Introduction: The Moodie Davitt Report presents the third episode of ‘Redefining the Flightpath: Women in travel retail and aviation speak’, a podcast series celebrating the women shaping the future of global travel retail and aviation.

Hosted by Brands Director Hannah Tan, the series features candid conversations with female founders, changemakers and senior leaders in the channel.

Each episode explores the pivotal moments, challenges and lessons that have defined these women’s careers and how their leadership is driving innovation, inclusivity and progress within travel retail.

The series is about amplifying female voices and shining a light on the creativity, courage and leadership driving progress across the industry.

In this episode of Redefining the Flightpath, ANY DI CEO, Founder & Creative Director Anne Dickhardt reflects on her journey from professional sport to entrepreneurship and ANY DI’s travel retail  journey. She talks about the importance of newness, partnership and personal resilience in building a business in a highly competitive marketplace.

A formative sporting career laid the foundations for Dickhardt’s entrepreneurial mindset, shaping both her resilience and her long-held ambition to combine fashion with travel functionality. “I was a former professional tennis player, travelling internationally from a very young age, so travel has always been part of my life,” she says.

“At the same time, I always loved fashion. I had this dream to create a bag that was incredibly comfortable but as stylish and elegant as a Prada bag.”

While a serious injury ended Dickhardt’s tennis career, she didn’t let misfortune stop her from pursuing her fashion dream. “Looking back, that moment changed everything. I immediately focused on my second dream.

“Tennis taught me resilience,” she adds. “You lose a lot, you are often on your own, and you have to keep going. That mindset has stayed with me in business.”

ANY DI’s first serve in travel retail

Dickhardt launched ANY DI in 2015 and the brand’s travel retail debut followed in 2019; a pivotal moment for the industry.

According to Dickhardt, early exposure to the channel proves invaluable in navigating its subsequent disruption and recovery.

“We took our first step into travel retail in 2019 at the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition in Singapore,” Dickhardt recounts. “It was an amazing experience, even though the industry paused shortly after.

“It took time to understand the structure, but trade fairs have been key to our growth from a 4sq m stand to over 30sq m today. In the past three years, travel retail has become our strongest focus in terms of sales development.”

At the heart of the brand is a product-led strategy that aligns closely with travel retail’s evolving demand for innovation, portability and gifting appeal, Dickhardt says.

“Our ANY DI Sun Cover something completely new, with strong gifting appeal and a very emotional design,” she explains.

“The product fits perfectly with travel retail; it’s functional, visible, easy to carry and appeals to a wide audience. We can adapt designs quickly for different markets, whether Asia, the UAE or Europe, and do so within very small retail spaces.” However, the key to making any product a success in travel retail is storytelling and engagement.

Dickhardt explains: “A product only comes to life when staff understand the story behind it. That’s why training is so important, then sales follow naturally.”

She makes a clear call for greater openness from retailers, arguing that sustained growth depends on a willingness to embrace fresh concepts and emerging brands. “Younger consumers want to see new things – you won’t succeed if you only rely on long-term listings,” she says.

“Of course, new listings carry risk, but they also bring opportunity. You have to take that step to grow. I’ve seen retailers take years to decide, while others commit immediately because they see the potential. It really boils down to partnerships.”

Dickhardt is now turning her attention to travel retail exclusives and experiential retail. “Everyone is trying to create pop-ups and special experiences at airports, and that is exactly what travellers want from new products. They want to find things they cannot find in their own country. That is what matters most in the airport experience: not just the surroundings, but also the assortment.”

“In terms of travel retail exclusives, we created a special Hello Kitty Sun Cover design with Eve Air, which was very popular. It sold out within a few months and people still ask for it, even though I’m not allowed to sell it any more.

“That was my first real experience of how powerful travel retail exclusives can be, which is why we keep doing it,” she adds. “We are lucky because our product lends itself so easily to that kind of adaptation.”

The biggest learnings

As a female founder, building visibility in a highly competitive business landscape has been one of Dickhardt’s defining challenges. Speaking on the biggest learnings throughout her decade of entrepreneurship, she says: “One of the biggest challenges has been getting noticed and finding the right people who can take you to the next level.

“I don’t focus on being a woman in business, I focus on being a person. You have to feel confident and stand behind your message.”

For Dickhardt, meaningful industry connections and peer support have become critical growth drivers. “My advice is to speak to as many people as possible: buyers, brands, retailers, everyone who has knowledge to share. Joining organisations like Women in Travel Retail (WiTR+) has been incredibly important.

“In the last six months, I’ve had wonderful opportunities to take part in events, to speak and introduce more and more people to the brand. It has shown me that I took the right path: to go out, talk to people, speak to the press and never stay quiet. That is something you have to do as a woman.”

She recounts a time when current TFWA President and WiTR+ President  Sarah Branquinho gave her a helping hand. “There was a very special moment for me last year after the Singapore fair. I realised I needed more outreach and that it wasn’t enough just to stand at the booth and try to make appointments. So, I sent a message to Sarah Branquinho on LinkedIn with several questions. I couldn’t believe it when she replied immediately, within a day.

“That is not something you can take for granted in this industry, and it meant a lot to me,” she says.

For women entering travel retail today, Dickhardt’s advice is simple. “You always have to ask yourself: ‘what do you really have to lose?’

“Sometimes you just have to go for it, gain the experience, and see where it leads.”

Listen to previous episodes of Redefining the Flightpath below

Click here to read and listen to the second episode of Redefining the Flightpath with Head of Category for Duty Free Luxury and High Street at Heathrow Airport Nancy Stewart

Click here to read and listen to the debut episode of ‘Redefining the Flightpath: Women in travel retail and aviation speak’ with Liht Organics Founder Nerissa Polke