Coty Travel Retail and Lotte Duty Free have joined forces to introduce luxury skincare brand Lancaster in Korea.

The brand’s inaugural store, unveiled at Lotte Duty-Free World Tower, is part of an exclusive six-month partnership and marks the beginning of the brand’s expansion in travel retail.

As well as being a premium shopping destination for consumers, the new store serves to broaden the reach of the the brand, which is rooted in regenerative science.

“We are excited to write a new chapter in our partnership with Lotte Duty-Free with our first-ever Lancaster Store in Korea,” said Coty Global Travel Retail Senior Vice President, Guilhem Souche.

“We aim to offer a luxurious skin ‘Repair & Protect’ experience to Korean travellers with Lancaster’s iconic skincare offerings.”

As reflection of the brand’s heritage, the store showcases the brand’s new design, featuring the signature rich blue with gold touches and a crown emblem harking back to its royal linkage (former Princess Grace of Monaco appointed Lancaster as her official beauty provider in 1965).

“We are delighted to partner with Coty on this exclusive pre-launch in Lotte Duty-Free as we strive to deliver scientific innovation and luxurious products to our customers,” said Lotte Duty-Free Head of Merchandising Division 1, Im Hyeong-Il.

“We also look forward to working closely together to further elevate customers’ experience through our exciting digital programmes.”

A key focus of the store is the large skincare bar at which consumers and discover and try new products.

Through this they can ‘embark on a journey to improve their skin’s repair capacity’, utilising everything from cleansing to anti-ageing and sun protection products.

There’s also a dedicated showcase for the cutting-edge 365 Skin Repair Youth transversal serum.

Duty free exclusive sets of Lancaster bestsellers are also available to browse and buy.

Technology also plays a leading role at the store, with Lotte Duty Free unveiling Lancaster’s first biometric smart skin analyser at the new location.

The complimentary bespoke skin consultation aims to provide an insight into each individual’s skin and treatment requirements.

This is followed by personalised product recommendation and a trial of the bestselling serum via a pampering hand massage.

The store opening in Korea also sees the launch of Lancaster’s new loyalty programme.

Customers are invited to join the digital programme for free and utilise it to learn more about the brand, keep track of the latest updates, and enjoy an array of treats.

With a view to creating a rich omnichannel experience for travellers, Lancaster is set to kickstart a series of skincare masterclasses, starting with a virtual live stream via the Lotte Duty-Free platform.

Customers can expect product usage and beauty tips and will receive product test kits to trial during the class.

Lancaster was founded in 1946 in Monaco by scientist Dr. Eugene Frezzati and is backed by a rich heritage of scientific innovation, patents and intellectual property.

The brand’s rollout to Korea indicates the start of a new era of expansion of Coty’s skincare portfolio.

Coty cites skincare as ‘one of the most exciting growth areas for the company’ and has declared 2023 as ‘the year of skincare’.

As such, catering to consumer needs in what is arguably one of the most demanding skincare markets on the planet (Korea) is a key focus.