behind-the-scenes tour of the distillery, which is usually closed to the public. The trip is completed with an overnight stay at the luxury Craigellachie Hotel, renowned as one of the world’s best whisky hotels.

In 2019, Craigellachie increased accessibility to ultra-premium Scotch whisky with the launch of 51 Year Old. It was shared, without charge, with whisky fans around the world via a sell-out free dram campaign in bars across the globe and was not available for purchase.

Now, at Heathrow, anyone making any purchase from the Craigellachie collection (13, 17, 23 and 3 Year Old) in the World Duty Free stores, in Terminal 3 and Terminal 5, can spin the Craigellachie wheel of fortune for a chance to win a dram of 39 Year Old. Other prizes include a collector’s book and pin badges. 

David Hughes, Regional Director Europe, Bacardi Global Travel Retail, said: “First launched in travel retail in 2016, Craigellachie has gone from strength to strength thanks to its multi-award winning success and the following of its many fans who adore its bold character. We are excited to launch the 39 Year Old expression in the luxury retail setting of World Duty Free at Heathrow, giving us the opportunity to share this special release with a discerning, international audience.”

Paul Martin, UK Liquor Category Manager at Dufry, added: “Craigellachie 39 Year Old is a fantastic launch for us and perfectly fits our mission to present rare and exclusive opportunities to our whisky customers.”

Heathrow Retail Director Fraser Brown concluded:  “As the UK’s only hub airport, Heathrow is always proud to showcase the best of Britain in our products. That is why we are so pleased to extend our diverse selection of Scotch whisky and to welcome this exclusive and rare edition of Craigellachie 39 Year Old. Passengers now have another reason to consider Heathrow the world’s best airport shopping experience.” 

MCM donates funds to fight coronavirus effects

MCM has donated 1m RMB ($140,000) to the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation to help fund the psychological reconstruction and living assistance of the young generation in Hubei province when the coronavirus epidemic is over.

The German luxury goods company announced the initiative on February 14 - Valentine’s Day - along with its campaign message “Embrace Faith and Hope”.

In addition, MCM has donated face masks and other medical necessities to the Red Cross Society of Hainan Province through the Sungjoo Foundation and other NGOs to support the prevention and control of the infection in the region and Wuhan hospitals.

“We hope these donations will assist those in need in any way possible, and they will continue to have our support,” said Sung-Joo Kim, Founder, Chairperson and Chief Visionary Officer of Sungjoo Group and MCM Holding AG.

A new decade in rum innovation

Bacardi Añejo Cuatro Sherry Cask is the name of an exciting travel retail exclusive rum, aged under the Caribbean sun for four years before being finished in sherry barrels. 

From January 2020, Bacardi Añejo Cuatro Sherry Cask (40%abv) is available exclusively from Gebr Heinemann airport stores around the world including key locations Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Sydney and Oslo. This versatile premium rum is made for sipping and for elevated cocktails such as the Bacardi Cuatro Highball and the Bacardi Cuatro Mismo.

Bacardi Anejo Cuatro Sherry Cask rum

Crafted in collaboration with the brand’s Maestros de Ron (Master Blenders), the limited-edition aged gold rum features warming notes of grape, raisin, wine, molasses, caramel, plum and oak. The Caribbean climate accelerates the rum ageing process around three times faster than whisky ageing, but with no reduction in quality as the tropical ageing process develops. This four-year aged rum can be compared to a 12yo whisky.

Thomas Koch, Director International Key Accounts, Bacardi Global Travel, said: “Building on our heritage as leaders of rum culture for generations, Bacardi is working tirelessly to bring innovation and excitement to the premium rum category in travel retail. Exclusivity and differentiation from domestic markets are important purchase motivators for rum enthusiasts in travel retail and we are confident they will be drawn to the sherry cask finish in this edition of Bacardi Añejo Cuatro.”

Gebr Heinemann Director Purchasing LTCF Rüdiger Stelkens added: “Bacardi is a key brand for our rum category and we are really pleased to be partnering with Bacardi on another exclusive launch, adding something very special for our customers. I am sure rum lovers will be keen to explore this new sherry edition and to use it to elevate their home cocktail-making.”

Bacardi Añejo Cuatro Sherry Cask retails from €27.90 for a one-litre bottle.

MCM unveils new global retail design concept

German luxury brand MCM has opened a second flagship store in the brand’s birth city of Munich introducing a new global retail concept.

MCM's new retail concept makes its debut in Munich

Global Creative Officer Dirk Schoenberger masterminded the new visual identity with the renowned architecture studio Gonzalez Haase AAS. The architects looked back to the decade of MCM’s origins, the 70s, translating the ethos of the brand into a modern design language, while keeping the interplay between light and architecture at the forefront of their designs.

