FRANCE. Clarins Group is gearing up for a busy year of launches across its beauty portfolio. And the group is reiterating its commitment to the travel retail channel with a series of initiatives that will take the exclusives concept a significant step further.
The Clarins brand will build on its body care offer this semester with the global roll-out of a new slimming product, called High Definition Body Lift. “This is a major launch for us,” General Manager Travel Retail Worldwide Béatrice Heudier told The Moodie Report.
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Clarins aims to further strengthen its slimming business this year with the launch of High Definition Body Lift |
“We are already very strong in the slimming segment, with around 50% market share. This new introduction will allow us to further grow that business.”
Still within body care, there will also be new bust care extensions, namely Bust Beauty Extra-Lift Gel and Bust Beauty Firming Lotion. “This segment performs especially well in Asia,” Heudier noted, “where such products feature in our top 20 best-sellers.”
Meanwhile in make-up, the latest collection is called Nature Temptations. Key items include the Eye Colour Palette, which features six vibrant shades to mix and match for a variety of looks, an applicator and an integral mirror.
“We are trying hard to create new, exclusive items with which to tempt travellers. This is particularly important when currency fluctuations make the domestic market more competitive”¦ Certain currency situations – such as the Pound/Euro near parity – are a big challenge.“ |
Clarins Group General Manager Travel Retail Worldwide Béatrice Heudier |
As previously reported, Clarins also extended its foundation offer in the first quarter, with the introduction of Super Restorative Foundation True Lift SPF15, which is targeted at women over 50.
Another key development is the revamp of the Clarins Men collection. The line now includes two specific age control programmes that combine face and eye contour care. Two products are aimed at consumers aged 30-45; with a further three products created specifically for men aged 45-50.
“These products feature revamped packaging, with clear [pictorial] graphics that help explain quickly and clearly what each product is designed to do,” Heudier explained.
“We have also created a new advertising campaign, with new models, but which has kept elements of the original campaign which supported the launch in 2003…The Clarins Men collection is an important one for us in travel retail, given the amount of male passengers handled by the channel.”
Clarins has long supported travel retail with innovative exclusive offerings, and this strategy is set to continue with the latest instalment of the brand’s “Beauty Take-Away” gwp programme.
New themed sets in “suitcase-style” packaging, which each evoke a particular city, will be offered to travellers to choose from, subject to a qualifying spend of around €90. Examples include Glamour Escapade (Paris), Non-Stop Beauty (New York) and Exotic Serenity (India).
“We are trying hard to create new, exclusive items with which to tempt travellers,” noted Heudier. “This is particularly important when currency fluctuations make the domestic market more competitive. Rather than decrease our travel retail prices, we prefer to experiment with other incentives, such as this.” She added: “Certain currency situations – such as the Pound/Euro near parity – are a big challenge.”
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Clarins’ new bust treatment duo and an eye care product from the revamped Clarins Men collection | |
On the fragrance front, there is plenty of activity planned for both the first and second semester.
Within Thierry Mugler, both Angel and Alien are being updated for the spring/summer season with SunEssence Eau de Toilette Legere limited editions. Each features a lighter edt juice more appropriate for summer use.
The Angel SunEssence fragrance is presented in a new 50ml star flacon, and will retail at around 20% less than the original. Alien SunEssence will be presented in a bright, citrine (yellow) reinterpretation of its predecessor.
“In travel retail, to help consumers sample certain scents quickly and easily, we have created an on-pack “˜olfactory zone’,” noted Thierry Mugler & Azzaro Brand Manager Operational Marketing – Travel Retail Europe Massimiliano Giordano-Don.
“Cockpit will be extended to all travel retail operators from 1 July, at which time Aelia will introduce a new exclusive, our third such item [from Azzaro]. |
Thierry Mugler & Azzaro Brand Manager Operational Marketing – Travel Retail Europe Massimiliano Giordano-Don |
This comprises a scented card placed within the outer carton, which features a cut-out panel that allows travellers to “scratch and sniff” the fragrance within. After purchase, the card can be removed to scent clothes drawers, handbags or bed linen.
Arguably the big news, however, is that Mugler is poised to step up its entire presence in the channel, with the creation of a travel retail collection of 13 different sets. “Instead of just exclusives, we are creating our own different world,” declared Giordano-Don.
“Each set will carry a new Thierry Mugler logo, which incorporates a special wings emblem, that can be replicated on brooches, sunglasses and (beauty advisor) uniforms. This will be the starting point for a new Thierry Mugler universe.”
Each travel retailer will be able to mix and match to create their own preferred selection from the 13 sets available.
Giordano-Don added: “It’s important that as a brand, Thierry Mugler stays avant-garde and continues to surprise consumers and provoke strong reactions.”
Meanwhile, Azzaro continues to perform well in travel retail, particularly in terms of its travel retail exclusive fragrances. In 2008, men’s scent Cockpit was introduced exclusively in French travel retailer Aelia’s store network. It was the second collaboration between Aelia and Azzaro, following the 2006 launch of the Jetlag edt, which was also an Aelia exclusive.
“Cockpit will be extended to all travel retail operators from 1 July,” revealed Giordano-Don, “at which time Aelia will introduce a new exclusive, our third such item.
“It’s been a very successful initiative. Cockpit was selling more than 3,000 pieces a month at launch.”
Later this year Clarins Group will also highlight its Azzaro pillars through a generic animation code-named “Big is More”.
In other news, Porsche Design The Essence will be extended with three new travel retail exclusives this year. There will be two deodorant duo sets: an 80ml plus deo stick, and an 80ml plus deo spray.
“There will also be a duo set featuring a new 30ml bottle design,” revealed Giordano-Don. “The set will contain 2 x 30mls for the equivalent price of a 50ml.”
Looking further ahead, he confirmed that the first Swarovski fragrance is slated to appear in 2011. And the third feminine fragrance from Thierry Mugler will be unveiled next year.
MORE STORIES ON CLARINS GROUP
Clarins offers gentle cleansing and a True Lift – 19/01/09
Clarins Group set to de-list from Stock Exchange – 24/09/08
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