FASHION & ACCESSORIES: PAUL & SHARK


Paul & Shark insists it is ‘Always’ in fashion


Catherine Bonelli, Worldwide Travel Retail Director, Paul & Shark, tells Charlotte Turner that the company does not consider fast-fashion brands to be a threat to the business, especially as its recent collaborations with Nick Wooster, LQQK Studio and Greg Lauren continue to attract the attention of celebrities and influencers alike.


I


n global travel retail, fashion and accessories growth could be described as moderate in 2017


(+4.5%) and in 2018 (Q1 2018 +2.4%). However, in Asia Pacific travel retail growth and overall sales were more significant. Here, sales reached $4.7bn; a rise


of over +10.6%, which outpaced wine & spirits (along with all other categories apart from beauty). In an exclusive interview, TRBusiness asks Catherine Bonelli, Worldwide Travel Retail Director, Paul & Shark (P&S), if the clearly buoyant trading environment for F&A in Asia meant the company’s resources were more heavily invested in the region. “Paul and Shark employs a global


strategy for expansion, both on domestic and travel retail markets. However, it is certainly true to say that Asia Pacific is a key region for our brand and we do invest accordingly – but this is nothing new.” Bonelli points out that the


company does exhibit ever year at the TFWA Asia Pacific event in Singapore, in addition to the World Exhibition in Cannes and always attends regionally relevant events – such as TFWA China’s Century – which offers valuable networking opportunities.


OCTOBER 2019


“It’s certainly fair to say that a lot of my business travel time is spent in the Asia Pacific region and we’ve strengthened our presence there, opening in new countries such as the Philippines, where the brand has opened two duty free stores in Manila and Cebu and consolidating existing important


locations,


including a second store at Shanghai Pudong Airport.”


Asia ‘a strategic fit’ Bonelli quite rightly recognises that resources must be spent in locations with a high Asian traveller footfall. “For example we had a very


successful pop-up store last year at the incredible T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi store operated by DFS in Venice, Italy,” she says. “This destination is well known by Chinese customers visiting Venice. To make their experience even more unique we have also included our embroidery machine on site, to enable them to personalise their purchases with names or initials.” In Asia itself, P&S deems China


and Korea to be of the most strategic importance. It hosted a major brand installation/events with the department stores Galleria,


Lansmere and 10 Corso Como in Seoul promoting the Nick Wooster collaboration, which was ‘very well attended’ by customers, press, influencers etc. “We are sure this will impact very positively on our travel retail business with Korean travellers,” explains Bonelli. Outside of Asia, P&S enjoyed


another ‘satisfying year’ in travel retail, with growth in line with expectations. It was especially proud to announce the opening of two stores in the new Istanbul Airport earlier this year; one being a monoband boutique located in zone 1 and the other a corner in the fashion garden of zone 6. The company also opened a 35sq m


pop-up store in Munich Airport over May and June this year. Although business in Europe and Asia was


Although business in Europe and Asia was ‘satisfying’ last year, Bonelli admits that the travel retail landscape, globally, is becoming more challenging as so many suppliers are contending for the same retail footprint and each stakeholder has its own opinion of how best to manage the space.


TRBusiness TRBUSINESS 115


Above: Paul & Shark’s collaboration with Nick Wooster taps into the demand for unique and on-trend garments.


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