Introduction: In this video interview, German fashion designer Philipp Plein discusses the inspirations behind his latest watch line, how he entered the licensing business, the importance of travel retail and how ‘being different’ is the secret to succeeding in the luxury arena.
The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Director Hannah Tan was on location as Philipp Plein hosted a cocktail at ‘La Jungle Du Roi’, the designer’s Cannes villa, to celebrate his eponymous brand’s latest watch, eyewear and fragrance launches on 1 October.
The event marked the launch of the Crypto King watch collection from licensing partner Timex and the fourth fragrance of the ‘NO LIMIT$’ Collection alongside the presentation of the brand’s SM24 eyewear line, produced and distributed by licensing partner De Rigo.
Philipp Plein is known for its innovative shapes, vibrant colour palettes and disruptive concepts. Designs are seamlessly integrated with signature brand motifs such as the Hexagon with PP logo and the skull logo, details that feature in the latest Philiip Plein Tourbillon watch collection.
“I’m very excited about our watch project which we launched two years ago,” Plein says. “We’re launching something new, exciting and very luxurious in this category – the Philipp Plein Tourbillon watch collection, a limited-edition range of only 45 pieces per model.”
Key designs in the range include the Ninja Panda, Kryptonite and Crystal Red Slayer timepieces. Talking about the process and inspirations behind his watch creations, Plein tells The Moodie Davitt Report: “When you create a fashion piece, you have a lot of space to be creative, but when it comes to watches, you must be very precise in terms of brand language.
“When you create a watch, you have a small canvas. We used a lot of detail to bring the Philipp Plein brand to life. Our watches feature plenty of hexagon motifs, from the carbon top rings to the screws. The skull emblem is a key one for the brand and you see that in the design.”
As reported, Duty Free Dynamics is the travel retail distribution partner for Philipp Plein’s fashion watch collection with Timex Group Luxury Division across the Americas, Europe and Africa.
“Timex is one of the biggest players in fashion watches and ours are distributed in over 4,000 points-of-sale across 60 different countries – it has been a huge success,” Plein says.
While the brand started 26 years ago, Plein only started his licensing business in 2020, with travel retail quickly becoming one of the fastest-growing divisions.
“We started our licensing business quite late but today, we have 13 licences under our umbrella from golf in Korea to wallpaper in Italy,” he explains. “Within that, travel retail is one of the most important channels in terms of visibility.”
“I recently opened a standalone boutique in Frankfurt, Germany’s biggest airport, which offers all our categories from fashion and eyewear to watches and fragrances so travellers can experience the Philipp Plein brand universe directly.
“In travel retail, you meet people from all over the world,” he adds. “In what other channel would you have this kind of visibility and exposure than at an airport where people from all over the world come together.
“Travel retail doesn’t only give you exposure it also gives you access to an international audience. It doesn’t get more global than this. And of course, travel retail is a business. All this makes the channel a very interesting opportunity for Philipp Plein.”
Commenting on what sets Philipp Plein apart from other luxury brands today, the designer says: “Philipp Plein is luxury but it’s playful luxury. We are a different breed. We do luxury for a discerning few; we want to be different, we are born to be different and that is our success story.
“How do you succeed in a world full of mature brands and noble groups? You must be different in terms of product and positioning and that’s what we are.”
NO LIMIT$ PLATINUM
During the event, Plein introduced NO LIMIT$ PLATINUM, the latest addition to his fragrance line which represents his modern vision of masculinity.
Crafted by renowned Master Perfumer Alberto Morillas, the eau de parfum builds on the NO LIMIT$ concept, incorporating platinum as a symbol of strength. It combines traditional aromatic fougère elements with contemporary, intense notes.
NO LIMIT$ PLATINUM opens with fresh notes of mandarin and aldehydes. The heart reveals a blend of sage, silver pine and lavender, while the base features musk, ambrox and patchouli.
It targets a niche audience looking for an assertive and refined scent experience, the brand says. The collaboration aligns with Plein’s distinctive luxury branding and positioning in the market, underscoring the brand’s focus on quality ingredients and craftsmanship. ✈
