The third instalment in the ‘All Eyes on…’ communication series, presented by the seven sunglasses suppliers behind the Sunglasses Workshop and Awards, features Dutch travel retailer Kappé.
Kappé has a strong presence at Amsterdam Schiphol airport. Since 1950, it has managed numerous stores at the hub and currently operates 11 stores spanning perfume and cosmetics shops, drugstores and sunglasses outlets.
In January 2016, Kappé Schiphol opened its new sunglasses concept in the revitalised See, Buy, Fly airside duty free area at Schiphol Airport Lounge 2. The lounge was officially opened in July 2016, with Schiphol Airport citing ambitious retail revenue growth targets of around 10-15%. Kappé sought to contribute to this upturn with a cutting-edge, best-in-class new sunglasses concept.
“Science behind the beauty”: Kappé International’s Lounge 2 store at Schiphol aims to bring a cutting-edge, best-in-class new sunglasses concept to travellers
Kappé Schiphol’s new sunglasses store is characterised by a minimalist and futuristic design concept. It utilises materials including LG Hi-macs, UV-edged glass and copper finishing. The 67sq m space has over 1,000 SKUs on display in total.
The retailer aims to put the travelling consumer at the heart of its sunglasses store, through an ‘Open to Sell’ approach and real-time inventory management and monitoring. The retail experience is enhanced by several video walls and dedicated promotional areas.
In June 2017, the same store concept was applied to a new shop in Lounge 1A Schengen at Amsterdam Schiphol, which is said to be producing similarly strong results.
The 67sq m space at Lounge 2 allows for significant space to be dedicated to a wide range of brands
Kering Eyewear Head of Global Travel Retail Pietro Scognamiglio commented:
“Kappé has delivered a truly world-class sunglasses concept that takes the category to new levels in one of Europe’s major hub airports, Amsterdam Schiphol. It is a bright, attractive space that embodies many of the category management principles that are at the heart of Vision 2020, and conveys a premium feel befitting the best-selling sunglasses brands. Performance in its first year suggests that the offer is perfectly in-tune with sunglasses shoppers’ needs and desires.”
Kappé International Chairman Jacque Parsons said:
“Our goal when delivering our new sunglasses store concept was to match the level of ambition demonstrated by Schiphol Airport in its vision for the revamped Lounge 2 area. The store looks fantastic, but there is science behind the beauty. The growth in sales that we have achieved is testament to our efforts and those of Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and our sunglasses supplier partners, as well as the huge potential of the sunglasses category.”
