Estée Lauder’s Holiday Exhibition takes over Sanya

Estée Lauder has partnered with China Duty Free Group (CDFG) to introduce a larger-than-life gifting pop-up in the CDF Mall in Haitang Bay until 30 December. The Estée Lauder Holiday Exhibition is a towering display of the brand’s best-selling skincare and makeup products; and features three travel retail-exclusive gift sets.

Chinese Actress and Estée Lauder Global Spokesmodel Yang Mi was a golden goddess at the official opening of the Holiday Exhibition
Double Face: The Estée Lauder Holiday Exhibition was a card game-themed exhibition space on one side, and a golden Christmas townhouse on the other
Festive, fun, and fashionable: Large LED screens display a whimsical film inspired by the fashion illustrations of artist Megan Hess

This is the second year in a row that Estée Lauder has partnered with CDFG to launch a holiday exhibition. The official opening, which was held on 14 December, was attended by Estée Lauder Global Spokesmodel Yang Mi, as well as representatives from both The Estée Lauder Companies and CDFG. The Moodie Davitt Report was the exclusive trade media in attendance.

“Expect great offers, shopping rewards and the opportunity to see Miss Yang Mi on stage. For fans of [the] Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex, it will be a Christmas to remember.”  – China Duty Free Group Vice President of Central Merchandising Division Terry Chua

I was on location for the official opening of the Estée Lauder Holiday Exhibition
Judy Free was treated to an exclusive tour of the spectacular animation ahead of the launch event

The towering installation was inspired by the work of renowned fashion illustrator Megan Hess, whose illustrations are featured on the brand’s travel retail-exclusive Advanced Night Repair gift set.

This collection is one of three limited-edition travel retail-exclusive gift sets that will be available until the end of February. The other sets are the Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Regenerating Youth Travel Collection, and the Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick Trio, which includes the Rebellious Rose, Slow Burn, and Persuasive lipstick shades.

The same stylish illustrations feature prominently in the design of the pop-up store and on an exclusive animated film featured on the pop-up’s digital displays. The animated film – combined with a light show – will be played three times a day until 25 December.

The striking holiday installation takes centre stage of the main atrium in the CDF mall in Haitang Bay, Sanya. It offers a bold red and gold colour scheme and plenty of festive details. Large LED displays featuring Estée Lauder’s latest holiday video campaign, starring Yang Mi, are projected on the outside of the pop-up.

View from the top: The Estée Lauder Holiday Exhibition looks like a golden gift box when viewed from a different perspective
Guests can discover the brand’s best-selling products and travel retail-exclusive gift sets: The Advanced Night Repair Holiday Collection (left) and The Re-Nutriv Line (right)
The official opening was attended by a number of high-profile KOLs. Chinese Livestreamer 江南BoyNam had over 1.7 million Weibo fans watching his live stream of the event.

A Christmas Tree is the main focal point inside the pop-up and a golden swing serves as the perfect photo opportunity. Guests can also play the ‘spin to win’ wheel, which gives them the opportunity to win a variety of gifts with purchase.

Megan Hess’s illustrations are also prominently featured in Estée Lauder’s visual takeover of the CDF Mall, which includes large-scale posters on both main entrances, escalator wrappings, and smaller holiday outposts dotted across different levels and areas of the mall.

I am not one to miss a golden photo opportunity
Spin to win: As part of the brand’s ‘Game On’ holiday theme, shoppers can win festive gifts with purchase by spinning a giant wheel
A 360 Christmas takeover: Megan Hess’s illustrations feature prominently on banners, ads, and small outposts throughout the CDF Mall

The ‘game on’ outpost, located on the second floor of the fashion zone at the CDF Mall, features an interactive digital memory game. This gives customers the opportunity to win exclusive prizes if they are able to correctly match Megan Hess’s illustrations.

To accompany the pop-up, the Estée Lauder boutique in the CDF mall also got a holiday makeover. Inside the flagship store, guests can discover the complete range of Estée Lauder’s skincare, beauty, and fragrance lines. They can also try the products for themselves, and receive a personal Estée Lauder makeup look, courtesy of Estée Lauder’s professional makeup artists.

The Estée Lauder boutique in the CDF Mall has also got a holiday makeover starring Yang Mi
Megan Hess’s stylish illustrations can be found dotted around the boutique

For Estée Lauder Senior Vice President Travel Retail Worldwide Raffaella Cornaggia, the stellar animation creates an unforgettable duty free shopping experience for seasonal travellers in Sanya.

She said: “We are thrilled to return this year and partner with CDFG to bring an enhanced festive retail experience to shoppers here in Haitang Bay. As a brand, we challenged ourselves to give our ever-growing consumer base an unforgettable holiday experience and a more engaging way to discover our product offerings. We are grateful for the continued support of Yang Mi and our partners at CDFG.”

er 1,000 Yang Mi fans flocked to the CDF Mall to see their idol at the Estée Lauder Holiday Exhibition on 14 December