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Travel retail exclusive: Hippie Chic leather watch bracelet |
UK lifestyle company Breo will launch a full range of its popular Hippie Chic watches along with other lines at this year’s TFWA Asia Pacific exhibition in Singapore in May.
Hippie Chic, the leather watch bracelet introduced exclusively for travel retail, has been well received and achieved extensive listings, according to Breo.
Capitalising on the hippie/boho and stacking bracelet trends, the leather bracelet has an antique-look watch face in various styles and is decorated with metal charms. With a £10 (€13) price tag, Breo claims it offers “something different to other watches on the market”.
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Breo Global Travel Retail Sales Manager Alison Fishwick |
Breo Global Travel Retail Sales Manager Alison Fishwick said: “We’ve already achieved listings with Easyjet, Thomson, Iberia, Air Caraibes, Condor, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air Berlin and, through Iris, nine Turkish airlines.
“As the Hippie Chic was a very late addition to our offer for this year, we’re delighted to have achieved such a great result – and more are waiting on confirmation.
She added: “Easyjet has already asked us to work on a cream version for launch in the summer alongside the current one, which is a great confidence booster for its expected success.”
A full range of Hippie Chic models, including double-packs with an additional bracelet to increase the retail price where necessary, will be launched at TFWA Asia Pacific this year, where Breo is a first time exhibitor.
Breo describes its success with Hippie Chic as “just one excellent result” as its business expands following its first appearance at TFWA World Exhibition last year.
New business has been gained inflight with Aeroflot and Iris for both watches and sunglasses, while Inflight Service Europe has taken on the Roam Twist and three Classic watch models along with Uptone sunglasses and travel speakers.
Breo also noted progress with ground shops – a “new focus” for the company – with listings for the sunglasses range over Easter with The Nuance Group through Zurich, Geneva, Arlanda, Toulouse and Lisbon airports.
“We’re really excited to announce this; it’s a great step forward for our ground store business,” Fishwick said.
Nuance UK has listed Breo sunglasses at its airport stores in Manchester, Cardiff and Prestwick and is now adding watches to the latter two outlets.
“Initial sales of sunglasses have been extremely encouraging and outperforming our expectations, so we’re delighted,” she added.
UK airports Blackpool, Derry, Southend and Norwich plus Condor Ferries are listing Breo products through Ocean Trading, Nuance’s UK wholesale arm.
Fishwick continued: “Ocean Trading has done an excellent job for us over the past year and we’re hoping to double our business with them in 2013.”
She added that business had been gained for watches and sunglasses at airports in Nairobi and Congo through Suzan, while six military bases are now being supplied globally through EsKo.
“Our affordable, bright and fun Breo sunglasses and watches are perfect for the military, either as a treat for themselves or as a gift for someone at home,” she said. The brand is also listed with International Diplomatic Supplies (IDS).
“Last year was tough, but we managed to not only hold our existing listings and increase our business in many areas, particularly for our sunglasses, we (also) took on a number of new airlines, including Saudi Air, significantly improved our business with Asiana and Korean Air and continued to build great relationships with UK airlines. For example we will now have three skus with Easyjet this year.
“With growing distribution on the ground, and several new airlines coming on-stream for 2013, we’re very confident of seeing growth in both volume and value sales this year.
“We’re very much looking forward to exhibiting at TFWA Asia Pacific in May, where we will be introducing further exciting and innovative new lines taking Breo onto another level,” Fishwick concluded.
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Breo Uptone sunglasses have been listed by Inflight Service Europe |
