FRANCE. British fragrance house Molton Brown, part of Kao Corporation, is set to debut its latest premium fragrance line, Tea Ceremony at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes (Riviera Village, RE11), alongside other brands from the Kao portfolio.
The beauty group will spotlight its Japanese premium skincare brand Sensai and luxury haircare brand Oribe, bolstering its strategic focus on the high-end beauty sector.
Following double-digit growth in its fragrance business and successful brand activations, Molton Brown aims to extend its travel retail momentum this year with immersive sensorial experiences and a curated portfolio designed for global travellers.
Among the group’s key highlights at Cannes, Molton Brown will unveil Tea Ceremony, a collection that reflects the brand’s ties to Kao’s Japanese roots.
Launching in February 2026, the collection is described as a pivotal moment in the brand’s olfactory evolution. Senior Perfumer Mathieu Nardin shaped the line as a sensorial homage to the Japanese tea ritual.
The fragrance opens with a crisp green freshness, develops through matcha and green tea, and ends on a woody dry-down.
Complementing this launch, Molton Brown will present its best-selling fragrance, body and home collections, with a focus on its signature ‘Cleanse Wear Live’ proposition and fragrance concept.
Expansion in focus
Molton Brown’s travel retail growth is led by fragrance, with +20% year-to-date mix gains and a +2% year-on-year increase, contributing to an overall +14% year-to-date rise in the category.
The fragrance house’s first-half highlights included a Heathrow takeover for the launch of Bluebell & Wild Strawberry, anchored by a new Contentainment site in Terminal 3. The brand amplified its presence with terminal-wide windows, wall wraps and strong placement in the airport’s ‘Best of British’ digital screens.
As part of its Heathrow strategy, the brand refreshed its Terminal 5 boutique, creating a premium environment with a gifting wall, ribbon station and engraving service.
Looking ahead, Molton Brown noted plans to consolidate its travel retail presence by prioritising key locations, maintaining brand awareness and steady performance in the channel.
Molton Brown VP of Global Sales Channels and Strategic Development Anjun Murari said, “As one of the leading global brands in Kao’s global cosmetics portfolio, we are proud to build on a successful year in travel retail, where our focus on fragrance and immersive experiences has truly resonated with travelling consumers.
“The launch last year of our New Brand World has driven real impact in the channel, strengthening our fragrance authority and engaging a broader audience across all platforms.
“We are excited to present the next chapter of Molton Brown’s story at this year’s Cannes show and look forward to reconnecting with our key partners to explore new opportunities.”
With their focus on craftsmanship, sensorial quality and brand heritage, Molton Brown, Sensai and Oribe support Kao’s growth in the luxury segment and capture demand for premium, experience-driven products. ✈
