- Passengers at HIA are invited to share their love of perfume with DIOR
- Renowned Dior in-house Perfumer-Creator, Mr. François Demachy guest of honour at podium launch
DOHA, Qatar, 2018-Nov-26 — /Travel PR News/ — Inspired by the love of perfume, Qatar Duty Free (QDF) and Parfums Christian Dior have launched a Dior Les Parfums Podium at Hamad International Airport (HIA), designed as a tribute to fragrance creation. The podium invites customers to enjoy an immersive and multisensorial experience, introducing them to Dior places of inspiration, creation & expertise.
The launch of the podium was commemorated at an exclusive event that took place at HIA, in the attendance of VIP guests and officiated by both Qatar Airways Group and Dior officials including Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer, Engr. Badr Al Meer, Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations, Mr. Thabet Musleh, Dior in-house Perfumer and Creator Mr. François Demachy, Dior Travel Retail Senior Vice President Mr. Olivier Dubos and Dior Middle East Travel Retail Director Mr. Frank Dagher Hayeck.
Dior Les Parfums takes passengers on a journey of discovery to experience the virtual Grasse gardens, with a 360° screen, encompassing them with beautiful aromas and transporting them to the south of France. The installation features the full fragrance catalogue from Dior including Sauvage, Miss Dior, J’adore and its latest 2018 fragrance creation, Joy by Dior. The podium is also equipped with wrapping stations, and consultation opportunities with beauty advisors. Passengers are also able to discover other fragrances from the Maison Christian Dior Collection, with the launch of the new Rose Kabuki fragrance.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “Today marks an important milestone as we come together to celebrate a world exclusive partnership with Dior Parfums. At Qatar Airways Group, we take our role in ensuring that the journey is the best part of our passengers’ travel experience very seriously, delivering excellence both on the ground and in the skies. With new, innovative and immersive experiences like the one we see here today, it is clear that both Dior Parfums and Qatar Airways Group are organisations whose identities are synonymous with innovation, elegance and firsts.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Parfums Christian Dior Senior Vice President of Travel Retail Worldwide, Olivier Dubos, noted: “At Christian Dior, we have always loved perfume, and it is part of our history. This is the fourth edition of Dior Les Parfums in partnership with Qatar Airways Group,” he said.
“Dior Les Parfums conveys our love for perfume, deeply rooted in the south of France. We have the honor today to have with us François Demachy, who imagines all our perfumes, being based in the magical region of Grasse, the world capital of Perfumery. This pop-up is our way of bringing Grasse to people from all over the world travelling through this prestigious airport. We will take them on a sensorial journey of discovery to experience the virtual Grasse gardens, with a 360° screen encompassing them with beautiful flowers, and living the Dior fragrance experience like nowhere else.”
Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations, Mr. Thabet Musleh, said: “We are excited to be working alongside Dior to unveil this exclusive experience at Qatar Duty Free. Parfums Christian Dior and Qatar Duty Free have a connection unlike any other in the travel retail industry. This launch is yet another step forward in building on our longstanding relationship, with the presence of our honourable guest François Demachy. We look forward to seeing this rose inspired podium blossom at our home, Hamad International Airport.”
Hamad International Airport Chief Operations Officer, Engr. Badr Al Meer said: “With Qatar Duty Free’s extensive portfolio of leading brands, HIA offers retail choices that not only cater to each passenger and their preferences, but also lend personal and memorable experiences. QDF’s partnership with Dior Parfums will do exactly that, offering a retail experience that is exclusive and special to HIA travelers.”
Dior’s love of perfumes is deeply rooted in the South of France. Located near Grasse, cradle of perfumery and land of flowers, Christian Dior nestled his home, La Colle Noire. Inspired by its magnificent garden of fragrance flowers, he felt as much a couturier as a perfumer.
Grasse is also at the heart of fragrance creation with Les Fontaines Parfumées, Dior laboratory. Behind the closed doors of its creation studio, François Demachy imagines perfumes that cross time and ignite the senses.
Close by, in Dior exclusive domains, acres of May Rose and Jasmine Grandiflorum are harvested every morning when the sun rises, and the flowers start to blossom. These flowers, so dear to Christian Dior, then release their magic and turn into captivating perfumes.
Qatar Duty Free and Dior have successfully launched a number of podiums at HIA, which have included the Dior Les Parfums podium in 2015 which featured 6,000 roses, and a 180 square metre wall of flowers in 2016. Earlier this year, Qatar Duty Free launched the Maison Christian Dior boutique located in the main retail atrium of HIA. The boutique showcases the creations of François Demachy, inspired by the idea of embellishing places and moments in life, giving them an identity by dressing them in Dior.
QDF boasts more than 90 elegant boutiques and luxury, high-end stores, as well as more than 30 restaurants and cafés covering an area of 40,000 square metres at HIA, providing travellers with a world-class shopping experience under one roof. Luxury brands also available at the five-star airport include Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Bulgari, Hermès, Burberry, Moncler, Rolex and Harrods. In addition, the award-winning duty free retailer regularly showcases podiums and pop-up stores including the Maison Christian Dior boutique, a TUMI Pop-up store, the L’Oréal Grand Hotel Podium and the Prada Voyage Podium.
Qatar Duty Free was awarded ‘Airport Retailer of the Year’ at the 2018 DFNI Global Awards. In April, the leading airport retailer was recognised at the PAX International Readership Awards, when Qatar Airways won ‘Best In-Flight Duty Free Program’ for the Middle East and Africa and was acknowledged as an industry leader for its outstanding in-flight duty free service, which is operated by Qatar Duty Free.
HIA the home of QDF, has already met a number of significant milestones in 2018, including being ranked fifth ‘Best Airport in the World’, fourth ‘Best Airport for Shopping’ and fifth ‘Best Airport for Dining’ at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2018. HIA is the only airport in the Middle East to be ranked in the world’s top 10 airports of 2018. At the annual awards ceremony, HIA also took home the title of ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the fourth year in a row, and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the third consecutive year.
Notes to Editors:
About Qatar Airways:
Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is celebrating more than 20 years of Going Places Together with travellers across its more than 160 business and leisure destinations. The world’s fastest-growing airline will add a number of exciting new destinations to its growing network in 2018, including Gothenburg, Sweden; Da Nang, Vietnam; Mombasa, Kenya and many more, flying passengers on board its modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Business Class’ by the 2018 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Business Class Seat,’ ‘Best Airline in the Middle East,’ and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.
Qatar Airways is a member of the oneworld global alliance. The award-winning alliance was named the World’s Best Airline Alliance 2015 by Skytrax for the third year running. Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance, oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 4,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, A350, A380, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways, the official FIFA partner, is the official sponsor of many top-level sporting events, including the FIFA 2018 and 2022 World Cups, reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message – Going Places Together.
Qatar Airways Cargo, one of the world’s leading international air cargo carriers, serves more than 60 freighter destinations worldwide via its world-class Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 160 key business and leisure destinations globally on more than 200 aircraft. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet includes two Boeing 747-8 freighters, 15 Boeing 777 freighters and eight Airbus A330 freighters.
For further information, please contact:
Qatar Airways Group, Corporate Communications Department
Tel: +974 4022 2200
Email: qrmedia@qatarairways.com.qa
Source: Qatar Airways
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