Retail Insights

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Silhouette of a shopper walking past a luxury retail store display featuring a high-end advertisement

The Fall and Reinvention of the Multibrand Luxury Store

Once the backbone of global luxury retail, the multibrand luxury store is facing a dramatic identity shift. After a decade of decline, the model is now at a turning point. Yet, signs of reinvention are emerging.
A young woman with her hair pulled back, wearing a white robe, applies a cream to her face. She looks into a mirror, using her fingers to gently dab the cream below her eye.

Asia Beauty Market: Rebuilding Brand Power in a Reopened Sector

As global beauty resets post-pandemic, the Asia beauty market is rewriting the rules of engagement. What once relied on global brand reach now demands regional equity, cultural fluency, and platform-native precision.
Muzzammil Ahussain with Ali Bailoun at the 2025 RLC Global Forum in Riyadh.

Navigating the Future of Travel Retail in the Middle East

Travel retail in the Middle East is rapidly evolving, driven by changing consumer behavior, digital innovation, and omnichannel growth. As demand rises, brands must deliver greater convenience, personalization, and seamless online-offline integration, serving a wider audience.
A curated clothing rack displaying garments on hangers, representing the premium selections typical in fashion rental services

Unpacking the Fashion Rental Economy

Fashion rental is no longer a disruptive experiment. In 2025, it is being repositioned as a strategic tool, supporting ESG goals, driving retention and unlocking new value across the retail ecosystem.
Two makeup brushes tap together, one with pink bristles and one with purple, creating a puff of shimmering pink powder that floats in the air against a dark background.

Europe, the US and China at the Center of Global Cosmetics Growth

From Paris to Beijing to New York, cosmetics growth shows no signs of slowing. Because when times get tough, a swipe of lipstick or drop of serum is the last thing consumers are willing to let go.
People enter a department store with lion statues at the entrance, illuminated at night

What’s Next for Department Stores in 2025?

After a brief post-Covid resurgence, department stores are once again facing declining sales—except in one place. Saudi Arabia, with its digitally-savvy, brand-hungry, and experience-driven consumers. Could this be where department stores finally get it right?
Illustration of Luxury Accessories

When Did Luxury Stop Feeling Like Luxury?

Global luxury brands are selling a dream, but customers are waking up. The trust gap in luxury retail is growing, and logos alone just don’t cut it anymore.
A blonde young Gen Alpha girl stands in a retail store comparing two dresses symbolizing the consumer influence of the next generation of shoppers.

How Gen Alpha Consumers Will Change Retail

Forget Millennials and Gen Z. Gen Alpha consumers are the next wave of shoppers flipping retail’s playbook. Their consumer behavior is digital-first and expectation-first—and brands better keep up.
Three industry speakers participating in a panel discussion under the Rebuilding a Shared Future backdrop at the RLC Global Forum.

The Evolution of Department Stores

As consumer behavior shifts rapidly, department stores in 2025—once the cornerstones of retail—are rethinking their role. In Saudi Arabia especially, they must adapt to the new realities of a fast-evolving retail landscape to stay relevant.
Silhouette of a woman practicing a yoga lunge stretch at sunset near the ocean at RLC Global Forum.

Inside The $2 Trillion Wellness Economy Trends That Took Over Retail

Evolving consumer priorities, technology, and value-driven purchasing; These are the latest wellness economy trends making waves in 2025.
Shipping containers painted with the European Union flag and Chinese flag side by side at RLC Global Forum.

Cross-Border Ecommerce and China’s Unstoppable (?) Rise in Europe

Can Europe compete with €3 dresses and 72-hour shipping? Chinese cross-border ecommerce platforms are betting it can’t and they’re moving in fast. What will the fallout be?
Illuminated Chanel store sign, symbolizing brand power and premium pricing in luxury retail.

Can Luxury Brands Still Command a Premium?

With price tags climbing higher and economic uncertainty testing even the most brand-loyal shoppers, the real question is: can raising prices still raise desire?
Man grocery shopping in supermarket with smartphone

The Power of Hybrid Grocery: Winning Online and In-Store

The old rules of grocery retail—physical stores and traditional operations—can’t keep up with today’s shoppers. As consumer habits move across channels, retailers must adapt fast. This is the age of hybrid grocery.
Two young Asian women looking into a luxury retail store window display while pointing at items inside.

Asian Luxury Consumers Are Balancing Global Prestige and Local Identity in 2025

Craftsmanship over logos. Quiet luxury and local niche brands. A booming appetite for experiences. Asian luxury consumers are changing their ways, turning to global allure and local ethos to define what luxury means today.
Renuka Jagtiani, Chairwoman of Landmark Group, and Abdellah Iftahy, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, in conversation on growth, innovation, and leadership in a rapidly changing global landscape.

New Leadership Order: Navigating Growth, Resilience & Change

In a world defined by disruption, business leaders must balance resilience with long-term growth. In markets like the Middle East and India—where digital transformation and rising consumer expectations are reshaping retail—success depends on adaptability, vision, and the ability to lead through change.