Airport Retail Flying High - Fashion Labels

LONDON, United Kingdom — Christian Dior’s dove grey carpets and boudoir mirrors vie for the eyes of customers with Prada’s harlequin tiles. The polished hardware of Dolce and Gabbana handbags glint, not far from lustrous exotic-skinned accessories by Gucci. No, this is not the Avenue des Champs-Élysées or Bond Street, but the departure lounge of Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5, where passengers buy over $450 million per year of perfumes, clothing, scarves, sunglasses, jewellery, watches, bags and small leather goods from brands including Alexander McQueen, Burberry and Chanel, the airport’s top performer. A similar scene plays out each day at a … More