DOHA: Qatar Luxury Group (QLG), the first venture of Qatar Foundation in the luxury segment, will unveil a series of all-new Qatari brands this year in the fashion, hospitality and lifestyle sectors.
Gregory Couillard, Chief Executive Officer of QLG, said that two years after the Group started it is creating a structured portfolio of culturally informed high-end brands that offer exclusive experiences and timeless products.
The Group is currently active in two main sectors -- fashion and hospitality. Fashion represents the core activity of the Group, which has invested heavily in world-class design and engineering equipment for in-house development of product lines.
Prototyping units on jewellery, luxury ready-to-wear apparel, shoes, leather goods and accessories are all located at the QLG's headquarters and soon a manufacturing facility will be opened for mass production of the unique product lines which is not only meant for the local market but for the international sphere as well.
The first initiative of the Group will be the launch of a restaurant later this year in collaboration with an internationally recognised 3-star Michelin French chef, two more restaurants in 2012 and one luxury fashion brand alongside the Group's development of projects in the lifestyle sector.
Couillard is optimistic QLG will contribute considerably in the country's thrust toward diversifying its economy. The Group has a strong team with members from 14 nationalities including designers from Belgium, Chile, Qatar and US.
"With the creation of the company, the headquarters and with the prototyping units, we have something absolutely unique to offer which did not exist in Qatar before. We are able to train people in a creative environment transferring craftsmanship know-how converting dream into reality," he said adding the brands which exhibit a unique DNA will expand Qatar in the market sending the message of the distinctive side of Qatar in the global market.
"In terms of positioning, I think we are in a strategic stance because if we speak of the process of creating the product, we will carry out the entire procedure from the design to prototyping to manufacturing of the brands here," he said.
He expressed excitement of the prospect of transforming aspirations into reality through combining traditional craftsmanship with strong creativity and state-of-the-art equipment, all available in their facilities here in Doha.
"The demand for luxury products in Qatar has grown considerably on the back of the world's fastest growing economy in recent years. We are uniquely placed to match the creativity of this dynamic region with recognized know-how.
"We have a world class management team with strong experience from some of the best known luxury brands and our business strategy combines long-term thinking with a commitment to strive for excellence in everything we do," he said.
Committed to nurturing local and regional talent on a global scale, QLG provides new work opportunities to the people of Qatar.
"We have already three Qataris in the team, one of whom is Noor Al Thani, a senior designer who has been there since Day One. The two others work as technicians in workshops," he said adding they are putting in place their Qatarisation programme by next month establishing connections with people from VCUQ, all major universities and QF.
© The Peninsula 2011
