Swarovski sparkles across global travel retail with sophistication and strategic partnerships

Swarovski’s travel retail strategy centers on delighting global travelers through craftsmanship, cultural relevance and memorable experiences. The brand is widely recognized for “bringing joy to travelers” through its sparkling creations, intersecting luxury perception with broad reach, says Andreea Marginean, Head of Global Travel Retail.

Growth hinges on partnership-led expansion and strategic presence across channels and regions, and Swarovski strengthens its brand through deeply collaborative relationships with travel retail partners. “By offering merchandising tools, innovative formats and co-created activations, we elevate the touchpoint experience,” says Marginean.

Swarovski maintains a balanced global footprint; currently momentum is especially strong in the Middle East and India, with steady expansion across the Americas. New openings have launched in destinations like Jeddah, Noida, Lima and MSC World America.

Airports remain the primary channel, with cruise retail and Hainan as key contributors. Border stores are gaining importance in LATAM and Europe,while downtown and inflight channels provide complementary coverage. “Given travel retail’s impulse-driven nature, we embrace micro capillarity, deploying compact, high-impact units like self-service turning units near gates, concourses and high-traffic zones to capture attention at the moment it matters,” Marginean says.

Collection highlights

The Ariana Grande collaboration continues to captivate travelers worldwide, driving excitement across diverse audiences while established favorites like Una Angelic and Matrix maintain their appeal through delicate, romantic design and exceptional craftsmanship. Travel retail’s exclusive Symbolica family leverages universally recognizable symbols like the Evil Eye in rhodium finishes, with FW25 expansions deepening the collection’s personal resonance for global shoppers seeking meaningful jewelry.

Artistic inspiration drives the Gema collection’s tribute to Gustav Klimt, where dynamic crystal formations with uneven settings and mixed cuts celebrate bold self-expression through radiant design. Meanwhile, the Matrix family’s timeless tennis silhouettes echo “crystal DNA” through strategically placed round cuts that maximize sparkle, perfect for the layered bracelet, bangle and statement watch combinations that define effortless summer luxury. These design principles and creative expression will carry through Fall/Winter 2025 through unified gold-tone elegance.

The outstanding success of Swarovski Created Diamonds in travel retail demonstrates strong appetite for fine jewelry allure at accessible price points, while perennial favorite Kris Bear remains the Home category’s most iconic and giftable bestseller.

‍