Lancôme and The Shilla Duty Free reveal 90th anniversary Rose Ice Hotel
The Rose Ice-Hotel at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2
Celebrating Lancôme’s 90th anniversary, Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific and The Shilla Duty Free Korea unveiled the worldwide exclusive Rose Ice-Hotel experience at Incheon International Airport on February 7.
Nestled at the heart of Incheon Terminal 2’s grand atrium, the installation transforms the 90 years legacy of the Lancôme Rose into a dazzling springtime bloom through the poetic lens of world-renowned artist, Cai Guo-Qiang.
In 2025, Lancôme marks its 90th anniversary as a global authority in beauty. Coinciding with the cusp of Spring, Lancôme pays homage to its signature rose - the heart of the house's artistry and innovations in skincare, fragrance and makeup.
The celebratory collaboration: a symbol of spring’s new life – Paris Rose by cAI
To mark a momentous New Year, Lancôme has partnered with Cai Guo-Qiang, globally renowned for his famed gunpowder art, explosion events, and installations. cAI (pronounced “AI Cai”), an AI model custom-developed by the artist and his team, created a striking work under Cai’s guidance that features the House’s iconic rose at its center.
Cai Guo-Qiang’s exclusive artwork for Lancôme, Paris Rose, is a fusion of pigments and gunpowder, crafted employing cAI, the artificial intelligence model that Cai has developed. Paris Rose’s striking floral motif holds the promise of a new beginning. It is an expression of women’s eternal power, of beauty, and of savoir-faire.
The disruptive Rose Ice-Hotel concept encapsulates 90 years of Lancôme Legacy – its constant quest for innovation, quintessential French culture and elegance, and high service - all with a dreamy artistic expression of the Paris Rose in the exclusive collaboration with Cai Guo-Qiang. The Rose Ice-Hotel, constructed in acrylic to immortalize the passage of winter to spring, reimagines an indulgent luxury hotel experience in a travel retail format. Standing tall as a symbol of Lancôme’s service excellence, the dazzling ice palace captivates international travelers at Incheon Airport Terminal 2.
Upon arrival, travelers are first captured by an ethereal Ice Concierge, complete with the warm hospitality of irresistibly dashing hotel bellboys. As luggage is whisked along on Parisian palace-styled gold bellboy trolleys, they will then be ushered through the grand Ice Arc de Triomphe, modelled after the French heritage landmark embodying timeless French beauty.
The arc opens up to an Ice Art Gallery, featuring a patrimony collection from its archives – for the first time in L’Oreal Travel Retail, precious pieces across fragrance, skincare and makeup, flown in from the vaults in Paris to Incheon airport. With the oldest pieces dating back to its inception in 1935, the gallery promises of an immersive and cultural journey through the brand’s remarkable 90 years of legacy. This is the first time in Travel Retail history for all travelers to immerse into Lancôme history.
The rare and unprecedented public unveiling of Lancôme’s exclusive vintage pieces from Paris, displayed alongside its crowd-favourite iterations of today, is a testament to Lancôme's unwavering dedication to artistry and innovation.
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Lancôme Génifique Ultimate takes center stage in the Ice Lobby
At the heart of the hotel lies the mesmerizing Ice Lobby, where an art installation commands the space, bursting with avant-garde splendor. Within its crystalline embrace lies renditions of Lancôme’s modern icons that emerge like frozen treasures. Encircling the masterpiece, the Lancôme Génifique Ultimate takes its place as a jewel within an unexpected and playful product discovery zone. Here, art and beauty converge in a harmonious dance, inviting guests into an immersive world of innovation and artful expression.
Rooted in its storied heritage, Lancôme takes inspiration from the Domaine de la Rose, its enchanting new home that is birthplace to its new Absolue Les Parfums. In a poetic reimagining, the Rose on the Moon scent from the new fragrance line is transformed into a delicate vanilla-flavored bingsu at the Ice Absolue Bar, evoking a true sense of place and indulgence through one of Korea’s favorite sweet treats. For the first time ever in L’Oreal Travel Retail history, Lancôme elevates this sensory journey with an on-site bingsu chef, bringing the sophistication of fine dining to the experience, mirroring the opulence of a luxury hotel. It’s the first time ever that Incheon airport hosts this type of experience.
Best-in-Class Service and Gifting
Cocooned in a semi-private space, the VIP Ice Beauty Salon extends made-to-measure skin diagnostics through the Lancôme Skin Screen, the brand’s most advanced skin analysis service. As they check out of their Rose Ice-Hotel experience at the Ice Bon Voyage Gift Shop, travelers can explore the various limited-edition sets, all enveloped in Cai Guo-Qiang’s exclusive Paris Rose artwork.
Linda Wang, General Manager of Lancôme Travel Retail Asia Pacific, said, “Lancôme’s 90th anniversary is an opportune moment for us to honour our legacy, celebrate our heritage and reaffirm our ambition to be the most irresistible beauty brand. We look to deepen brand synergies, with a focus on elevated experiences and innovation for travellers worldwide.”
A Strategic Pentarchy Collaboration
Bringing Lancôme’s Rose Ice-Hotel to life was the unprecedented pentarchy conquest - a collaboration of five partners including Lancôme, The Shilla Duty Free, The Shilla Hotels & Resorts, Naver and Kakao to create a Korean ecosystem aimed at taking Korean and Chinese frequent independent travelers on a holistic consumer journey that transcends the retail experience.
Layering onto the strong digital and CRM partnership, the alliance tapped The Shilla Duty Free’s database, as well as its expertise in local social media platforms Naver and Kakao, strategically and specifically targeting Korean frequent independent travellers from their pre-trip to in-trip journey. Beyond the airport environment, L’Oreal Travel Retail APAC’s pioneer collaboration with The Shilla Hotels & Resorts through Lancôme’s milestone event was a significant traffic driver to The Shilla Duty Free.
Jesus Abia, Managing Director of L’Oreal Travel Retail Asia Pacific, commented, “It was the strategic and concerted effort between all five major partners that made Lancôme’s Rose Ice-Hotel a reality. This partnership not only enhances our commitment to delivering exceptional beauty experiences for travellers but also reflects our innovative approach to connecting with consumers across multiple channels. We aim to redefine the travel retail landscape, providing convenience and luxury to beauty enthusiasts globally.”
“This milestone highlights Lancôme’s rich heritage in beauty and reaffirms The Shilla Duty Free's commitment to offering our customers unique and memorable shopping experiences, “ added Changha Shin, Head of Merchandising, Shilla Travel Retail. “Together, we aim to create a vibrant celebration that showcases the artistry and innovation that defines Lancôme while enhancing the travel retail landscape for beauty enthusiasts around the world.”
