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Regional retail boom counting on luxury

MELG banks on diversified approach to selling brands

by Executive Staff

After several years of sluggish turnover, the global luxury industry roared into life in 2006, with worldwide sales reaching a hefty $150 billion. A testament to the industry’s revival is the number of flagship stores spawning around the globe from such über brands as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes and Gucci.

By 2010, the Middle East luxury market potential is expected to hit the $100 billion mark as Gucci, Chanel et al make headway into the demand-filled region through local franchisers and retailers. Department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Harvey Nichols, are also opening outlets in the region. In Dubai, Harvey Nichols opened a three storey, 12,500 square-meter store in the Mall of the Emirates, their biggest store outside London. With oil revenues and a growing population, the luxury Arab market has a seemingly insatiable appetite.

Global vision

Enter the Middle East Luxury Group (MELG). Established in 2005, the company is hoping to reap the rewards of this exciting market trend, especially when considering that 40% of all haute couture clients are Arabs. The group, which expects yearly sales of $80 million, believes it is revolutionizing the luxury industry.

“What we are actually providing here is a unified concept in luxury, encompassing everything from clothing to eateries, media and hotel businesses, and we are forcing others to keep up with this trend,” explained Elias Abi Khaled, MELG’s CEO.

The man behind MELG, Bahij Abou Hamzi, who made his name in telecom with his Global and Liban Call services, has so far invested $25 million in Beirut through his company. “The owner’s strong network base gave us contracts with popular brand names,” said Abi Khaled.

MELG’s media arm includes Fashion TV Arabia and Avenue, a fashion magazine that is currently preparing its first issue. The luxury retail activity consists of 13 exclusive brands and multi-brand stores, including Gianfranco Ferre, Vicini, IT, M for Missoni, Exte, and Just Cavalli. The group has also dipped its toes in the hospitality sector with the 109 Café.

“The MELG vision is of a global nature, as we treat the various fashion interrelated activities as one, with complementary functions interacting for the benefit of the whole entity,” explained Abi Khaled, adding that the group intends to expand its line of products and services to eventually include a luxury hotel.

At the moment, MELG employs 150 people and is expected to grow by 100 more within a year, an indication of the group’s aggressive expansion plan. Outlets are scheduled to open in Kuwait, UAE and Bahrain within a year, as well as stores scheduled to open in Qatar, KSA, Egypt and Jordan.

Unique approach

“We avoid franchising for obvious profitability concerns,” says Abi Khaled. “Opening our own points of sales underlines our concern for quality. Each outlet conveys the image of the MELG and we control every aspect of the service.”

Boasting a varied product base within its retail activity, MELG had to face conflicting interests in certain markets, where local exclusivity contracts preempted the company’s representation. As a direct consequence, MELG does not carry a uniformed basket of goods over the region. “Certain brands, including Versace Jeans Couture, Galliano, GF Ferre and Plein Sud, are however available through our multi-brand store,” said Abi Khaled, adding that “within the retail line of activity, outlets are all serviced by the Beirut purchasing platform, as it remains, after all, the fashion capital of the Middle East.”

Abi Khaled believes MELG to be currently among the top five luxury retail companies in the country (the group’s competitors are the El Tayyer group, Villa Moda and Chalhoub) but expects the group to eventually be the only one with an effective regional presence in the Middle East and GCC areas.

“Our goal is to establish a regional identity, which is built through a strong presence in most markets in the Levant and GCC areas,” he said. However, because MELG was first launched in Lebanon, the marketing campaign was kept on hold because of political unrest. “For other countries, one main marketing theme is adopted, which takes into consideration local cultural differences and is adapted to each country individually using TV, print and the group’s monthly fashion magazine, as well as other specialized shows and events.
 

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Executive Staff


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