TRBusiness journalist Naomi attended IQOS’ ‘Soundsorial Design’ space in Milan.

TRBusiness is on location with Philip Morris International (PMI) at Milan Design Week this week, where IQOS has unveiled its latest collaboration with French acoustic engineering pioneer Devialet.

The partnership – revealed through a new premium IQOS x Devialet device – was introduced via the immersive ‘Soundsorial Design’ exhibition, a multi-sensory installation exploring the intersection of sound, design and technology.

TRBusiness joined PMI and its partners across a series of events, beginning with an exclusive dinner at Dolce & Gabbana Martini Bar on Sunday evening (19th April). Here, guests heard from Managing Director of Philip Morris Italy, Pasquale Frega; CEO of Devialet, Jacques Demont; and PMI President of Heat Not Burn, Oggie Kapetanovic, setting the tone for a collaboration rooted in innovation, design and shared values.

The following day, TRBusiness stepped into the ‘Soundsorial Design’ space, where the new device was brought to life through an interactive environment that quite literally makes sound visible. The installation transforms audio into a tactile, physical experience, reflecting both brands’ ambition to elevate everyday moments through technology and design.

At the heart of the collaboration is an exclusive set pairing the IQOS ILUMA i device with Devialet Gemini II earbuds. Just 3,000 sets will be available globally this year, with the product being showcased in global travel retail from June 2026 at Incheon International Airport, underlining the channel’s role as a launchpad for innovation. While the device won’t be available to purchase, it can be won by adult consumers participating through the IQOS Club or IQOS GTR program.

Speaking to TRBusiness on site in Milan, Global Head Brand Marketing at IQOS, Alina Igritskaya, explained that the partnership has been a year in the making, originating at last year’s Design Week. “It is very important for any brand collaboration to have common ground between the brands,” she said. “That’s how we always approach our brand collaborations.

TRBusiness chatted with Global Head Brand Marketing at IQOS, Alina Igritskaya (L); the new IQOS x Devialet device (R).

“Particularly when it comes to IQOS and Devialet, we have much more in common than we expected. We both have a commitment to the elevation of everyday moments – it’s not device and tech for the sake of it, but it is about shaping everyday moments to offer richer experiences. The precision in how we both develop our products is also very important, and finally it is about commitment to design aesthetics. This is very important to both brands, and was the starting point for the collaboration.”

That shared philosophy is evident throughout the exhibition, where design is not decorative but functional, and innovation is embedded into the experience itself.

Igritskaya also highlighted how the collaboration will extend into travel retail. “Every bit of technology that we created with Devialet can be trickled down to different formats and markets, and we are looking to translate it into GTR,” she explained.

The ‘Soundsorial Design’ space is an interactive environment that quite literally makes sound visible.

Beyond the product, the collaboration reflects a broader strategy for IQOS as it positions itself as an experience-led global brand. “We see brand collaborations as a very meaningful and authentic vehicle to make our brand voice louder,” continued Igritskaya. “The idea behind creating an aspirational global experience-led brand implies that we can’t do it alone. It implies we need to be part of the cultural exchange, and then we need to collaborate and create unique products. Brand collaborations are so important as they help us to reach millions of adult smokers who naturally gravitate towards experiences that we can create.”

Milan Design Week itself plays a central role in that strategy. As Igritskaya noted: “Milan Design Week has transformed into a real cultural hub. It is the place where culture, innovation and artistry converge, and we wanted to be part of this cultural exchange. Every year it grows in importance, more brands come into play, and it is really one of the best places to be visible with our brand story. We have been present here for nine years, and can show how the brand continually evolves.”

Naomi at the IQOS x Devialet media dinner at Dolce & Gabbana Martini Bar on Sunday evening (19th April).

For PMI, the collaboration also reinforces its ambition to drive innovation in smoke-free alternatives, with travel retail acting as a key platform for engagement and education. “In both houses, design is deeply functional and innovation is the foundation,” says Kapetanovic. “Patents, products and peer standards are the evidence. United by a relentless commitment to push innovation boundaries, Devialet and IQOS challenge the status quo while redefining the experiences of tomorrow.”

Devialet CEO Jacques Demont added: “Driven by a shared ambition to disrupt industry conventions, Devialet and IQOS have designed a truly soundsorial experience for this exhibition. By bringing Devialet’s savoir faire to the space, sound becomes a physical presence that completes the journey.”

With its global travel retail debut set for June, the IQOS x Devialet collaboration not only showcases product innovation, but also highlights how experiential storytelling – from Milan to the airport retail floor – is becoming central to engaging today’s traveller.

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