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Oribe takes luxury haircare to new heights L uxury haircare brand Oribe is preparing to enter travel retail, identifying the channel as one of its biggest opportunities for future growth. Speaking at TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, General Manager Jessica Friedman and Clifford McEwan, Associate Director EMEA, revealed that the brand spent the past year developing its five-year strategy, identifying travel retail as a significant area of potential. Following its first visit to Cannes last year, Oribe plans to begin testing the channel in EMEA in 2027, adopting a “test, learn and scale” approach through pop-up environments before expanding further. “We really hope to be the brand that helps create what travel retail looks like for the hair category,” said McEwan, highlighting the relative underrepresentation of premium haircare in airports compared with skincare, fragrance and fashion. Oribe’s existing discovery kits could provide a natural entry point. Sets such as its Hair Alchemy Discovery Collection combine three products at an accessible price point, allowing travellers to experience a complete regimen before exploring the wider brand. RivieraVillageRE11 S ensai is taking a deliberately measured approach to its travel retail expansion, prioritising quality, local relevance and customer experience over simply increasing its number of doors. Speaking at TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, Julian Noilou, General Manager EMEA at Sensai, described the week as “amazing”, highlighting both the consistent flow of visitors and the quality of meetings with existing and prospective partners. Historically strong across the Nordic markets, from Iceland to Finland, Sensai has spent the past two to three years selectively expanding further into Central and Southern Europe. Recent openings include Warsaw, Prague and Milan airports, with Rome Fiumicino set to follow. “For us, opening four locations in a year is already a massive step,” Noilou said. “We want quality over quantity in the distribution.” RivieraVillageRE11 Less is more: Sensai takes a selective route to travel retail growth S warovski is looking to build on its growing travel retail presence as Isla Daw takes the reins as Head of Global Travel Retail, with continued expansion, elevated retail experiences and its ongoing Ariana Grande collaboration among the priorities. Speaking at TFWA World Exhibition & Conference just ahead of officially stepping into the role, Daw described the event as the “best induction ever”, highlighting the opportunities she sees across the channel. Having spent seven years with Swarovski, Daw brings extensive brand and wholesale experience to the position. “My focus is on the key opportunities: continuing to build strong relationships with our partners, delivering excellence in execution and elevating the brand experience,” she said. Meanwhile, the brand is presenting partners with new products for Spring/Summer 2027 and expanding new retail concepts. Its newest gondola format is already operating in six locations globally, including Frankfurt and Paris, with further rollout planned following a successful initial response. YellowVillageA13 Daw of a new era: Swarovski sets sights on travel retail growth Thursday 1 October 2026 18 T F W A D A I L Y