“Our design relates to the 70s origins of MCM with the strong connection the brand had to the music scene,”  said Gonzalez Haase AAS. “The usage of primary geometric shapes for goods became the formal basic language for the new spaces. The space tries to break from the straight forms and colours used in the luxury industry.”

Classic MCM bag shapes such as round, square, rectangle and triangle are reflected throughout the store. The architecture studio mixed the geometric forms with luxe materials and MCM’s signature colours.

“The new design concept embodies the energy and attitude of MCM perfectly by playing with its strong heritage as well as influences of art, culture and music, offering a modern showcase for our products as well as a contemporary setting for our customers,” said Schoenberger.

Spanning 168sq m, the new flagship store is located in the luxury shopping street Maximilianstraße. The store carries all available MCM AW19 product lines, including the 2020 Chinese New Year collection.

Women are changing the sustainable fashion game

Prominent female leaders have discussed the hot topic of sustainability in the fashion world at a major event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos.

Sung-Joo Kim discusses sustainability in fashion at Davos

The panel discussion, organised by Sung-Joo Kim, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Sungjoo Group and Chairperson of MCM, took place at The Female Quotient’s Equality Lounge. The session, titled "The Future of Fashion: How Women Are Leading the Way in Sustainability", also featured Shelley Zalis, CEO, The Female Quotient; Vanessa Kingori, Publishing Director, British Vogue; Miki Tsusaka, Managing Director & Senior Partner, Chief Marketing Officer, Boston Consulting Group; Marisa Drew, CEO Impact Advisory and Finance, Credit Suisse; and Jeehae Kim, Corporate Sustainability Leader, MCM.

They discussed how fashion can support women as the catalyst for sustainability and heard from mission-driven brands such as MCM that are changing the game.

“Greta Thunberg’s words, ‘You’ve stolen my dreams and my childhood’, went straight to my heart. I’d rather stop my business today if we can’t make a difference. We need to focus on reversing our direction and creating sustainable fashion,” said Sung-Joo Kim, adding: “As a company, we’re working to cut our carbon dioxide emissions in half, as Greta Thunberg has told us.”

Her words came just days after MCM launched its new underwear collection made from biodynamic Egyptian Giza cotton, becoming the first brand to use such an ecological and ethical fabric in this way. The packaging is a reusable, biodegradable EVA pouch with an FSC-certified, recycled paper hangtag.

BCG’s Miki Tsusaka added her voice to the Davos discussion: “As an industry, fashion is a huge offender in terms of sustainability. Brands can’t afford not to listen to the consumer. More than half of consumers care about sustainability from the brands they purchase. The fashion industry is worth $2 trillion. If they invested even just 1% a year, we could get to our 2030 sustainability goals.”

The Female Quotient, which hosted the Equality Lounge at Davos, brings leaders together to activate change through pop-up experiences at conferences, events and college campuses. The movement is described as the largest global community of women in business working together to transform workplace culture.

You can view the full panel discussion at the following link: https://m.facebook.com/FemaleQuotient/videos/319873885571959/

Also attending the Davos summit was Prince Albert of Monaco, a great champion of sustainability as head of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which has donated millions of dollars to environmental projects.

Sung-Joo Kim at Davos with Prince Albert of Monaco, her classmate at Amherst College in 1981

Club kids star in MCM’s Spring/Summer 20 campaign

Luxury fashion brand MCM pays homage to contemporary club culture in its Spring/Summer 20 collection - the first designed by Dirk Schönberger since his Global Creative Officer appointment.

Schönberger marries Munich disco with Berlin’s underground techno in a collection that breaks the rules, the company said.

Club inspiration: MCM's Spring/Summer 2020 campaign

The latest campaign celebrates the seminal moments in sound which defined the brand’s attitude and aesthetics from its creation in Munich in 1976 to 2020 Berlin.

Shot by Lukas Wassman, it stars five “creatives, rebels and starlets” whose inspirations are driven by arts, music and culture. They are singer Daisy Maybe, designer Imran Potato, model Joo Won Dae, rapper Tayahna Walcott and skateboarder Evan Mock.

Tayahna wears MCM's Chinese red trench

The collection spans 70s tailored suiting pieces and exaggerated silhouettes. Key pieces include a high-gloss Chinese red trench that fades to a matte finish and monogram matching sets of contemporary streetwear.

Singer Daisy Maybe

Accessories span classic items as well as unique bag shapes that make their debut in signature Cognac and shades of blue.