Luxury
Coverage from the Luxury desk.
Mondelez travel retail chief says confectionery's 8% purchase rate is a relevance gap, not a demand gap
Mondelez World Travel Retail's Joost Rosmuller argues that with 91% of consumers snacking daily but only 8% buying confectionery in duty free, the industry's challenge is engagement rather than appetite. He points to a projected duty-free market of US$87 billion by 2031 as room to grow.
Brunello Cucinelli Opens Three-Storey Casa Cucinelli in Shanghai's Jing'an District
Brunello Cucinelli has opened Casa Cucinelli at the China Resources Centre in Shanghai's Jing'an district, a three-floor space built around the idea of an Italian home rather than a conventional boutique.
Kayali Enters China With 300-Door Sephora Exclusive
Dubai-based fragrance label Kayali has made its China debut through an exclusive rollout with LVMH-owned Sephora, spanning more than 300 stores alongside a founder-led push. The launch, two years in the making, starts with seven signature scents and expands to nine more in November.
London EDITION leans on design, dining and culture to stand out in luxury hotel market
Source signal: In conversation with Paul Walters, General Manager, The London EDITION (Exclusive Interview)
Ennismore plans Delano London opening for early 2027
Delano London will open in early 2027 overlooking Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, bringing the Delano brand to a neighbourhood of Victorian buildings and embassies. The hotel will feature a wellness-focused Source by Delano, a members club and a curated art collection.
UAE Hotels Lean on India, China and Russia as Long-Haul Demand Stalls
Hoteliers across the United Arab Emirates are refocusing on travellers from short-haul markets to rebuild occupancy after Middle East unrest and higher airfares deterred long-haul, high-spending guests.
PS CEO Amina Belouizdad Porter on Private Terminals and the Value of Restraint
PS runs private airport terminals that let commercial flyers bypass the public concourse, a model built on a 90-minute window and roughly a decade of regulatory groundwork. Chief executive Amina Belouizdad Porter says protecting guests' attention is more valuable than monetizing it.
Tom Ford Fashion Adds Three U.S. Boutiques in California and Florida
Tom Ford Fashion has opened three directly operated stores in San Diego, Costa Mesa and Bal Harbour, lifting its U.S. retail network as the brand's chief executive calls America a key growth engine.
Ospree Duty Free Takes Double Gold at Spiritz Achievers' Awards 2026
Ospree Duty Free, operated by Mumbai Travel Retail Limited, won two gold honours at the Spiritz Achievers' Awards 2026 for its Chivas Regal 15 Year Old launch activation with Pernod Ricard and its 'Spirit of India' initiative with House of Rampur.
Loro Piana Opens Two-Floor Boutique on Vienna’s Kohlmarkt
Loro Piana has moved its Vienna boutique to Kohlmarkt 6, opening a two-floor store that combines the Italian brand’s heritage with a warm, residential feel.
Augustinus Bader Opens Three-Room Spa at The Mark on Manhattan's Upper East Side
The prestige skincare brand's first spa inside The Mark will offer facials, red light therapy, medical-grade compression boots and a hyperbaric chamber across three treatment cabins when it opens in mid-November.
Zenith Proposes High-End Pivot With Up to 200 Job Cuts and Retail Exit by 2029
LVMH-owned Zenith Watches has opened a staff consultation on a strategic repositioning toward higher-priced watches, a plan that could remove up to half its Swiss workforce and roughly 100 international roles. The brand also intends to discontinue many collections and wind down its retail operations by 2029.
Bar Camillo to Open in Rosewood Hong Kong, Uniting Two No. 1 Hospitality Names
Bar Camillo, a new Hong Kong bar linked to Bar Leone, will open inside Rosewood Hong Kong on November 25, pairing the world’s top-ranked bar with the world’s top-ranked hotel.
Montblanc and Gassan open redesigned boutique at Amsterdam Schiphol
Montblanc has opened a 35sq m redesigned boutique in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol's Terminal 2 transit area with retail partner Gassan, offering writing instruments, leather goods and Swiss-made timepieces.
St. Regis Marbella Las Dunas to Open in 2031 With 169 Rooms, 151 Residences
Source signal: St Regis Marbella Las Dunas to open 2031
Hermès nine-month revenue up 2.9% as leather goods offsets regional softness
Hermès reported a 5.5% rise in third-quarter revenue to €4.096 billion, lifting nine-month sales to €12.26 billion, up 2.9%, as leather goods demand in the Americas, Europe and Japan offset weakness in the Middle East, watches and ready-to-wear. Shares nevertheless fell 8.1% to €1,247.50 in Paris.
