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asia news inbrief

10 DESIGN UNVEILS VIETNAM’S

HIDDEN GEM: HON THOM ISLAND TORY BURCH OPENS FLAGSHIP
US luxury brand Tory Burch opened its flagship
store on JD.com on 22 March, and it features an
International architecture practice 10 assortment of collections, including ready-to-
Design (part of Egis Group) has revealed wear, handbags, shoes and accessories. To date,
the concept design for Sun Group’s Hon JD.com has gathered more than 300 flagship
Thom Island, an iconic integrated resort and stores of global fashion and lifestlye brands,
hospitality destination along the vibrant Da covering multiple sectors.
Trao Beach in Phu Quoc, Vietnam.
The resort masterplan unfolds through
1km of coastal frontage and across 20ha IKEA TO ANCHOR A NEW MALL
of premium beach and waterfront. The Swedish home furnishings retailer IKEA is
development features an integrated resort expanding its footprint in Thailand with a new
tower as well as luxury hotels, beachside and store that is slated to open at Bangkok’s latest
clifftop villas, townhouses and beach clubs, shopping mall, Emsphere on Sukhumvit Road.
boasting stunning vistas of the coast and the This will mark the brand’s fourth store in the
natural mountain ridge of northwest Hon country and its third store in Phuket.
Thom Island. The scheme will also enhance
its connectivity to the wider archipelago
through private and VIP marinas, a public RELIANCE RETAIL TO EXPAND
jetty and helipad, in addition to a cable car Reliance Retail is expanding its innerwear
connecting the island to Phu Quoc. portfolio by acquiring an 89 per cent stake in
SSP TO OPEN F&B OUTLETS Purple Panda Fashions, which is behind India’s
D2C lingerie brand Clovia. The deal follows
AT AIRPORT IN CHINA Reliance Retail’s acquisition of designer brand
Abraham & Thakore recently.
SSP Group announced last month that the The introduction of Rong Li Ji at
company has secured a deal to develop Huaguoshan Airport marks SSP’s first venture X DIAMOND GROWS PRESENCE
the F&B offering at the new Huaguoshan with the Chinese brand. Further units are Jewellery retailer X Diamond has opened
International Airport, serving the port city of expected to open at other locations across a flagship store in Singapore, located at Ion
Lianyungang in Jiangshu, China. the region at a later date. Orchard. Focusing on laboratory-grown
SSP will play a central role in the “Our partnership with Huaguoshan diamonds, X Diamond offers affordable luxury
development of Huaguoshan Airport’s food Airport enables us to demonstrate our jewellery with modern designs and customers
and beverage portfolio. The company will expertise and commitment to adapting to can personalise their purchase.
operate five concession units throughout the meet changing customer expectations. Over
airport, with two landside and three airside the past two years, we have seen a marked
under the three to five-year contract. shift in the way customers wish to interact BOSSINI X TO BE KEY DRIVER
The company will introduce passengers to with F&B outlets. With this latest contract Bossini, the Hong Kong-listed fashion retailer,
a mix of international brands, including SSP’s win, we endeavour to elevate the experience says it sees its new streetwear-style brand
own coffee brand Ritazza, fast food chain that customers have come to expect from Bossini X as a key driver of its return to
Burger King, Chinese restaurant A’Xiang Rice us through the implementation of digital profit, especially in Mainland China where it
Noodle and Sichuan cuisine restaurant Rong ordering services. Passengers that visit is focusing on network expansion. The brand
Li Ji. Reflecting how customer experience Huaguoshan Airport can now order from reflects strong influencers of streetwear and
expectations have shifted since the start their favourite local and international brands skate culture and includes footwear.
of the pandemic, the F&B units will be self- in the way that suits them,” said Jonathan
service and mobile ordering enabled. Robinson, SSP CEO Asia-Pacific.

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