Estonian distribution specialist Marine City Duty Free has struck a partnership with Italian leathergoods brand Orobianco to distribute its products in travel retail.
Marine City Duty Free was launched in November 2020 by industry expert Aire Kraas, a former buyer at Tallink Duty Free. She started building a portfolio of brands across several categories including Orobianco – the first for the company in the luxury bags segment.
Kraas said: “I started Marine City Duty Free not long after I left Tallink at the end of 2019. In my 13 years as a buyer I came across a lot of brands and I understood what would make or break them in travel retail. With that knowledge in hand, my aim with Marine City is to find interesting and creative products that will appeal to travel retail buyers and, most importantly, to their in-store shoppers.”
She added: “Orobianco will be an excellent addition to the channel. It is a rarity in the accessories segment in that everything is made in Italy and the brand stands out for the skilled craftsmanship in each and every product. Right now, in a post-pandemic market, there has been a rush to quality, with luxury brands like Orobianco seeing high demand.”
Established more than 20 years ago, the luxury goods brand has gained popularity in several Asian markets including Japan.
It claims that all of its products are made using locally-sourced materials and made “on demand.”
For travel retail, Marine City will be focused primarily on unisex crossbody bags that have accessible pricing.
Kraas added: “We have a lot of flexibility in terms of both order volumes and customisation of styles and sizes depending on what retailers want. Buyers will be impressed by the quality of both the materials and designs.”
The agency already works with Nora Norway fashion jewellery and Buckley London jewellery.
It also represents Marmara Sterling, a high-quality jewellery brand, Siena hair accessories from Spain and Mums With Love, a vegan skincare and body care brand. ✈