L’Oréal Q3 sales rise 7.7% to $39.6B, led by professional and dermatological beauty
L’Oréal Groupe reported a 7.7% increase in third-quarter sales to $39.6 billion, with CEO Nicolas Hieronimus pointing to innovation-driven gains in hair care, fragrances and skin care. Professional products and dermatological beauty posted the strongest divisional growth.
Kering Q3 revenue slips 1% as Gucci decline deepens to 6%
Kering reported third-quarter revenue of 3.35 billion euros, down 1 percent on a comparable basis, while flagship brand Gucci fell 6 percent at constant exchange rates and missed analyst expectations.
Prada Group Nine-Month Revenue Climbs 12% to €4.54 Billion as Miu Miu Cools
Prada Group reported a 12% rise in first nine-month revenue to €4.54 billion, lifted by the addition of Versace, while growth at its Miu Miu label decelerated.
Swiss watch exports up 2.7% to $23.6bn in first nine months of 2026
Swiss watch shipments rose 2.7% to 19.5 billion francs ($23.6 billion) in the first nine months of 2026, as September marked a fifth consecutive month of growth on strong US and European demand.
daa International Wins Contract for VIP Terminal at Washington Dulles
daa International has been awarded a contract to develop, lease and operate a 37,000 sq ft VIP passenger terminal at Washington Dulles International Airport, with initial design visuals showing luxury-led interiors and private security screening.
China's 300-Year-Old Beaded Lanterns Pair Qing Craft With a Cyberpunk Glow
Traditional Chinese beaded lanterns, known as zhu deng, have glowed for roughly three centuries and were named intangible cultural heritage in 2009. Artisans still thread glass, jade and precious stones onto bamboo and twine frames, though the painstaking craft is slowly fading.
Cheval Blanc Courchevel to add two private chalets in December 2026
Cheval Blanc Courchevel will open two private chalets in December 2026, bringing a residential model to its luxury hospitality offer in the French Alps. The five- and nine-bedroom properties reinterpret alpine architecture with ochre façades, charred timber and interiors shaped by architect Peter Marino.
Kempinski CEO Barbara Muckermann Exits as Six Other Senior Executives Depart
Barbara Muckermann has left her role as chief executive of Kempinski alongside at least six other C-suite executives at the 74-property luxury hotel group. The departures come as the company's Bahraini-controlled shareholders weigh a possible sale.
Celebrity Facialists Detail Skin Prep for Academy Museum Gala and Victoria’s Secret Show
Celebrity facialists Mimi Luzon, Keren Bartov and Shani Darden used high-tech devices, precious-metal masks and targeted treatments to ready stars including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Demi Moore and Adriana Lima for two Los Angeles events.
The Plaza Hotel in New York to Shut for at Least Four Years for Facade Restoration
The Plaza Hotel in New York will close for at least four years to repair and restore its historic facade, with planning and stakeholder coordination still under way.
Vietnam Duty Free opens at Hanoi's Noi Bai as Western Sydney and Paris retail plans take shape
Vietnam Duty Free has inaugurated its store at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, headlining a trio of travel retail developments that also includes the retail build-out at Western Sydney International Airport and a spirits collaboration at Paris Charles de Gaulle.
The Knox, Auberge Collection sets January 2027 opening in Dallas
Auberge Collection has opened bookings for The Knox, a new urban hotel on Dallas's Knox Street set to welcome guests from January 29, 2027, with interiors by Martin Brudnizki.
China's Golden Week travellers stretch trips longer but stick to value
Chinese holidaymakers are extending Golden Week itineraries, with longer hotel stays and multi-destination trips rising sharply, yet pre-holiday bookings show a continued focus on value over luxury.
Zhuhai Duty Free Reopens Expanded Arrivals Store at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port
Zhuhai Duty Free has reopened its arrivals duty-free outlet at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge's Zhuhai-Hong Kong Port after relocating and expanding the space, adding categories and speeding up checkout for travellers arriving from Hong Kong.
Brunello Cucinelli lifts 2026 outlook after 13.5% third-quarter revenue gain
Brunello Cucinelli raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth guidance to around 12% at constant exchange rates after third-quarter sales rose 13.5%, bucking a wider luxury slowdown.
