“We want to be strong, trustworthy and supportive business partners to the retailers.” |
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Managing Director of Travel Retail/Duty Free Worldwide and Distributor Markets Europe and Middle East Maike Kiessling |
SWITZERLAND. The country might be known for its neutrality, but Switzerland’s best-known premium skincare house, La Prairie, is boldly pinning its colours to the mast in terms of travel retail objectives and general beauty philosophy.
“We are now setting up a real, global travel retail organisation,” confirms Managing Director of Travel Retail/Duty Free Worldwide and Distributor Markets Europe and Middle East Maike Kiessling.
“We have had a fabulous year. And while the [travel retail] business has been important to us for some years, we are now thinking a little bit bigger”¦ We have a business plan until 2010, and the minimum [objective] is to double the business, but in a very qualitative way.”
Key to that expansion will be the creation of more stand-alone flagship stores, such as the debut outlet at Zürich Airport which opened in the second half of 2004. “Travel retail is a window to the world,” observes Kiessling. “We have to look good wherever we are in it.”
And the next key location is in Asia. “Our second stand-alone will open in December at Hong Kong International Airport [HKIA],” Kiessling reveals. “Everyone there is really excited about it. There will be a soft opening in December, followed by the big, official opening at the beginning of January, in time for Chinese New Year.”
HKIA aside, the company has high hopes for London Heathrow Terminal Five, and two other – as yet unspecified – Asian airport locations.
“These airports have said that if we can create such a chic and service-oriented flagship – and deliver such a huge turnover – then they are willing to look into the possibilities,” Kiessling explains.
“The Zürich store is such a profitable enterprise, for us and our retail partners. It’s also been instrumental in attracting new consumers to the brand.
“It is not just a PR enterprise, which in the short term can be OK. In the long term [such an initiative] needs to be profitable, and at Zürich we have been from day one.”
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Kiessling adds: “Also, we really feel that these days a La Prairie customer expects more from a certain kind of travel environment – and that they should be able to get that special La Prairie feeling when they are travelling. Certainly, our customers adore the Zürich stand-alone. We have regular clients who make appointments and are always interested in what we have that’s new. It really is a different world.
“We know that creating stand-alones pays off, because our customers are so loyal. And nowadays our clientele doesn’t travel just once or twice a year; most of them are frequent flyers.”
Like Zürich, the HKIA stand-alone will incorporate a cabin for short treatments, plus a small consultation area. “Basically it will be up to our customers to decide how much privacy they would like to have,” Kiessling notes. “Clients can pre-book appointments, or be seen on the spot – whatever suits them best.”
“What we love about Gebr Heinemann is that not only are they great operators when it comes to logistics, but they are fabulous when it comes to creating.” |
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La Prairie is committed to strengthening retail partnerships through consumer-oriented events and promotions. A prime example is Gebr Heinemann’s Beauty Lounge concept |
But even where individual stand-alones are not possible, La Prairie is committed to strengthening retail partnerships through consumer-oriented events and promotions. A prime example is Gebr Heinemann’s Beauty Lounge concept, which was unveiled in Frankfurt International T1B East in November 2005.
The concept featured make-up and skincare products from three leading international brands: La Prairie, Clarins and Shiseido. They were showcased in a stand-alone, spa-like area, clearly branded as the Beauty Lounge.
In this area, via three Beauty Stations, travellers were treated to complementary hand massages and skin analysis. There was also a professional make-up service point, a separate men’s area and a Fragrance Experience.
The Beauty Lounge is being repeated at Frankfurt this month, and will be rolled out to other locations next year, possibly even on a permanent basis. Gebr Heinemann also plans to install Beauty Lounge Service Points in smaller doors that don’t have the necessary space for the full event.
“We love it when people take the initiative, and if people think consumer,” notes Kiessling. “And what we love about Gebr Heinemann is that not only are they great operators when it comes to logistics, but they are fabulous when it comes to creating.
“So of course we loved the Beauty Lounge idea, even if it meant working with other brands – because consumers are our priority, and Frankfurt’s travellers loved it, which was absolutely key.”
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She continues: “While it is difficult to measure, I am sure that we gained a lot of new clients through this event, people who were maybe a little bit afraid of La Prairie before.
“But the atmosphere of the Beauty Lounge was so welcoming, and not at all intimidating, that it probably encouraged customers to try something different. And that’s one of the reasons why we signed up again for the event.”
And who knows where such support may lead? Frankfurt must surely have potential for a bona fide La Prairie stand-alone, and Gebr Heinemann also has big beauty plans for Copenhagen Kastrup travel retail, which it is scheduled to take over in March next year.
“Frankfurt does have potential,” agrees Kiessling, “and we had planned to open a small shop-in-shop at Copenhagen with [incumbent] Nuance. Negotiations will now have to start again, but the advantage is that we already have a great relationship with Gebr Heinemann and they know perfectly well what we are capable of doing.”
“We are well on the way to becoming a full beauty house, while retaining our expertise in the luxury skincare business.” |
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The company began a completely new chapter in its business history with the 2005 launch of its high-end fragrance, Silver Rain. Pictured is this year’s Holiday limited edition encrusted with over 3,000 Swarovski crystals |
As, increasingly, do many other retailers. “That’s one of the great things about travel retail,” notes Kiessling. “If you do your job well, people repay you for it.
“Once you have proved what you are capable of, then people come to you. So it’s a case of doing your job properly and then the discussions are easy.”
She continues: “We have proved what we can do, and we want to continue with that. We want to be strong, trustworthy and supportive business partners to the retailers. We know that we can offer a different flavour to airports, a real luxury/service approach that works well in a hectic environment.
“We know that we can make consumers feel better about themselves at a time when most of them are stressed. If retailers give us a chance, we will make it happen.”
La Prairie is on a clear evolution curve in travel retail, a development which is matching an in-house evolution in terms of product depth and breadth.
The company began a completely new chapter in its business history with the 2005 launch of its high-end fragrance Silver Rain (which will be extended with a 30ml version next year). Next up is make-up, following a successful UK domestic introduction at Harrods.
Described as an innovative line of luxury treatment cosmetics, the Cellular Treatment Colour Système made its European debut at the store in September. The collection has been available in the US and Canada since 1990.
“We are now watching and analysing this introduction very carefully,” explains Kiessling. “And we are looking for other possible locations in which to roll out a similar flagship installation. Now, a flagship doesn’t have to be domestic; it could be an airport too. But at this stage everything is still very open, with no firm timings behind it.”
She concludes: “We are well on the way to becoming a full beauty house, while retaining our expertise in the luxury skincare business. Our philosophy is to remain a true skincare authority, but to offer fragrance and colour too.”
MORE STORIES ON LA PRAIRIE
La Prairie names new General Manager – 20/11/06
La Prairie poised for second stand-alone opening – 30/10/06
La Prairie and Swarovski sparkle with Silver Rain – 21/09/06
La Prairie introduces Cellular Treatment Colour Système to Europe – 13/09/06
