Page 59 - IAADFS Summit 2023 Special Edition

INSIDER

sees from Latin America, Trelles will be
relocating his family to his home town of
Medellin to enable him to have greater
direct control over their manufacturing
partners and provide full support to the
local team. Cajias will remain in Miami to
oversee the North American operations.
Calling themselves “a Company
for the Americas,” WAI takes a regional
approach for its operations in North
America and LATAM. Using a team of in-
house designers and project managers, We
An Idea manages the production through
its partnership with manufacturing shops, Bulgari at Palacio de Hierro Polanco Mexico City
alongside logistics and install networks,
handling the projects from beginning to stores such as Saks 5th Avenue, Neiman with Dufry. This is the brand’s first travel
end. Marcus and Nordstrom for luxury retail store in the Americas, which Cajias
The company currently works from niche perfumes. WAI began rolling out describes as a “top-line project for the
three production facilities in Miami animations for French luxury brand region.”
covering some 40,000 square feet Parfums de Marly in U.S. Department WAI also participated in creating the
for permanent projects, and there are stores last Thanksgiving, expanding with new shop-in-shop boutique for Chanel
additional production facilities for brand another push for Valentine’s Day (Ed in Los Angeles Airport’s Tom Bradley
Activations, Animations and POP displays. note: Parfums de Marly is represented International Terminal with DFS Group.
In Latin America, WAI works with huge by Essence Corp. in the Caribbean and The company had previously been involved
manufacturers in Mexico City, Mexico, Americas travel retail channel.) with Chanel’s duty-paid boutique opened
and Sao Paulo, Brazil, in addition to nearly WAI also handled an important rollout at Toronto Pearson International Airport in
220,000 square feet of production facilities for niche Initio Parfums Privés into the 2019.
in Medellin, Colombia. To handle its U.S. domestic market. “The Chanel shop-in-shop at TBIT is
growing portfolio of clients and brands, “It’s been an exciting journey since a retail space with great exposure in North
it has also added production in Argentina starting in travel retail,” says Trelles. America,” says Trelles.
and is looking to add more shops in Miami We An Idea is also expanding its We An Idea has also been involved
and Colombia, say the partners. This will product design consulting activities, with producing and installing the new
also enable them to grow the teams in both helping brands create retail furniture as part branded corners for Carolina Herrera, Paco
regions. of the overall design concept. Case in point Rabanne and Diptyque at the new DFA
are the display units WAI helped design Store in Panama Airport Terminal 2.
Activations driving new business and manufacture for Mijenta tequila. From
While 95% of We An Idea’s business the first small order for the launch in 2021, Family company, family values
has traditionally been creating permanent WAI added several hundred new units over Even as WAI experiences strong and
travel retail installations – covering last two years and is presently working on continued growth, the principals point
everything from space planning to custom more. out that it is a family-owned and family-
manufacturing to project management— “Our objective was to create furniture operated company, deeply committed to its
brand activations and animations are that translated the brand message,” says staff and clients.
becoming increasingly important to the Cajias. “It is very fulfilling to be part of the “We are very proud to say that we
product mix and driving deeper market development this way.” never let any of our people go during the
penetration. COVID crisis. We found ways to keep all
“Animations and activations now High profile travel retail projects of our staff employed. We are also very
account for 30-35% of our business and We An Idea also worked on several aware of how important it is to keep a good
this could grow, as we are creating projects major new travel retail ventures in the life-work balance and make sure that is a
for both the travel retail and domestic region. priority,” concludes Trelles.
market channels in liquor, cosmetics and In Jamaica, the designers worked on WAI is set to continue the path
fashion,” notes Cajias. a shop-in-shop for Hennessey cognac in of growth and wide coverage in the
This new business includes serving the newly opened Sangster International Americas region and looks forward to the
local U.S. perfumeries and department Airport in Montego Bay, in association opportunities ahead.

59 April 2023 Summit of the Americas