Centara Shifts to Asset-Light Hotel Growth With Large Investors
Centara Hotels & Resorts is moving toward an asset-light expansion model, seeking multi-property partnerships with large investors to grow internationally without expanding its own balance sheet. The Thai operator, part of Central Group, aims to double in size while adding managed hotels rather than owned assets.
Porsche Macan Turbo EV pairs 630 hp with a low-key crossover shape
The 2026 Porsche Macan Turbo EV is a two-row electric crossover with 630 horsepower and a 100-kilowatt-hour battery. Its performance drew praise in city, suburban and winding-road driving even as its styling attracted little attention.
Beauty brands push products into public view as wearables, from lipstick hair pins to gloss phone cases
Beauty companies are designing products meant to be worn and shown off rather than kept in a bathroom cabinet, following Rhode's viral lip gloss phone case in 2024. Givenchy's latest Paris runway put powder compacts on belts and lipstick tubes in hair.
ORA Hospitality to Launch Ultra-Luxury Brand With €100 Million Mykonos Resort in 2027
ORA Hospitality, the design-led hotel arm of ORA Developers, is launching a new ultra-luxury hospitality and lifestyle brand whose first property will open on Mykonos in May 2027. The €100 million resort above Kalo Livadi Bay will carry 93 keys, four restaurants and bars, and a 900-square-metre wellness centre.
Porsche Reveals Mission S Mid-Engined Supercar Concept
Porsche has unveiled the Mission S, a mid-engined super sports car concept that revisits the brand's racing heritage while keeping its digital interior deliberately restrained. The study signals the design language Porsche plans to carry into future models and hints at a possible supercar slot above the 911.
De Beers London reopens renovated Madison Avenue flagship in New York
De Beers London has reopened its renovated 2,156-square-foot boutique on Madison Avenue, bringing a retail concept already deployed in Paris and Hong Kong to the U.S. market. The company reports double-digit sales growth since the reopening.
St. Regis Budapest Occupies Restored Klotild Palace Landmark
The St. Regis Budapest sits inside the Belle Époque Klotild Palace, a UNESCO-protected monument in the Hungarian capital, offering 63 rooms and 39 suites. Rooms and suites rank among the largest in the city, with the two-bedroom Presidential Suite spanning more than 169 square metres.
Altavia Travel Retail White Paper Charts Shift From Indian Passenger Traffic to Spending
Altavia Travel Retail has published a white paper on how airports, retailers and brands can convert India's fast-growing traveller base into sales, pointing to a projected fourfold rise in Indian spending across Asia Pacific travel retail between 2025 and 2035.
Maldives Private Island Tied to Baccarat Residences Hits Market at $72 Million With USDC Payment Option
A private island at the southern edge of the Baccarat Maldives main island is being offered with four furnished four-bedroom villas priced at $72 million in total, with cryptocurrency holders able to pay in the USDC stablecoin.
Raffles The Red Sea Opens With 168 Keys on Shura Island
Red Sea Global has opened Raffles The Red Sea, bringing the Raffles brand to the Saudi Arabian coastal destination with 121 rooms, 14 suites and 33 private villas.
Douglas Group Names New CEO
Source signal: Douglas Group Names New CEO
Chanel bags command above-retail prices on the resale market, Fashionphile report finds
Pre-owned buyers are paying premiums of 13% to 15% above retail for several Chanel bag lines, according to luxury re-commerce platform Fashionphile, which also ranked the year's top-selling bags, shoes, watches and jewelry.
TREX Awards 2027 opens entries in hunt for travel retail-exclusive standouts
Submissions have opened for the third edition of the TREX Awards, a global cross-category programme honouring travel retail-exclusive products and initiatives. Entries close on 8 January 2027, with results due in the first quarter of the year.
DuVine Bets Luxury Travelers Want the Effort Back
DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. runs bicycle journeys through Burgundy, Tuscany, Mallorca and the Dolomites, wagering that high-end travelers are trading the frictionless cocoon for sweat, hills and sensory immersion.
Aspire Debuts Dual-Tier Lounge at Vilnius Airport as Swissport Takes Over Operations
Swissport-owned Aspire Pre-Flight Hospitality has opened a refurbished lounge at Vilnius Airport, bringing its premium Luxe by Aspire concept to Lithuania for the first time. The site is the country's first dual-tier airport lounge proposition housed in a single space.
St. Regis Budapest Concierges Chart an Art-and-Antiques Route Through the City
The newly opened St. Regis Budapest has assembled a set of off-the-beaten-track recommendations for the Hungarian capital, spanning an antiques street, a Neo-Baroque library and an Art Nouveau memorial.
