After a four-year absence from the TFWA World Exhibition, VF Corporation marked its post-pandemic return with a refined focus on its Kipling and Eastpak brands, emphasising the company’s commitment to re-engaging with the industry.
VF Corporation debuted its Eastpak brand, established in 1952 as a manufacturer of military-grade packs and duffels and now known for durability.
Eastpak presented key products, including the Day Pak’r, Tecum, Tarp Travelpack and the recently launched Resit’r Case. These highlights showcased Eastpak’s commitment to durability, functionality and style, aligning with its ‘Built To Resist’ motto.
Kipling, founded in 1987 in Antwerp, returned to the TFWA World Exhibition with a collection focused on modern travel needs. Known for lightweight bags and accessories, the brand showcased its latest range of luggage, backpacks and crossbody bags.
Its signature furry monkey symbol, reinforcing Kipling’s heritage and brand identity, was also prominently featured.
VF Corporation’s return to Cannes is part of the company’s wider ‘Guess Who’s Back’ travel retail campaign. Commenting on the strategy, VF Corporation Sales Director Thomas Falcy said: “The message of our Cannes presence was really ‘Guess who’s back?’ in travel retail. Because we are back and investing in the channel, consolidating existing locations and spaces.
“We also want to look at new opportunities to expand our reach and presence, because we know that we still have so much more to offer.
“We are managing a portfolio of brands. Kipling is a fantastic brand, but we also have Eastpak, and Eastpak is not yet strong in travel retail. There is so much to explore in the Eastpak collection which is relevant for younger travellers. We know that the Gen Z are the present and the future of travel retail, and this brand is a perfect match and has so much to offer for these passengers.”
The travel retail landscape has changed significantly since VF Corporation’s last Cannes showing and so the fashion company too has had to adapt its strategy. Falcy explained: “The customer demographic has changed. We used to rely a lot on Asian customers pre-COVID but we have fewer Asian customers in certain key locations.
“We’ve had to adjust and better understand how to make our collections more relevant for other nationalities, depending on where we are.
“So far, I think we’ve done this fantastically with some of our key partners,” he continued. “We’ve been growing our business in certain European airport locations that are targeting purely European passengers, where in the past we were mostly looking at South American and Asian travellers, which are both huge markets for Kipling.”
A Kipling monkey gacha machine was a key feature of VF Corporation’s Cannes presence and offered delegates the chance to win their very own monkey keychain. According to Falcy, each monkey’s name is inspired by a member of staff or business partner, underlining the importance of people and partnerships to the brand.
He said: “People don’t know this, but there is a strong story behind the monkey. Not only does every single Kipling bag have a monkey, but every monkey has a name. We have a line-up of names for upcoming seasons.”
VF Corporation’s return to the TFWA show is an important indicator in the fashion company’s belief in the channel and travel retail’s resilience. Through carefully selected products, interactive showcases and thoughtful presentations, VF Corporation has made a strong statement of confidence with its return to the industry. ✈
