Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Global skincare brand SK-II celebrates a reimagined retail experience by paying homage to its heritage in the brand’s first-of-its-kind concept store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Through this store, SK-II’s retail experience is reimagined for guests to immerse in the miracle world of ‘PITERA’, SK-II’s prized component, as they uncover the stories behind the house of SK-II – from the fabled origin story of SK-II to the decades of craftsmanship, skin science discoveries and skincare innovations.

SK-II’s concept store tells the story of SK-II’s origin, which started in the 1970s when a team of scientists began a fervent quest to uncover a revolutionary ingredient that would make beautiful skin a reality.

Every detail in the concept store has gone through meticulous deliberation to bring to life the different facets of the world of PITERA. Each element in the store is carefully crafted from naturally inspired materials and artfully designed to tell the intricate stories of SK-II’s heritage and the miracles of PITERA that continue to unfold today.

Inspired by the spirit of ‘omotenashi’, or ‘wholehearted hospitality’, SK-II is also elevating the skincare counselling experience to a ceremonial level. For the first time ever, consumers can luxuriate in the SK-II Skin Ceremony with skin experts that reflect the unparalleled SK-II omotenashi-inspired service that delivers memorable and meaningful moments for every guest.

Furthermore, the store’s grand opening on June 22 was joined by some of Southeast Asia’s biggest names in beauty, featuring an exclusive appearance from SK-II’s global celebrity ambassador MINA of global girl group TWICE.

Talking about the opening, Sue Kyung Lee, president, P&G Global Skin & Personal Care, said, “This first-ever SK-II concept store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, marks a momentous milestone for the house of SK-II. Consumers are at the heart of all we do at SK-II, and this is a testament to our commitment to elevating skincare experiences for her and transform.”

“More than a retail store, we want to provide a sanctuary for her to switch off from the world and immerse in the miracle world of PITERA. This is the beginning of a new era to elevate the SK-II shopping experience, and we look forward to sharing it with the rest of the world,” she added.

Jakarta, Indonesia – The Lego Group has officially opened its largest store in Southeast Asia, with its latest outlet located at the Senayan City shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia.

This opening is part of the LEGO Group’s ongoing efforts to expand its presence in Indonesia and strengthen its domestic and travel retail presence in Asia.

The 365 square metre store in Senayan City offers immersive Lego experiences, including Southeast Asia’s first “Lego Minifigure Factory” where shoppers can customise Lego minifigures.

It also features three-dimensional Lego brick models of popular Indonesian icons such as the National Monument and the Jakarta bus, as well as a 3m-tall mosaic wall of the historical Selamat Datang Monument made with 21,562 Lego bricks.

Alongside this, the LEGO Group, together with the LEGO Foundation, has pledged to donate US$1 million over three years to support initiatives designed to provide children and caregivers greater access to “Learning Through Play”.

This store is one of six set to open this year, bringing the total number of Lego stores in Indonesia to 26 across nine cities. Additionally, Lego products are available at 300 other retailers, including toy stores, department stores and official online shops.

Talking about the opening, Claus Kristensen, senior vice president at the LEGO Group APAC, said, “Today marks an exciting milestone in our journey to bring joy and creativity to children across Indonesia. We see potential in this dynamic, growing market and are looking forward to strengthening our presence, reaching more children and inspiring the builders of tomorrow.”

“We have been present in Indonesia for over ten years through distribution and manufacturing partners and appreciate the strong support shown for our brand and business. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with local partners as we further build our presence,” he added.

Notably, this opening also follows LEGO’s recent appointment of two general managers to its Asia Pacific leadership team for business units of Singapore, Malaysia and Travel Retail (SMTR), and India & Emerging Asia (IEA).

Singapore – International travel, lifestyle, and accessories brand TUMI recently opened two new airport outlets in South Korea and Thailand, along with the announcement of two more locations in major international airports throughout Asia-Pacific. 

These openings mark TUMI’s commitment to delivering sleek, sophisticated and inviting spaces to travellers, redefining and reinvigorating travel retail with an expanded and refreshed presence at major international airports throughout Asia.

Going into detail, the first two stores opened on May 1, 2024 at South Korea’s Incheon International Airport and Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, which both showcase TUMI’s evolution as a sleek and sophisticated global performance luxury brand, while providing a comfortable and easy-to-navigate environment to browse the wide range of products curated to meet the needs of discerning travellers.

On the other hand, scheduled to open in late May, the new store at Soekarno–Hatto International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, joins various duty-free shops and restaurants inside its largest and newest Terminal 3. This will then be followed by the new store at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India, slated to open in mid-June, which will feature a similarly sleek design in a high-traffic location inside the country’s second-busiest airport.

Talking about these openings, Aris Maroulis, vice president for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East at TUMI, said, “The latest openings at Incheon International Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport are a testament to TUMI’s ongoing commitment to creating unique and exceptional experiences for our international customers through our high-performance products and stores.”

“With more launches coming soon at Soekarno–Hatto International Airport in Jakarta and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, which are also among the busiest in the region, travel retail will continue to be a key focus through thoughtfully planned and skilfully executed designs that bring customers into our world and speak to the way they travel today,” he added.