LUXURY FRENCH JEWELLERY DESIGNER LAUNCHES WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE BELT; DIRHAM 190,000 BELT FROM AKILLIS IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE BELT OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD

Luxury jewellery designer Caroline Gaspard, CEO of Akillis has let her imagination roam free as she drew inspiration from heroic epics, spy and gangster films blending fiction with reality to produce a belt with a buckle featuring empty Kalashnikov rifle bullets encrusted with diamonds.

The belt is made of alligator leather and Akillis has already sold three pieces at AED 190,000 (Euro 40,000) per unit which makes it the most expensive belt in the world.

The belt and its craftsmanship are in stark contrast to existing design patterns and stands out from the ordinary. It breaks free from conventional jewellery design and old school motifs of using hearts, small animals and floral patterns that are so common in contemporary jewellery designs

“People who buy into ultra-luxury are in it for the image and price is definitely not an object of contention for such people,” remarked Ms Gaspard. “My clientele pay for the uniqueness of my designs,” she quipped.

Akillis has its flagship boutique in rue Volney, in Paris with select distributors across the world stocking its products. Akillis recently announced plans to expand its distribution network throughout the Middle East and India through opening of boutiques, appointment of franchise partners, shop in shops and retail corners across the region as part of its first phase of expansion.

Each and every piece of jewellery is made in France, and is crafted by talented Parisian artisans and the jewellery is a bold, yet elegant, display of beauty. AKILLIS designs are comfortable to wear, following the curves of the body like a second skin. Their lightness is only equalled by their majesty and acute attention is paid to minor details.

The Dubai Mall hosts 3 million visitors over month-long shopping festival

Dubai, UAE; May 28, 2009: The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination, hosted three million visitors over the one-month long shopping and entertainment extravaganza, which concludes today (Friday, May 29, 2009). Festival@The Dubai Mall attracted more than 750,000 visitors every week, strengthening sales across the mall’s 900 retail and F&B outlets.

Marking the formal opening of the mall by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Festival@The Dubai Mall offered a diverse bouquet of bargain deals on global brands, ‘Win Millions’ raffles, Bid 2 Win auctions for premium products, a Grand Bentley draw and mall-wide entertainment. One of the spectacular attractions during the festival was the unveiling of The Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallest performing fountain.

Today (May 29, 2009), one lucky winner will get AED 1 million in cash prize at the ‘Win Millions’ raffle. The Grand Bentley draw for the luxurious, four-door Bentley Continental Flying Spur will also be held, adding to the prize bonanzas offered on the final day. The mall will come alive to a spectacular display of entertainment as several performers come together for a grand finale. Apart from daily entertainment programmes, the mall has also hosted more than 100 fashion shows during the festival at the newly inaugurated Fashion Catwalk at the Fashion Avenue.

Mr Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: “We have achieved the objectives of hosting the Festival@The Dubai Mall, which were to enhance visitors and strengthen sales at our retail outlets. To draw over 3 million visitors in one month is a testament to the success of the mall as well as the city’s global reputation as a premier tourist destination.”

He added: “The Festival@The Dubai Mall has been a confidence booster for the economy, and offered customers a perfect continuum of shopping and entertainment spectacles from Dubai Shopping Festival to the Dubai Summer Surprises, which will start shortly. We are thankful to all our partners for their support, particularly to the Dubai Shopping Festival Office.”

With a total cash prize of AED 3.1 million apart, The Festival@The Dubai Mall has set a new benchmark in mall-wide entertainment with the spectacular array of leisure attractions. The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, a popular attraction at the mall, introduced Shark Dives for the adventurous, offering the opportunity to dive into the 11 metre deep aquarium and surf the waters with sand tiger sharks and rays. The Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink introduced ‘Disco on Ice’ with an in-house DJ belting out popular music and the Fashion Catwalk was abuzz with haute couture events.

The Festival@The Dubai Mall is supported by Dubai Media Inc, Arab Media Group and The Address Hotels + Resorts, a part of Emaar Hospitality Group.

Giordano recognised as Best Service Performance Brand for excellence in customer care

Dubai, UAE, May 27, 2009: Having been recognized for its high standards of service, Giordano Fashions LLC was awarded Best Service Performance Brand by the Department of Economic Development in Dubai, as part of the Dubai Service Excellence Scheme.

Representing ETA Group and accepting the award on behalf of Giordano Fashions LLC, Ahmed Salahuddin, Director, ETA Group, said, “Service has always been top priority for our operations, both in-store and back office, which adds to our customers’ overall experience and most importantly, their perception of the brand. We are constantly improving on our existing services and store facilities, reinventing ways to enhance Giordano’s interaction with its customers. Building a relationship with the customer is key, as every satisfied customer is a Giordano brand ambassador.”

In line with their 2009 strategy, Giordano continues to focus on delivering a brand complemented by high quality service, offering the customer an enjoyable and comfortable shopping experience.

Since 1993, Giordano has rapidly expanded in the Middle East and India. With a current store count of 205, the company has exceeded their goal of 200 stores by 2010. Giordano opened 24 stores during the last six months further strengthening their presence in the region.

