Out of office:

Why resort retail is heating up

RESORT RETAIL

Over recent years, as affluent consumers have set their out-of-office replies and swapped city streets for scenic shores, retailers have increasingly been heading to the same destinations with new strategies in their suitcases.

Fashion and lifestyle brands aren’t just following the sun but instead have embedded themselves in the world’s most sought-after holiday spots. From Ibiza to the Hamptons, labels are tapping into resort settings to connect, engage and sell in more immersive, experiential ways.

Far beyond chasing summer vibes, resort retail has matured from pop-ups into a strategic channel. According to Savills research, Europe’s top seasonal destinations – from St Tropez and Mykonos to Ibiza and the Algarve – now rank among the most sought-after locations for short term activations, offering access to high-spending consumers during peak holiday months, and tap into the higher concentrations of ultra high net worth residents typically seen in these locations.

Across the top 15 summer resort markets in Europe and the US, there are on average just over 1,000 ultra high net worth residents, with The Hamptons seeing the highest concentration.

WEALTHX and SAVILLS RESEARCH

Boutiques to beach clubs:
Why are brands investing in resort retail?

For brands that means showing up wherever customers unwind, recharge and reconnect. Resort activations offer a chance to meet consumers in leisure mode, open to inspiration, primed to share and most receptive to experience. These settings allow brands to extend their identity beyond their flagship stores and into the rhythm of holiday life, with retail designed for the FOMO economy.

From branded beach clubs to curated hotel drops, these activations are designed to be rare, time‑limited and hyper-localised – tapping into the psychology of ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ and creating experiences customers want to post about, not just purchase from.

Seasonal activations also give brands a lower-risk opportunity to trial new markets, explore format innovation and build awareness among international audiences. Initially dominated by the megabrands, a rising wave of cult, creative and accessible brands have also embraced resort retail, turning this from a luxury flex into a movement reshaping the retail calendar.

Over 80% of brands enquiring for pop-up activations were focused on short-term, resort-based leasing opportunities – showcasing the strategic significance of seasonal activations.

Savills Retail

Casablanca Paris – The Hamptons

Savills client Casablanca transported its signature aesthetic to the Surf Lodge in the Hamptons, creating a culturally immersive brand moment at a Montauk resort – blending fashion, location and narrative in a setting designed for both leisure and luxury.

Jacquemus – Monte Carlo

A destination within a destination. Jacquemus brought its Mediterranean minimalism to life with a glamourous beach club takeover in Monte Carlo, combining food, fashion and escapism against the Riviera backdrop.

Longchamp – Italy

Longchamp embraced the resort spirit on the Italian coast of Fore Dei Marmi with a seaside pop-up inspired by its travel heritage. The activation showcased exclusive summer editions of its iconic Le Pilage alongside beach-ready accessories, all within a setting that fused Parisian elegance with Mediterranean ease.

Anya Hindmarch’s Dive Shop – Chelsea

A witty, design-led pop-up bringing charm, product and personality to the seaside, reimagining the classic beach hut as a branded world.

Malin + Goetz – Ibiza

The skincare brand partnered with a local hotel for a poolside takeover - blending skincare, design, and sensory storytelling.

Resort retail has shifted from a seasonal flourish to a core part of brand strategy. The right location doesn’t just provide a sales opportunity, it places a brand directly in the lifestyle moments their customers aspire to. When done well, it expands reach, attracts new audiences, and cements the brand in the memories and rituals that matter most to their customers.

Alexa Choynowski

Central London and global cross border retail

Seasonal activations have moved from a marketing experiment to a mainstream retail strategy. We’re seeing more brands ask not if they should be in resort locations, but which destinations will deliver the right blend of audience, spend and cultural cachet. For those that get it right, the return isn’t just in sales, it’s in positioning the brand at the centre of where their customers live their most aspirational lives.

Sam Foyle

Co-head of prime global retail

Retail x Hospitality:

Brands are also immersing themselves within the guest experience, no longer just popping-up at hotels but instead, turning iconic locations into extensions of their brand world.

From curated capsule collections at St. Regis to pyjama soirees at The Carlyle, these partnerships are conceived as immersive activations that leverage the DNA of both brand and hotel.

Brands landing at a place like Hotel du Cap‑Eden‑Roc, Le Bristol Paris or The Colony Hotel are seeking presence with purpose, while for hotels, these collaborations can deliver an elevated guest journey, rich in aesthetics, storytelling, and surprise. For brands, they provide an opportunity to create cultural relevance for a pre-qualified audience against a ready-made backdrop for seasonal expression, designed to be photographed, shared and rebooked, whether a poolside umbrella or in‑suite raffia bag.

Critically, these collaborations are intended to unlock engagement touchpoints with a highly receptive audience of affluent travellers in a leisure mindset, primed to spend and connect. Whether a pop-up, trunk show or an invite-only cocktail party with shoppable exclusives, the blend of commerce and community makes the brand feel lived beyond the confines of the store.

The power of collaboration

HOTEL AND RESORTS

STAUD AT ST. REGIS

Staud’s first luxury hospitality collaboration brought its West Coast ease to St. Regis’ global portfolio of iconic resorts. The exclusive collection fused Staud’s playful, fashion-forward aesthetic with the brand heritage of St. Regis – channelling a sense of adventure, indulgence and style designed for the worlds most coveted destinations.

Antibes

Sporty & Rich at Hotel du Cap‑Eden‑Roc

A synergy of California cool and Riviera elegance, this collaboration saw a summer capsule infused with hotel heritage, including crested swimwear and terrycloth polos.

Portugal

Ulla Johnson at Quinta da Comporta

The designer’s exclusive resort capsule was showcased within the resort’s wellness space, creating an aligned experience around relaxation and understated luxury.

St. Tropez

Restoration Hardware at Sea

Retail takes to the water. Savills client Restoration Hardware launched a 130-foot yacht turned floating showroom and hospitality space, offering curated brand experiences with Mediterranean flair.

Seasonal retail:
More than a summer fling

Resort retail has enabled strategic extensions of physical retail, flexing with the rhythm of the customer and for many brands has become part of their annual strategies, returning season after season to re-engage their audiences in lifestyle settings.

Complementing city flagships, these activations and strategies can expand the definition of brand experience to engage differently: more relaxed, more human, more aligned with how consumers live, travel and spend. Because while flagship stores still matter greatly, some of the most magnetic brand moments happen poolside – with a spritz in hand.

Indeed, in an age of sameness, the real flex is unforgettable experiences. Not just stores, but settings. Not just products, but presence. Because no logo beats the memory of a perfectly pitched brand moment under Mediterranean skies.

And as summer fades once again, one question remains: which brands will swap beach clubs for après-ski when the snow starts to fall?

ALEXA CHOYNOWSKI

Central London and Global Cross Border Retail

alexa.choynowski@savills.com

+44 7715 412 382

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Out of office:

Why resort retail is heating up