Earlier this year, Duty Free Dynamics (DFD) partnered with Timex Group Luxury Division to distribute the Philipp Plein brand’s watches in key regions: the Americas, Europe, and Africa in travel retail. At this year’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes, DFD showcased the brand at its showroom near the Palais des Festivals.
Karen Aragon, Marketing & Communications Manager at DFD, noted that the brand’s fashion watches and timepieces are thriving in the travel retail sector.
Known for its luxury fragrances and eyewear, Philipp Plein also opened a duty-free shop at Frankfurt Airport, where it has been observed that travelers are willing to spend significantly on fashion and accessories.
Plein, whose motto is “We’re born to be different” and often features the $kull motif, believes that strong brand awareness and identity are essential to building a successful name in the luxury market.
In a recent interview with *Global Travel Retail Magazine*, Plein shared his views on luxury. “Luxury is when you consume more than you really need,” he explained. He added that luxury is about desire, quality, and attention to detail. “We are a niche market brand and we compete by offering products that stand out from the rest,” he said.
Plein emphasized that his brand is unique, loud, fun, and provocative, with a strong and consistent identity. Unlike many fashion houses, Plein’s designs maintain a sense of direction and limited change over time. “We know who we are and what we can do. The biggest mistake many brands make is overestimating themselves,” he remarked.
Storytelling is another key aspect of Plein’s approach. “Every product we create has a story behind it. We sell a type of playfulness,” he said.
Now available in over 4,000 stores across 60 countries and more than 110 monobrand stores, Philipp Plein continues to expand rapidly, with 30 different licenses. Plein sees the partnership with Timex as a great opportunity for growth. “They understand the brand’s potential, and I’m excited because they give me the freedom to be myself,” he said. Plein added that as a niche brand, he does not aim to appeal to everyone.
Reflecting on his past, Plein described himself as an outsider who constantly had to adapt, moving houses and schools frequently as a child. This sense of being “The New Kid” carried over into his fashion career, where he entered the industry without a design or distribution background.
“When you enter a highly protected industry like fashion or watches, you often appear as an outsider. If you do things differently, you stand out, whether for better or worse. It’s interpreted as disruptive, but it’s just different,” he said.
Plein also acknowledged that as a smaller brand, Philipp Plein must be more creative. “If you’re competing with bigger players, you have to be different from the start. That way, you’re not comparable,” he added.
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