JAPAN. Shiseido Travel Retail (STR) has partnered with KIX Duty Free to open a multibrand boutique in Kansai International Airport Terminal 1’s upgraded airside departure area. The store is hailed as Japan’s biggest walk-through airport duty free store.
The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie was on location for the official unveiling of the terminal on 5 December. The expansive commercial offer is run by Kansai Airports Retail & Services with support services from French company Lagardère Travel Retail. Click here for his full report.
KIX Duty Free is home to ten of Shiseido Travel Retail’s brands, marking the company’s largest airport presence in Japan travel retail. These are Shiseido, Clé de Peau Beauté, Ipsa, The Ginza, Elixir, Anessa, Baum, Nars, Issey Miyake and Serge Lutens.
Together, the ten counters span more than 130sq m and make up the largest beauty space within the 2,500sq m store. This represents Shiseido Travel Retail’s biggest Japanese airport retail footprint.
Shiseido Travel Retail said the opening reflects its mission to reach a growing number of Asian travellers through an elevated retail expression of its triple-axis portfolio of skincare, makeup and fragrance brands.
One of the highlights is the introduction of Baum’s first airport counter, which marks a milestone for the sustainable Japanese skin and mind brand. This follows its travel retail debut at Mitsukoshi Ginza Department store in downtown Tokyo last December.
The counter offers a wide range of skin, mind and bodycare products including the Baum Hydro Essence Lotion and Moisturising Oil, alongside eco-friendly reusable tote bags.
Clé de Peau Beauté’s 40sq m counter represents one of Shiseido Travel Retail’s largest spaces at KIX Duty Free. The counter is designed in the brand’s Radiant22 visual merchandising concept and carries its hero skincare and makeup lines including the Supreme Age Artisans and Key Radiance Care collections.
The shopping experience is elevated by Virtual Try-On tool and skin analysis consultations, with participating travellers receiving free skincare samples.
From December to February, Clé de Peau Beauté is running an outpost showcasing its Supreme Age Artisans collection, travel retail-exclusive products and gifts with purchase.
To celebrate the openings, Shiseido Travel Retail’s brands have launched exclusive promotions and limited-time offers, gifts with purchase and an array of travel retail-exclusive products.
These are being promoted via a dedicated display that facilitates cross-brand promotions between Shiseido, Clé de Peau Beauté and The Ginza. The display’s modular design caters for diverse visual merchandising opportunities based on the brands’ different promotional strategies.
STR’s investment comes as Kansai International Airport welcomes more travellers from across Asia including Mainland China, Taiwan and South Korea. According to Japan Tourism Statistics, the country saw 2.52 million travellers in October 2023, exceeding pre-COVID levels for the first time.
Shiseido Travel Retail Japan Vice President Tatsuya Nagai commented: “We are proud to unveil this elevated Japanese beauty experience in the spectacular new-look KIX Duty Free. The thriving rebound in Japan’s tourism sector underlines the revitalisation of the region’s travel industry and fills us with optimism for the future of travel retail in Shiseido’s home country.
“On opening day, we saw double-digit sales growth, an encouraging result which stands as a testament to the value that Shiseido Travel Retail brings to travellers. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to our partner Kansai Airports for making this landmark collaboration possible.” ✈