China's Heritage Carpets Return to the Mainstream as Modern Brands Court Younger Buyers
Tibetan, Ningxia and Beijing carpets are moving back into the mainstream as contemporary brands bring traditional Chinese carpet making to younger consumers.
Estée Lauder Cos.' Defining Beauty Innovations, From Double Wear to Santal 33
A look at eleven breakthroughs from the Estée Lauder Cos. portfolio, spanning skincare, makeup and prestige fragrance. The list runs from a fragrance-free, dermatologist-developed cleansing trio to Le Labo's Santal 33.
Fake Hotel Challenge Videos Promise Millions, and Resorts Are Fielding the Calls
Social media accounts are circulating bogus promotions offering guests thousands or even millions of dollars for month-long stays at luxury properties. For hotels, the clips are cheap to make and costly to answer.
LVMH logs weaker-than-expected Q3 as fashion and leather sales fall 5%
The world's largest luxury group posted 1% organic sales growth for the third quarter, missing analyst expectations, as demand weakened for its biggest fashion and leather brands.
Tivoli Avenida Liberdade in Lisbon Reveals Remodelled Rooms and Suites
The Lisbon luxury hotel, a fixture on Avenida da Liberdade since 1933, has unveiled redesigned rooms and suites shaped by Portuguese craftsmanship and a palette drawn from the city itself.
Mandarin Oriental Adds 12 Private Homes, Taking Exceptional Homes Collection to 43
Mandarin Oriental's curated private vacation home portfolio has grown by twelve properties, reaching 43 Exceptional Homes across 18 destinations. The new additions span Croatia, Greece, Italy, Spain and Thailand.
Singapore Tourist Arrivals Surge 29% While Retail Sales Stay Flat
Tourist arrivals to Singapore averaged about 29% above second-quarter levels in July and August, but average monthly retail sales ran only 2.9% higher as shoppers on both sides of the market held back, CGS International said.
Lisa Eldridge's 5,000-Piece Vintage Makeup Collection Takes Up Residence in a London Museum
Makeup artist and entrepreneur Lisa Eldridge has built a private museum inside her London studio to house a vintage cosmetics collection of more than 5,000 pieces, assembled over three decades.
China's Coffee Giants Trade Hyper-Expansion for Premium, Tailored Stores
Luckin Coffee and Starbucks China are easing off breakneck store growth and a 9.9 RMB price war in favor of premium, scenario-based cafés built around local culture. The pivot follows young Chinese consumers' growing appetite for slower, tactile experiences.
Aerin and Jane Lauder on Building Businesses and Estée Lauder's Legacy
Aerin Lauder's beauty and lifestyle brand will mark its 15th anniversary next year, while Jane Lauder has launched TAW Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on pet care. The two granddaughters discuss the business lessons they drew from their grandmother, Estée Lauder.
Thierry Guibert returns to Lacoste as CEO after Eric Vallat's exit
Lacoste has named Thierry Guibert as chief executive after Eric Vallat left the French fashion house late last week, with no reason given for the departure. Guibert previously ran the brand for more than a decade.
Copacabana Palace Unveils Five-Storey Wellness Club With Latin America's First Dior Spa
Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Rio de Janeiro will open a five-storey Wellness Club on 3 November 2026 alongside the grand reopening of its Pool Wing, anchored by Latin America's first Dior Spa.
Montblanc returns to Singapore Changi with Terminal 1 boutique alongside Gassan
Montblanc has opened a boutique at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 in partnership with retail partner Gassan, marking the Maison's return to the Southeast Asian gateway.
The Webster Covent Garden opens as brand's first London lifestyle hotel
The Webster Covent Garden has begun welcoming guests, launching The Webster as a new design-forward lifestyle hotel brand in London with 167 bedrooms overlooking Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Alaïa Opens First Brazil Boutique at Shopping Cidade Jardim in São Paulo
Maison Alaïa has opened its first store in Brazil, a boutique at Shopping Cidade Jardim in São Paulo designed with Swedish architecture studio Halleroed. The Richemont-owned French maison operates 29 stores globally.
Francesco Roccato Returns to Puente Romano Marbella as General Manager
Francesco Roccato has been appointed General Manager of Puente Romano Marbella, returning to the Spanish resort where he previously helped open Nobu Hotel Marbella in 2016.
Movado Agrees to Sell 95% of Ebel for $66.5 Million to F.P. Journe-Led Group
Movado Group has entered a binding agreement to sell 95 percent of watchmaker Ebel to a group led by F.P. Journe, with Chanel and industry veteran Pierre Jacques participating. The $66.5 million deal is expected to close within the next few months.