“Our goal is to continue to branch out into new locations, making our stores more accessible to customers. We have opened stores in most of the new shopping malls across the Emirates, including our flagship store of over 4,000 square feet at The Dubai Mall, putting us at key locations,” said Ishwar Chugani, Executive Director, Giordano Fashions LLC.

The company also has aggressive plans to expand within Saudi Arabia, with five new stores opening in 2009, one in Makkah, Madinah and Al Khobar, and two in Jeddah.

Globally, Giordano operates over 2,000 stores across 40 countries, and in 2008, the brand entered Mauritius and Azerbaijan, adding two more countries in the MENA region. In India, Giordano opened three more stores and five in-store counters, taking the total number to 16 since the launch of their first store in 2006.

During 2009, Giordano’s strategy will be to keep abreast with the changing trends in consumer fashion and the customer’s current needs, therefore building on the principles that have helped the company sustain growth.

Commenting on the new direction, Chugani said, “Over the years, Giordano has earned the respect and trust of its customers who demand quality, good value and excellent customer service, even more now. Our strengths lie in our ability to deliver the essentials that are timeless and relevant whatever the season. This year, we have identified our customers’ needs and are realigning our priorities to mirror those of our customers. We are going back to basics.”

Giordano is committed to making a positive impact on the community, following the principle of “doing well by doing good” through community involvement and environment protection. Earlier this year, Giordano announced a global program to convert all the stores to use energy saving lighting by July 2011. “In 2008, a large percentage of stores were converted and the results were encouraging, reflecting a reduction of approximately 318 tons in CO2 emission a year. This proves that even the smallest of efforts can make a big impact,” said Chugani.

Focused on supporting its staff, Giordano believes that the success of the organization depends on the contribution of its people. During these challenging times, Giordano has reviewed costs and optimized efficiency in the organisation’s practices to ensure staff security and stability. Giordano supports its staff’s personal and professional development, encouraging staff to grow within the organization.

“We are proud of the high retention of staff we have. Almost all the senior management members have been with us since inception,” concluded Chugani.

Dubai’s haute couture hotspot, the Fashion Avenue opens at The Dubai Mall

Dubai, UAE; May 4, 2009: Adding colour, verve and haute couture appeal to its ongoing shopping and entertainment festival, The Dubai Mall has opened its dedicated Fashion Avenue, a 440,000 sq ft area dedicated to high-fashion. Fashion Avenue will be a centrepoint of activities during the Festival@The Dubai Mall, currently being organised until May 29, 2009.

As the high-fashion hot-spot of Dubai, Fashion Avenue will eventually house over 70 signature or flagship stores, several of which are debuting in the Middle East region. Among the outlets already open at Fashion Avenue are: Jimmy Choo, Missoni, Zadig & Voltaire, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gautier, Burberry, Loewe Emilio Pucci, Chloe, Stella McCartney, Escada, Brioni, Alexander McQueen, Temperley, Roberto Cavalli and Valentino.

The Dubai Mall will also launch a 20-meter long hydraulic Fashion Catwalk, which will be an anchor point for fashion retailers to showcase their collection and the world’s leading designers to display their latest in designs. Latest fashions from the world’s top designers including Missoni, Hugo Boss, Mulberry and Temperley and will be on display.

The fashion shows will include elaborate displays of high-street fashion and brands including Top Shop, Guess Jeans, Diesel and Reiss as well as children’s brands including Gap, Jacardi Paris, and Tommy Hilfiger to name a few. The Fashion Catwalk shows will be held for three consecutive weekends (May 7 to 9; 14 to 15; and 22 to 23) from 5pm to 9pm at the Fashion Avenue, located on the ground floor.

A VIP entrance, with a dedicated drop off area and valet parking service, leads visitors into the most prestigious area - the Fashion Avenue atrium - which will feature some of the world’s most exclusive and coveted designer brands including Chanel, Gucci, Armani, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Ermenegildo Zegna, Hermes, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tom Ford, Lanvin and Fendi. The signature stores vary in size from 5,100 to over 9,000 sq ft marking the largest regional outlets for some of these brands.





Mr Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: “Fashion Avenue is an innovative approach by The Dubai Mall to elevate the overall shopping experience. Nowhere else in the Middle East will you be able to find such a collection of the world’s top brands under one roof. Fashion Avenue is indeed a one stop destination for industry trend setters and fashion enthusiasts.”

He added: “By hosting the largest collection of signature and flagship stores all available in a dedicated precinct we are ensuring that high end fashion aficiondas can source their favourite and coveted brands at the mall. If a unique or limited edition piece is available in Dubai, The Dubai Mall will be the place to find it.”

Fashion Avenue at The Dubai Mall can be accessed from the overpass bridge off Sheikh Zayed Road and from P3, from Burj Dubai Boulevard.

KidZania®, an 80,000 sq ft innovative children’s ‘edu-tainment’ concept; SEGA Republic, a 76,000 sq ft high adrenaline indoor theme park; and a 22-screen Cineplex REEL Cinema, the largest in Dubai are also set to open within The Dubai Mall this year. More than 900 retail stores including 160 F&B outlets are already open, of which several are flagship stores or Middle East debuts of global brands. The mall will also feature two anchor department stores – Galeries Lafayette and Bloomingdale’s.