16 December 2007
Kenneth Cole upbeat about growth in region

Dubai has become a very important destination for us and this is reflected in the sales of our products, Kenneth Cole, renowned American designer and humanitarian, told The Business Weekly.

"I never ever envisioned this region especially Dubai becoming so important. It is an international city now and so crucial for branded fashion and accessories," he said.

Kenneth Cole opened its first outlet in 2004 and today it has 10 outlets throughout the region, spread across Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. "The region has a huge potential market, with a very large fashion conscious audience with strong purchasing power that has helped us boost our sales so strongly. We are very happy to be here," he added.

As Chairman of amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, Cole was in Dubai for the Cinema Against Aids charity event at Dubai International Film Festival to raise money for the organisation proving his role is far beyond heading up a multi-million dollar line of clothing and accessories.

Cole believes the fashion industry should be used as a platform for expressing important social issues. "Fashion is often construed to be irreverent and frivolous, and I have a hard time accepting that. The fashion industry is very relevant. It is a reflection of us both as individuals and as a community," he said.

Cole was making a personal appearance to showcase his provocative and cutting edge ad campaigns from the past 25 years at his Mall of the Emirates store that had been transformed into a New York style gallery for the one off event.

"My advertising campaigns address social realities and circumstances, and I like my customers to draw their own conclusions. However, I'm not asking people to change their beliefs or opinions. My advertising is thought provoking and provocative and gets people to think," Cole says.

Expansion plans

In coming three years we expect to double the number of Kenneth Cole outlets from the present 10 to 20 outlets, Nilesh Ved, CEO, Apparel LLC, the company which has introduced the brand in the Middle East through an exclusive license agreement said.

"It all depends upon when the new malls open and which malls offer us the right platform. With the number of the new malls coming up which are bigger and better than the earlier ones we see our business growing at a very rapid rate," he said.

Ved feels that getting good retail space is expensive and the costs are going up. "But if you compare Dubai to any other place in the world, like Singapore, London or even Mumbai it is still considerably cheap," he added.

You can see how Dubai has transformed just looking at the growth of the malls here. "You can see the change coming in right from the Al Ghurair City, to City Centre, to Burjuman and The Mall of the Emirates and see where we are going forward - the newer bigger and better malls like Dubai Mall," Ved says.

Timeless range

Leading luxury lifestyle retailer, the Rivoli Group, brings to the UAE the timeless range of Kenneth Cole Reaction and Kenneth Cole New York watches, through its 90+ Hour Choice stores. Striking and classic, these Kenneth Cole watches have a styling that looks right with any attire.

Kenneth Cole New York's Collection of iconic modern classics is a refined reflection of the Kenneth Cole New York heritage. Created with utmost quality and design, these essential Swiss movement timepieces exemplify urban, sophisticated style for the fashion conscious and socially aware.

The Hour Choice network of more than 90 stores across the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait, retails fashionable, classic and lifestyle watches across a cross section of price points, and along with a variety of more than thirty international brands. Hour Choice recently won the Dubai Service Excellence Award for Best Performing Outlet in the General Retail category.

Vinod Kumar PK

© The Business Weekly 2007