Aéroports de Paris to seek partner for fashion joint venture

Aéroports de Paris (AdP) has revealed that it is hoping to form a fashion joint venture to operate outlets at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CdG) and Orly airports, similar to its existing Société de Distribution Aéroportuaire partnership with Aelia. The airport group aims to tender the opportunity in April and select the new partner by July.

 

In its annual results presentation the company said the new partnership would operate fashion concessions that are about to expire and new space due to open until 2012, taking the venture’s retail space at CdG and Orly to 5,000sq m (53,800sq ft). AdP said that its rationale behind the move was that the fashion and accessories categories at Paris airports are ripe for development, occupying just 17.2% of the total shop area but offering the highest royalties behind liquor and tobacco.

 

The company said its objectives would be to diversify the product offer and brand portfolio, to develop innovative retail concepts and improve the performance of the fashion category. It said that the advantages of a partnership from its own perspective were combining airport expertise with retail knowledge; gaining access to distributor margins; and sharing in the value creation associated with developing the retail business.