Airbnb Moves to Revive Luxe Program for High-End Homes
Airbnb plans to restart a luxury accommodations push that the pandemic halted in 2020, with CEO Brian Chesky telling hosts at an invitation-only summit in San Francisco that the company intends to rebuild and grow the program.
Fairmont New Orleans Sets November 2026 Debut and Opens Reservations
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, part of Accor, has begun taking bookings for stays from November 2, 2026 at Fairmont New Orleans, its 19th property in the United States. The 250-room hotel will occupy 17 floors of a 31-story landmark in the city's former Bank of New Orleans building.
Simu Liu Marries Allison Hsu in Private French Ceremony
Marvel actor Simu Liu, 37, and Interscope Records digital marketing director Allison Hsu, 30, have married in France, a little over a year after becoming engaged in Paris.
Belstaff lifts 2025 turnover 3.8% to £56.7m as gross margin improves
Belstaff's turnover rose 3.8% to £56.7 million in the full year 2025 and its gross margin climbed to 29.4%, even as the outerwear brand swung to an operating loss of £3.7 million.
Barrie Unveils Damien Hirst Capsule of Spot and Butterfly Knitwear
Chanel-owned knitwear house Barrie has launched a collaboration with artist Damien Hirst, spanning numbered zip-up and round-neck knits, hoodie-and-pants sets and a blanket. The pieces are knitted at Barrie's mill in Hawick, Scotland, and roll out through Barrie.
TimeVallée Opens 230 sq m Watch Boutique at Cairo's Downtown Katameya Mall
Richemont-owned TimeVallée has opened a 230 sq m luxury watch boutique at Downtown Katameya Mall in Cairo, bringing together maisons including Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen and Jaeger-LeCoultre under one roof.
Hong Kong visitor arrivals forecast to hit 59 million in 2026 as retail sales rise 9.7%
Hong Kong retail sales climbed 9.7% year-on-year to about $25.9b (HK$203b) in the first half of 2026, with visitor arrivals projected to grow 18% to 59 million for the full year.
TWG Tea Opens 2,700sq ft Tea Gallery Flagship at Singapore Changi Airport
TWG Tea has unveiled its largest global flagship, the TWG Tea Gallery, in Changi Airport Terminal 3. The 2,700sq ft store sits under a 23-foot-high ceiling and is billed as the brand's most ambitious retail expression to date.
CVH Spirits puts Bunnahabhain The Uncharted Coast range in Cannes spotlight
CVH Spirits has showcased its travel retail-exclusive Bunnahabhain The Uncharted Coast collection at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, with the four-expression range including two new releases.
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair GM Hemal Jain Says Hospitality Is Fundamentally About People
Hemal Jain, general manager of Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, traces his draw to the industry to its human core, and explains why London's Mayfair district justified a second Mandarin Oriental property in the capital.
Paris Fashion Week: Balenciaga Goes Under the Sea, Icicle Turns to Colour
Source signal: Paris Fashion Week: Balenciaga’s chic corals, Icicle embraces colour
Dua Lipa's Skincare Line With Augustinus Bader Opens First Permanent Boutique in Paris
Dua Powered by Augustinus Bader Science, the skincare brand from Dua Lipa and Augustinus Bader, is opening its first standalone permanent store beside the Palais-Royal in Paris. The 215-square-foot boutique opens on Saturday.
Aeffe Confirms €115 Million Oxy Capital Bid as Restructuring Advances
Italian fashion group Aeffe has received a bidding offer of approximately €115 million from Oxy Capital under its negotiated crisis settlement procedure, with the deal now structured around three newly created operating companies.
Patek Philippe Opens Milan Grand Exhibition With Seven New References
Source signal: Patek Philippe launches seven new watches in Milan at Watch Art Grand Exhibition
Schiaparelli Pushes Ready-to-Wear at Louvre as Rick Owens Swaps Black for Stone
On day four of Paris Fashion Week, Schiaparelli showed in the Louvre’s Cour Carrée courtyard with a mix-and-match collection, while Rick Owens moved away from jet-black leather and latex toward mineral, stone-inspired hues.
Mithridate Reworks 1980s London Club Culture for Spring/Summer 2027 Runway
Guangzhou-founded label Mithridate used its London Fashion Week showing to unveil a spring/summer 2027 collection built on the British capital's 1980s club scene, as the brand pursues expansion in Europe.