Stone Island’s pop-up has a minimalist look.
Qatar Duty Free
Moncler-owned fashion label, Stone Island, has opened its first airport pop-up in the Middle East region at Hamad International Airport, where Qatar Duty Free (QDF) is the retail operator.
The arrival comes hot on the heels of a highly anticipated Pop Mart store, whose most famous IP is the Labubu range of sellout dolls. Pop Mart opened at the airport in October to great fanfare that included a catwalk show, and the launch also marked a first for the Middle East region.
Stone Island—while not seeing the crazed demand that is driving sky-high sales of Labubus—is a hot brand that is back in the limelight. The latest Lyst Index for Q3 2025 saw Stone Island re-enter the Top 20 at 19, after four years outside. Pushing past Valentino, the brand had a strong 115% quarter-on-quarter rise in demand, according to Lyst, whose index reflects real-time consumer behavior through searches, sales, and social media engagement.
Commenting on the Stone Island surge, the global fashion shopping platform noted: “A long-time pillar of casual subculture, the brand garnered mainstream attention this quarter, supported by the halo effect of Oasis’s reunion shows.” The British band’s Liam Gallagher has been a long-time fan of Stone Island and, in 2024, he became the face of the brand’s Autumn/Winter campaign, cementing the band’s link to the label.
Stone Island helps to create a distinctive offer
Whether Qatar Duty Free did its research on Stone Island’s Oasis link and the brand’s rebound or not, the decision to bring the brand into Middle East travel retail was smart. It gives the retailer extra credibility among its travel shopping rivals and reinforces QDF’s message of “redefining airport retail.”
Thabet Musleh, chief retail and hospitality officer at Qatar Airways (the owner of Qatar Duty Free), said: “This opening at Hamad International Airport exemplifies our mission to offer travellers a truly unique and diverse retail environment, with the opportunity to experience new concepts.”
A mural of Liam Gallagher, as part of a Stone Island advert on the side of a fish and chips shop in Manchester, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
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Stone Island’s pop-up, located in Concourse B of the airport, is minimalist and puts the focus on innovation and fabric research. Key ranges are present from the main line to the Ghost sub-collection, and brand’s denim research program is highlighted.
Since it was founded in Italy in 1982, Stone Island has consistently pushed fabric technology and experimentation, particularly focusing on functionality and utilitarianism. The brand’s product design and garment innovation have led to cuts, form, and colour that create a recognisable signature look. In Qatar, the pop-up space explores these themes, rooted in industrial aesthetics, and it showcases the season’s core collections.
Moncler helps reinforce Stone Island identity
Under Moncler’s ownership (since 2020), Stone Island’s profile has been raised using various brand initiatives that reinforce the label’s unique identity. The new Stone Island unit is not different. It is in the center of the Viale del Lusso (Luxury Avenue) at Hamad Airport. Other fashion brands surrounding the pop-up are high-end including Chloé, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Pucci, and Valentino.
On bringing brands in early to travel retail, Augusto Deymonnaz, vice president of marketing and communications at Qatar Duty Free said on social media: “If we continue to rely on older models—safe, slow, conservative—we risk losing relevance. We need to reclaim our role as the place where travelers discover what’s new. That means adapting faster, being bolder, and testing new formats. The question now is: what’s the next trend? And are we ready to bring it into the journey, not after the fact, but right on time?”
Last year, Qatar’s Hamad International Airport processed 52.7 million passengers, a 15% year-on-year increase. This was driven by expanded airline partnerships and increased tourism to Qatar in 2024.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinrozario/2025/11/15/stone-island-debut-shows-why-qatar-duty-free-is-a-travel-retail-leader/
