UK/UAE. International multidisciplinary design studio L’Atelier Five has underlined travel retail and duty free as a core strategic focus as it marks its tenth anniversary, positioning the channel as central to its next phase of growth.
Over the past decade, the London- and Dubai-based company has built a global business supporting duty free and travel retail with an end-to-end delivery model spanning design, production, project management, logistics and installation, tailored to the operational intensity of airport environments.
The studio specialises in retail interiors, pop-ups, shop-in-shops, seasonal activations and immersive brand experiences.
L’Atelier Five Founder and Managing Director Saina Attaoui commented, “Travel retail and duty free sit at the intersection of luxury storytelling and operational excellence.
“Airports are among the most demanding retail environments in the world with high footfall, compressed decision windows, strict compliance, complex stakeholder approvals and installation timelines that cannot slip.
“That pressure rewards partners who can deliver creativity with discipline and it is exactly where LA5 performs best.”
She added: “We are experienced in securing multi-stakeholder approvals across brand teams, retailers and airport authorities. We protect the final finish through structured planning, mock-ups, sampling and rigorous quality control.”
Attaoui brings a deep travel retail background, having managed hundreds of points-of-sale globally. This experience has shaped the agency’s approach to international consumer behaviour and the complexities of designing for global audiences.
“Most luxury brands have a travel retail presence, which is why we consider this channel differently with the airport, retailer and shopper in mind,” she said.
Recent travel retail projects include winning a Kyoto Design Award 2025 for the House of Suntory activation created with Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport. The 20sq m installation is located in the South Node Departures area outside the main liquor stores and will run until until the end of January.
L’Atelier Five was a finalist at last year’s DFNI/Frontier Awards and TRBusiness Travel Retail Awards and received an A’ Design Award for its permanent Diageo boutique at Seoul Incheon International Airport.
The store features a fully immersive environment constructed predominantly from sculpted, head-to-toe curved Corian, with integrated lighting and bespoke perforated panels inspired by the brand’s distillery heritage.
Reflecting on the commercial importance of travel retail, Attaoui said: “From a business perspective, travel retail matters because it creates scale and repeatability. When a concept performs in one location, it often needs to roll out across terminals, cities and regions with consistent quality, controlled cost and fast refresh cycles.
“It is also a channel with a clear shopper mission: Gifting, discovery and impulse purchase. When the environment is designed intelligently, it can increase dwell time, improve conversion and lift basket size, while still feeling elevated and content worthy.”
She acknowledged the pressures of operating in duty free and global retail but framed them as a competitive advantage: “If we can translate a brand story, capture attention and create an emotional experience in a fast-moving environment where shoppers are often rushed or stressed, then we know we can deliver anywhere.
“Success in travel retail is when the shopper’s journey shifts from ‘in a hurry’ to ‘I feel something’ and that emotion becomes a purchase and a memorable brand connection.”
Sustainability also remains embedded in the company’s approach, with strict adherence to material guidelines alongside ongoing innovation. “As an agency, prioritising sustainable materials and protecting the environment are part of our ethos.”
Attaoui concluded, “The travel retail channel has taught us to build systems around creativity, durability requirements, airside access constraints, health and safety, and consistent delivery across markets where materials and regulations vary.” ✈
To mark its tenth anniversary, L’Atelier Five has launched its first book, charting the company’s design journey through the perspective of Attaoui. You can purchase a copy via this link.
