Paul Smith is targeting growth through travel retail and has partnered with Newmark’s Travel Retail team to advise on its ambitious expansion strategy, “with opportunities for airport duty-free and cruise operators to add the global brand to their retail offering”.

Paul Smith is one of Britain’s most prominent designer fashion names and commercial real estate giant Newmark Group’s travel retail team is the largest travel retail and airport consultancy business in Europe. It also operates globally.

We’re told the appointment “marks a new partnership between Newmark Retail’s London-based strategic travel retail team and Paul Smith” with the company working alongside the designer’s team “to support its expansion around the globe and present its offering to operators at a time when the travel retail market continues to grow at pace, with sales set to swell to $145.9 billion over the next three years”.

Paul Smith currently has more than 130 stores in over 60 countries, and locations at a number of key travel hubs, including London Heathrow Terminals 2, 3 and 5, Copenhagen Airport and Shinsegae Centum Duty Free in Busan, South Korea. 

It’s clearly hoping to add to these and the fact that the company will be showing at this year’s TFWA Cannes later this month, the world’s premier travel retail trade show, underlines its travel retail ambitions.

Simon Black, executive MD and head of travel retail for Newmark Retail, said: “Paul Smith is an instantly recognisable brand around the globe and is one of Britain’s greatest designers. Our expertise, experience and insight in the travel retail sector gives us so many fantastic opportunities.”

And Paul Smith’s CEO Ashley Long added: “We have a historic partnership with Newmark and it’s one we are always looking to build on. Being a part of the TFWA Cannes is an exciting avenue to grow and reach new audiences.”