La Martina makes Middle East debut

22 Oct '09

4 min read

La Martina, the renowned Argentinean fashion brand, has made its Middle East debut by opening a signature store at The Dubai Mall, the world's largest mall. The new outlet offers the complete range of La Martina fashion products, including the famous polo fashion line.

Addressing a press conference attended by His Excellency Ruben Eduardo Caro, Ambassador of Argentina to the UAE and Mr. Ahmad Al Khayyat, the Managing Director of Al Khayyat Investments, the GCC franchisee of La Martina, Mr. Lando Simonetti, owner of La Martina said: “We strongly believe that the Middle East is one of most promising markets today, and UAE has all the credentials to sustain retail development. It is therefore strategic for global brands to make inroads into this market even in times of financial crises. We plan to go ahead with our growth plans by partnering with Al Khayyat Investments to expand into other parts of the region.”

Mr. Simonetti said that demand for La Martina fashion products and accessories had witnessed double digit growth in most prominent markets worldwide. He also reaffirmed the company's confidence in the UAE as a fashion hub and seat of equestrian sports in the Middle East.

Mr. Simonetti added: "At La Martina we approach our business with passion, devotion and utmost commitment to excellence. This approach has earned us a loyal following across the globe and we are confident our products will have a wide appeal among Middle East's fashion conscious people.”

Clive Stanley, CEO of Retail Division at Al Khayyat Investments said, “The Dubai Mall store of La Martina is among the top La Martina outlets in the world and the only one of its kind in the region. We have already seen impressive footfall during the soft launch and we are confident it will grow significantly in the coming months.”

“Our products go well with the Dubai's image as a vacation destination. La Martina has strong association with vacations and leisure. It therefore makes great business sense for La Martina to be at The Dubai Mall. We look at this move as a springboard to further investments into the GCC retail markets,” added Stanley.

La Martina first established a name for itself as a designer of leather gods and uniforms for polo players, and over the years, spurred by demand, the brand has diversified to add general fashion products for ladies, men and kids. The La Martina products, though made with polo as the inspiration, are perfect for day-to-day use as well. Each product at La Martina is meticulously designed, produced and tested to ensure highest quality standards.

Simonetti added: “Backed by the market expertise of our local partner, we are in a stronger position to serve our loyal customers with greater commitment. Our goal is to make La Martina a reputed fashion brand in the region. We are therefore
delighted to establish our presence at The Dubai Mall, the world's most talked-about shopping destination today. We have re-created the homey “La Casona” concept (which means 'home' in Argentina) designed to evoke an ambience of coziness, as if they are visiting a Polo champion's house.”

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