HAINAN, CHINA. EviDenS de Beauté has partnered with China Duty Free Group (CDFG) to open its largest permanent travel retail boutique at the cdf Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex Global Beauty Plaza (Block C) in Hainan.
The 90sq m flagship offers the complete EviDenS de Beauté portfolio alongside spa services.
The launch marks the brand’s fourth point-of-sale in Hainan and its third with the retailer. It follows a recent opening at Shanghai Pudong Airport in mid-July in partnership with cdf Sunrise Duty Free.
Internationally, the brand has continued to build its domestic and travel retail footprint this year with new department store locations in France and counters at Tokyo Haneda and Narita International airports in Japan. Further openings are scheduled for Singapore Changi Airport and Takashimaya Department Store.
“The boutique combines retail innovation, spa expertise and artistic storytelling in a way that aligns beautifully with Hainan’s evolution as a destination for experiential beauty and wellness”
– CDFG Vice President/Deputy General Manager, Product Merchant Department Dorothy Liu
Described as an “oasis of calm”, the store is located on the second floor of the Global Beauty Plaza. It reinforces the Maison’s spa heritage through an upgraded treatment cabin that offers express facials. Beauty Advisors provide tailored skincare guidance in a dedicated consultation area, supported by curated product storytelling.
The boutique offers limited editions, such as The Special Mask 75ml, as well as a cdf-exclusive travel set featuring bestsellers. Regular in-store activations aim to drive customer engagement and trial.
The store design takes inspiration from EviDenS de Beauté’s French Japanese identity. Paris-based artist Emma Herbin, whose work features in the brand’s spa spaces at Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris and Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, created a hand-painted mural exclusively for the Sanya location.
A handcrafted mosaic of the beauty house’s Château de Montfort home brings the brand’s heritage to life in-store, while a fountain inspired by La Foux Spring Water (pure spring water from Provence) creates another visual focal point.
Together, these details transform the flagship into a living gallery of the Maison’s ‘Art of Saho’ philosophy, combining ritual, science and emotion.
The store was opened with the support of Amberich, EviDenS de Beauté’s local partner in China. Amberich played a key role in site evaluation, coordination with CDFG and operational implementation.
The launch comes one year after EviDenS de Beauté’s first partnership with CDFG and considers the broader shifts in travel retail, particularly the rise of wellness-led and experiential beauty, the brand said. To mark the opening, the Maison outlined three key trends shaping its business in Hainan:
- Sanya as a rising wellness destination: The city is attracting travellers seeking restorative experiences, with recent research indicating that health benefits, destination appeal and social influence are strong motivators for older Chinese visitors (South Eastern European Journal of Public Health – 2024).
- The rise of experiential beauty: Travel retail continues to evolve from transactional retail to multi-sensory engagement. m1nd-set insights indicate that nearly half of travellers view in-store experience as a key purchase driver.
- Demand for exclusivity and personalisation: According to m1nd-set, one-third of global travellers cite “exclusive or different” items as a primary reason for purchase, with exclusivity and convenience proving influential across key shopper groups.
CDFG Vice President/Deputy General Manager, Product Merchant Department Dorothy Liu commented, “CDFG is delighted to extend our partnership with EviDenS de Beauté through the launch of this flagship boutique, which brings a new dimension of sophistication to our beauty portfolio.
“The boutique combines retail innovation, spa expertise and artistic storytelling in a way that aligns beautifully with Hainan’s evolution as a destination for experiential beauty and wellness. Together, we are reimagining how travellers engage with luxury skincare through spaces that inspire, educate and create lasting emotional connections.”
EviDenS de Beauté CEO Jessie Giraud commented, “The opening of our Sanya flagship marks a defining moment for EviDenS de Beauté – both in its global expansion and in solidifying its position within the strategic China Travel Retail market.
“As our largest permanent space in the channel, the boutique represents the strength of our partnership with CDFG and our bold ambition for future global growth. The boutique brings to life everything our Maison represents: artistry, craftsmanship and the harmony of French refinement and Japanese precision. It is an invitation for travellers to experience beauty as a ritual and an emotion, reflecting our mastery of the wellbeing space.”
He added, “We believe in building a meaningful connection with travellers as they seek connection over consumption, and Sanya – with its growing culture of wellness – is the perfect place to express that vision.” 🏝️
