More than nine leading luxury boutiques are due to open at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 in the second half of 2021 under the auspices of Hyundai Department Store Duty Free Shop (HDDFS), TRBusiness can reveal.

A mega-size Chanel fashion store will anchor the lineup as part of Hyundai Department Store Duty Free Co Ltd’s DF7 Fashion and Miscellaneous Goods licence.

As reported, Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) awarded Hyundai the DF7 licence – which covers a 2,326sq m footprint – as a five- plus five-year concession in 2020. The contract began in September 2020.

Hyundai is combining six individual outlets to house the Chanel boutique, which is located along the T1 West Wing concourse close to the antler branch junction.

Due for completion in the second half of this year, the Chanel boutique will be one of the last new boutiques that Hyundai plans to open for the DF7 concession.

The Chanel unit will open around the same time as Hyundai’s new Rolex boutique that is being built in a facing position across the T1 West Wing departure concourse.

AN ARRESTING PRESENCE

Chanel is set to become one of Incheon Airport’s major shopping attractions, Cho Jun Ki, Hyundai Department Store Duty Free Headquarters’ Luxury Fashion Manager told TRBusiness.

“Our Chanel boutique will include watches and jewellery; it’s going to be huge,” he said. “With the wide front it’s going to be the most outstanding shop – there will be two entrances and two display windows.

“Our Chanel boutique will be similar in size to the Louis Vuitton boutique. The previous six stores occupying the location before included Fendi, Celine, Moncler, Miu Miu and Balenciaga.”

Hyundai’s MCM boutique was the first to open after the DF7 concession commenced as the company decided to keep the brand in the same shop location as the previous DF7 licence holder, Shinsegae Duty Free.

At the time of writing, boutiques from Coach and Helen Kaminski were due to open in June, with Alexander McQueen due to open sometime around the third quarter of 2021. 

“Our fashion accessories area is going to open in September,” says Cho. “Gentle Monster sunglasses, liked by fashion-aware early adopters, is opposite Chanel. The South Korean sunglasses brand is popular with Chinese people.”

Watch out for the TRBusiness June e-zine for a detailed report on Hyundai Department Store Duty Free.