Dubai: 03 March 2009: Vivienne Westwood, the British fashion designer who was largely responsible for the new wave and modern punk fashions, opened her first boutique in the Middle East at the Dubai International Financial Centre's (DIFC) Gate Village in Dubai in partnership with Villa Moda. The opening ceremony for the boutique was attended by Abdulla Bin Sougat, Chief Executive Officer of the DIFC Lifestyle Group and Marwan Lootah, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of the DIFC Authority.
Vivienne Westwood Ltd. is an international fashion design company, hailed as the most creative and provocative British label of the last 40 years. As a person and as a brand, Vivienne Westwood has inspired generation after generation with her iconic style and her success as a designer has seen her rise from humble shop-owner to founder of a multimillion pound company. Vivienne Westwood's talent for being ahead of her time runs throughout her collections.
Sheikh Majed Al Sabah, Founder and Chairman of Villa Moda said: 'Vivienne Westwood has always been daring and provocative with her collections. This iconic British brand is exactly what Dubai needed; something new, something revolutionary, something Vivienne Westwood'.
Abdulla Bin Sougat, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Lifestyle Group said: "We are very happy that Vivienne Westwood has chosen the Gate Village in DIFC to establish its first boutique in the Middle East. Vivienne Westwood has revolutionised the fashion industry with some of her creations and her unconventional collections have established her reputation as one of world's most original designers. We look forward to bringing more global fashion houses such as Vivienne Westwood to the Gate Village as part of DIFC Lifetsyle's efforts to create a comprehensive lifestyle offering and experience within the financial district."
Creating her own trends, from Punk to New Romantics and Pirates, she led the resurgence of corsets and crinolines into the modern ready-to-wear market, cementing her place as one of the leading lights of both the British and International Fashion industries. The most noticeable aspect of any Vivienne Westwood garment is that there is no affiliation with current trends- each piece is reflective of Vivienne Westwood's belief that individuality is a value which ought to be encouraged and every season she continues to thrill avid fans..Avant-garde, provocative and unique are all adjectives which are associated with the brand, with design structures conveying an image of confidence with lashings of controversy.
The boutique in DIFC will hold Vivienne Westwood's womenswear lines (Gold Label, Red Label, and Anglomania) and accessories.
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DIFC Lifestyle Group
Created at the Dubai International Financial Centre, DIFC Lifestyle is a unique environment comprising high-end retailers, world-class restaurants and the best in international contemporary art and entertainment. Known as Dubai's best kept secret, DIFC Lifestyle has transformed the financial district into a new centre for retail and culture, accessible to Dubai's residents and visitors. DIFC Lifestyle's goal is to develop Dubai into a lifestyle choice as well as a professional hub. The exclusive precinct hosts an eclectic mix of art, culture and stunning architecture and is open to the public on weekdays from 10am to 10pm and on weekends from 10am to midnight. With over 175 nationalities working in a variety of sectors within the DIFC community, this diversity will be reflected in the assortment of activities and experiences on offer. (www.difc.ae/lifestyle)
About Villa Moda
Villa Moda was launched in 1992 in Kuwait as an alternative luxury fashion retailer, taking the best elements of luxury retail in the West and adding a distinct, cosmopolitan 'Gulf' twist for its wealthy, well-travelled and fashion-savvy clientele. With its creative vision and innovative approach, Villa Moda rapidly re-wrote the rules of world-class luxury retail. The core retail concept of Villa Moda lies in its multi-brand boutiques for men and women which offer some of the world's most desirable brands in an exquisitely designed space. Villa Moda also launches and operates flagship boutiques for many brands - including Gucci, Prada, Marni, Tom Ford, YSL, Dolce & Gabbana and more.
It wasn't long before Time Magazine dubbed its founder, Sheikh Majed Al-Sabah, 'The Sheikh of Chic', and his identity morphed from royalty (he is a nephew of the Emir of Kuwait) to fashion royalty as he became a regular front-row fixture at the shows in Paris and Milan. Between2002 and 2003 he pulled off the un-heard of coup of persuading the likes of Miuccia Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Fendi, Missoni and Marni to create limited edition series of kaftans exclusively for Villa Moda customers. A success from day one, Villa Moda rapidly built up a loyal following both regionally and internationally.
Since 2002, Villa Moda has opened new stores in Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai, Damascus, and Kuwait. Villa Moda was the first luxury retailer to venture into Syria, and has since expanded its operations to seven stores. In the coming months, Villa Moda will further flex its retail prowess, opening over 30 flagship boutiques and multi-brand stores in the DIFC Gate Village in Dubai, and Qatar. This will bring the total number of Villa Moda multi-brand stores in the region to 11.
In September 2008, the DIFC Lifestyle Group, part of the Dubai International Financial Centre, bought a majority stake in Villa Moda Lifestyle.The acquisition was part of its strategy to vigorously expand the DIFC Lifestyle brand by diversifying into hospitality, real estate development, fine dining, and more.
Media enquiries:
Amira Abdulla
Director- Regional Public Relations
Dubai International Financial Centre
Tel: +971 4 362 2433
E-mail: amira.abdulla@difc.ae
Shaima Al Zarouni
Assistant PR Manager
Dubai International Financial Centre
Tel: +971 4 362 2432
E-mail: shaima.alzarouni@difc.ae
Iman Ahmad
Regional Media Relations Manager
Dubai International Financial Centre
Tel: +971 50 2058021
E-mail: iman.ahmad@difc.ae
Press contact (Villa Moda):
Ayman Fakoussa
Tel: +97150-708-0063
Email: afakoussa@villa-moda.com
Alberto Grimme
Tel: +97150-708-0067
email: agrimme@villa-moda.com
© Press Release 2009
