USA. Cartier has partnered with DFS Group to unveil a flagship boutique at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), its first airport store on the West Coast. Opened on 31 January, the store marks a key step in Cartier’s global expansion strategy. The brand currently has a presence in 24 boutiques across 19 major airports globally.
Situated within the Tom Bradley International Terminal, the boutique blends Cartier’s elegant aesthetic with a design concept inspired by LA’s multi-faceted character.
Since 2020, Cartier has pursued an ambitious airport expansion plan, positioning itself in key travel hubs across the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania. The initiative seeks to re-imagine a new vision of Cartier airport boutiques as highly curated spaces which express the Maison’s codes, while emphasising sustainability. Notably, this includes working towards achieving LEED certification.
Cartier’s LAX boutique offers a carefully selected range of jewellery, timepieces, fragrances and leathergoods. It is designed to provide an inviting space where travellers can engage with Cartier’s rich heritage and artistry and stand out amid the terminal’s sophisticated retail setting.
The store design integrates elements of Los Angeles’ vibrant culture while staying true to the brand’s timeless aesthetic. The boutique’s exterior features a patterned champagne-gold panel, taking inspiration from California’s coastline.
This motif extends to the interior, where Cartier’s champagne gold is blended with a curated colour palette of sandy neutrals, ocean blues and sunset tones, further reflecting the essence of Los Angeles.
At the boutique’s heart is a striking mural that merges Cartier’s panther emblem with architectural elements synonymous with the city.
“As the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, DFS is proud to strengthen its long-standing partnership with Cartier through the opening of the Maison’s first West Coast airport boutique at DFS Los Angeles International Airport,” commented DFS Group Global President, Merchandising and Marketing Malissa Iannone Akay.
“Our store, located within LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal, is a core long-term investment for the company. It underscores our shared vision in offering discerning travellers access to exceptional and innovative experiences in the selective yet strategic airports.”
Cartier Global Travel Retail Director Virginie Martignac commented: “The LAX boutique opening symbolises our commitment to establishing a strong and balanced presence in key strategic airports worldwide.
“As we celebrate this achievement, we look forward to our collaboration with DFS and LAX to shape the future and immerse luxury travellers in a unique experience that blends the creativity of Cartier with the vibrant essence of LA.”
Cartier North America President & CEO Walter Bolognino added: “We are excited to begin the new year with the opening of a new Cartier boutique at Los Angeles International Airport. Having been home to Cartier for more than 50 years, the Los Angeles community has been – and continues to be – incredibly special to us.
“We look forward to welcoming guests from near and far into our beautiful new space at Cartier LAX.”
In this Q&A, The Moodie Davitt Report speaks with Cartier Global Travel Retail Director Virginie Martignac about the brand’s strategic expansion in the channel, the evolution of its airport boutique concept and the vision of reshaping luxury retailing in travel retail.
How does the LAX boutique fit into your long-term vision of the airport network?
With the LAX boutique opening, we’re proud to have doubled our airport footprint in a short period of time. With the addition of LAX, we are now present in the USA, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania.
This success is a testament to the solid alliance we have with airport authorities, travel retail partners and Cartier markets
Can you share more details about your decision to expand into the Americas and specifically LAX?
As international travel regains its momentum, we see great potential in the US airport retail market.
LAX is considered to be the primary gateway between the USA and Asia and is one of the most prominent airports in the country. With its high-quality volume traffic and state-of-the-art infrastructure, this airport is a key location in our global roadmap.
Can you give us insights into your travel retail expansion roadmap?
Historically, our airport network was primarily focused on Europe and North Asia to capitalise on outbound Chinese tourism. During COVID, we repositioned our priority on strengthening our presence across prominent airports globally. In this period, we debuted our MEIA boutiques at Dubai International Airport and Istanbul Airport, along with our first location in Oceania at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.
We have also expanded into new markets with openings in Italy, Germany and Singapore.
Tell us about the revamped Cartier airport boutique concept initiated in 2020.
With travellers prioritising authentic experiences, we revisited the client journey at our airport boutiques in 2020 and thoughtfully launched a Cartier airport boutique concept. We want to create seamless and meaningful experiences at our airport boutiques to foster long-lasting engagement with travelling clients.
To support this, our airport boutique concept echoes the champagne-gold design seen in Cartier’s downtown locations, successfully bringing this luxury concept into airports’ compact spaces.
Answering the practical needs of travellers, our boutiques are designed with circular, fluid pathways for clients to seamlessly discover the Cartier collection. Each airport boutique is truly one-of-a-kind, featuring personalised décor adapted to its location.
The renovation and relocation of our boutique at Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 2EK last June is a perfect example of the airport boutique concept outcome, and we will continue to have renovation plans in the pipeline in 2025.
Looking ahead, what are Cartier’s plans in travel retail?
Our collaboration with the airports and retailers is the backbone of success to our future strategic roadmap. As we continue to strengthen our presence in strategic airports globally, our ambition is to elevate client experience within luxury retail in the airport.
We go beyond the architectural designs of the boutique; for instance, we are actively working with retail partners to right-skill and upskill sales advisors. The goal is to strive for the same Cartier standard of luxury hospitality clients across our airport network. ✈
