QATAR. Qatar Duty Free (QDF) and Parfums Christian Dior today launched a stunning, world-exclusive Dior Les Parfums Podium at Hamad International Airport (HIA), designed as a tribute to fragrance creation.
The podium, inspired by the love of perfume, holds pride of place alongside the airport’s famous giant Lamp Bear, inviting customers into an immersive and multi-sensorial experience. There they are introduced to Dior places of “inspiration, creation & expertise”.
“Today marks an important milestone as we come together to celebrate a world-exclusive partnership with Dior Parfums.” – Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Akbar Al Baker
The launch was celebrated during an exclusive event at HIA attended by VIP guests and officiated by both Qatar Airways Group and Dior officials.
They included Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker; Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer, Engr. Badr Al Meer; Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh; Dior in-house Perfumer and Creator François Demachy; Dior Travel Retail Senior Vice President Olivier Dubos; and Dior Middle East Travel Retail Director Frank Dagher Hayeck.
The Moodie Davitt Report reported exclusively from the travel retail media. [We’ll bring you a more detailed report in a cover story of the next edition of The Moodie Davitt e-Zine, including an exclusive interview with H.E. Akbar Al Baker).
Dior Les Parfums takes passengers on a journey of discovery to experience the virtual gardens of Grasse, the French Riviera town north of Cannes that is the epicenter of the perfume industry. The installation features a 360° screen, encompassing visitors with fragrant aromas and transporting them to the south of France.
“Parfums Christian Dior and Qatar Duty Free have a connection unlike any other in the travel retail industry.” – Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh
The installation features the full fragrance catalogue from Dior, including Sauvage, Miss Dior, J’adore and the house’s latest 2018 fragrance creation, Joy by Dior. The podium is equipped with wrapping stations, and consultation opportunities with beauty advisors. Passengers are also able to discover other fragrances from the Maison Christian Dior Collection, including the launch of the new Rose Kabuki fragrance.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Akbar Al Baker said: “Today marks an important milestone as we come together to celebrate a world-exclusive partnership with Dior Parfums. At Qatar Airways Group, we take our role in ensuring that the journey is the best part of our passengers’ travel experience very seriously, delivering excellence both on the ground and in the skies.
“With new, innovative and immersive experiences like the one we see here today, it is clear that both Dior Parfums and Qatar Airways Group are organisations whose identities are synonymous with innovation, elegance and firsts.”
“This pop-up is our way of bringing Grasse to people from all over the world who are travelling through this prestigious airport.” – Parfums Christian Dior Senior Vice President of Travel Retail Worldwide Olivier Dubos
Speaking at the ceremony, Parfums Christian Dior Senior Vice President of Travel Retail Worldwide Olivier Dubos noted, “At Christian Dior, we have always loved perfume, and it is part of our history. This is the fourth edition of Dior Les Parfums in partnership with Qatar Airways Group.
“Dior Les Parfums conveys our love for perfume, deeply rooted in the south of France,” Dubos added. “We have the honour today to have with us François Demachy, our Perfumer-Creator, who imagines all our perfumes, being based in the magical region of Grasse, the world capital of Perfumery.
“This pop-up is our way of bringing Grasse to people from all over the world who are travelling through this prestigious airport. We will take them on a sensorial journey of discovery to experience the virtual Grasse gardens, with a 360° screen, encompassing them with beautiful flowers, and living the Dior fragrance experience like nowhere else.”
Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh said: “We are excited to be working alongside Dior to unveil this exclusive experience at Qatar Duty Free. Parfums Christian Dior and Qatar Duty Free have a connection unlike any other in the travel retail industry.
“This launch is yet another step forward in building on our long-standing relationship, with the presence of our honourable guest François Demachy. We look forward to seeing this rose-inspired podium blossom at our home, Hamad International Airport.”
Hamad International Airport Chief Operations Officer Engr. Badr Al Meer said: “With Qatar Duty Free’s extensive portfolio of leading brands, HIA offers retail choices that not only cater to each passenger and their preferences, but also lend personal and memorable experiences. QDF’s partnership with Dior Parfums will do exactly that, offering a retail experience that is exclusive and special to HIA travelers.”
Qatar Duty Free and Dior have successfully launched several podiums at HIA. These included the Dior Les Parfums podium in 2015, which featured 6,000 roses; and a 180sq m wall of flowers in 2016. Earlier this year, Qatar Duty Free launched the Maison Christian Dior boutique located in HIA’s main retail atrium.
The boutique showcases the creations of François Demachy. It is inspired by the idea of embellishing places and moments in life, giving them an identity by dressing them in Dior.
The sensory links between Dior and Grasse
Dior’s love of perfumes is deeply rooted in the South of France. Founder, French fashion designer Christian Dior (1905-1957) sited his home, La Colle Noire, near Grasse, which the LVMH-owned house describes as “the cradle of perfumery and land of flowers”.
Grasse is also at the heart of fragrance creation with Les Fontaines Parfumées, the Dior laboratory. Here François Demachy imagines perfumes that “cross time and ignite the senses”, Dior said.
Close by, in Dior exclusive domains, acres of May Rose and Jasmine Grandiflorum are harvested every morning when the sun rises, and the flowers start to blossom. These flowers are later turned into captivating perfumes.
Qatar Duty Free
QDF boasts over 90 boutiques and luxury stores, as well as more than 30 restaurants and cafés covering 40,000sq m at HIA. Luxury brands include Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Bulgari, Hermès, Burberry, Moncler, Rolex and Harrods.
Regular podiums and pop-up stores are featured, including in recent times the Maison Christian Dior boutique, a Tumi pop-up, the L’Oréal Grand Hotel Podium and the Prada Voyage Podium.
