Italian luxury fashion brand Moncler is coming to Kansai Airport. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Kansai Airports, the company operating Japan’s Kansai International Airport, has confirmed a string of new retail tenants for its revamped Terminal 1, an ongoing project that is opening in phases. It is expected to shake up the luxury shopping offer, led by Moncler and Gentle Monster.
At a strategic level, a key contract for food and beverage (F&B) has also been awarded to Switzerland-based Avolta, allowing the company to entering the Japanese market. The award covers 5,400 square feet (500 square meters).
Kansai International Airport is one of the country’s top gateways. It serves the connected cities of Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto and is located on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay. The airport processed 31.8 million passengers in 2024, 25 million of which were international travelers.
Kansai Airports—established by a consortium led by France’s Vinci Airports and asset manager Orix Corporation—also runs Osaka’s Itami Airport and has been renovating T1 in stages since 2021. As part of the Phase 4 renovation of the terminal, the international departures area was enhanced to expand international flight capacity and improve the passenger experience in time for the Osaka/Kansai Expo 2025 which launched in mid-April.
In the same phase, a total of 23 new stores will be opened focused on a line-up of big luxury names including Burberry, Loewe, Issey Miyake, Omega and Tiffany. The big draws, however, may well be Moncler and Gentle Monster, both of which are making their first appearances at a Japanese airport.
Moncler, one of luxury’s standout successes during a period of high-end decline, will showcase its puffer jackets and outerwear for both men and women while South Korea’s Gentle Monster will bring its inimitable take on eyewear to the airport. The two brands together promise to liven up the retail offer at Kansai on their own. More mainstream retailers like Uniqlo and Swatch are also coming to the terminal as well as a Universal Studios Japan store which will open just as the Osaka theme park celebrates its 25th anniversary next year.
Giant kinetic heads in the Gentle Monster store in Hong Kong. (Photo by: Bob Henry/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
A few months to wait for Moncler
Fans of Moncler and Gentle Monster will have to wait until next summer to shops at their boutiques, at which point the T1 renovations will be fully completed. For Avolta, its F&B entry into Japan opens up Asia-Pacific a little more. The region, to date, represents a small part of the company’s revenue: 4.3% of about $15.3 billion core turnover in 2024.
Commenting on the Kansai entry, Avolta’s president and CEO of Asia-Pacific, Freda Cheung, said: “This marks a significant milestone. Our portfolio of global and proprietary F&B concepts has been carefully curated to complement the airport’s existing offers. We aim to strengthen our position as a trusted partner in the region.”
The contract will introduce four F&B concepts, including Wolfgang Puck, Crystal Jade and Fresh by Avolta. The dining spaces will feature open-plan seating and a menu that reflects both Western and Asian influences.
A further three F&B stores will be opened including two more Japanese airport firsts in addition to Moncler and Gentle Monster: from Kamameshi & Matcha Tsumugi comes a new concept from Tsumugi Café, and world-renowned Kobe beef steak at Kobist, a new brand from Bifuteki Kawamura.
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