Marks & Spencer opens third branch in Kuwait

KUWAIT: The third branch of Marks & Spencer in Kuwait was inaugurated yesterday at The Avenues. The new store is 12,594 square meters in size and located at the ground floor (First Phase) of The Avenues. Kuwaitis and expatriates alike looking for a quality international retail experience will enjoy the brand’s inviting and inspiring store design offering a wide range of stylish and innovative products in exceptional quality and at great prices. Speaking with the Kuwait Times, Mark Senior - Operations Manager said the new branch will offer just exactly the same with the twist of more selections at the biggest mall in Kuwait. “The Avenues is the most attractive mall in Kuwait so far and to be in this place is simply invigorating. We’ve been checking and coming here for years now and trying our best to secure a suitable place for us. When we heard they have this space, we were thrilled and very happy about it. So here we are! Starting today, we are going to serve our valued customers here,” Senior noted. Senior added Marks & Spencer in Kuwait has been the second strongest market in the Middle East next to the United Arab Emirates. “Business in Kuwait has been very good. Kuwaitis are our strongest market; in fact, the Kuwaiti market is our second largest in the Middle East. We have witnessed growth over the last few years and we are happy to be in this part of the globe,” he mentioned. According to Senior, Marks & Spencer is a famous and well-established brand in Kuwait. “We’ve been here since 1998 and most of our customers have been very familiar with Mark and Spencer. We have the brand in the UK and people who are coming from this part of the world are very happy to see us here. We have a line of products which are lined up in the upper class quality and customers love our brand. For example, our lingerie has been very famous amongst women and the same goes for men’s suits and formal shoes as well. We are very comfortable because we have a good place in the Kuwait market,” he reiterated. Stylish fashion Currently offering its spring collection in-store, women can celebrate the season in style with Marks & Spencer’s sub brands - M&S Collection personifies elegance in timeless hues, Autograph range embodies luxury and sophistication, ‘per una’ collection reflects feminism and vibrancy while the Indigo collection encapsulates the casual cool look. The gorgeous M&S lingerie section displays beautiful basics, indulgent matching sets and pretty shapewear - perfect for every occasion. The store’s clothing collection also features a host of clever product innovations including suits that are fully machine washable, Secret Support (TM) lingerie which creates flattering silhouette, Stormwear(tm) finish denim and coats, a revolutionary fabric treatment which repels water and Insolia (TM) technology in its footwear ranges which improves comfort and stability in flat and high heeled shoes. In addition, apart from the wide range of women clothing, M&S also offers accessories and footwear for a complete stylish look. The new store is a one-stop destination for those seeking timeless fashion as well as a complete range of beauty products to suit their beauty needs. Marks & Spencer’s standard setting ethics continue to inspire innovation and design whilst championing the heritage and core values of Marks & Spencer in perfectly edited collections. “Our brand for ladies ‘Indigo’ is a casual chic brand, Californian 1960’s is jeans and lots of denims. We have ‘Autograph’ brand to contrast ‘Indigo’. ‘Autograph’ is mostly party dresses and looks, formal wear, real nice colors and very bright. We have ‘per una’, a combination of formal and casual wear with amazing designs and the colors are excellent. We have ‘Classic, and its designed for more relaxed customers; the idea is to cater to classic fashion, some of them are longer sleeves, beautiful combinations as well,” Senior added. “This season’s various kinds of quality designs are to invade Kuwait for more fashionable but also elegant style and quality. Customers buy because it is quality and not just a mere trend,” Senior pointed out. Marks & Spencer constantly introduce new and interesting designs. “The reason why we transferred from our old place in Salmiya to a new location (also in Salmiya) was to live up to our promise of constant change. The place is wonderful,” he mentioned. Senior said, political turmoil is not an issue for their businesses elsewhere. “Political issues are no longer an issue for businesses like ours. I think, M&S is situated in a very stable region and economy is booming everywhere. I think the challenge we face is the growing number of competitors; they are coming in hordes. Market is huge but so is the rapidly growing competition,” he said. Following a traditional ribbon- cutting ceremony led by the Head of Operations, Mark Senior and Store Manager, Ibrahim Qarmeesh, the new Marks & Spencer store welcomed enthusiastic shoppers and media to experience pleasant interiors and extensive product offering. “The store opening is part of UK brand’s regional expansion drive and strategy to build a stronger presence in the Middle East region. The Avenues is Kuwait’s luxury shopping mall which houses strong international brands and attracts more than 20 million visitors every year. The popularity and prominence of this mall makes it an obvious choice of location for the latest Marks & Spencer store. We want to create remarkable international shopping experiences and with this opening we hope to attract an ever increasing number of customers, “Mark Senior added. The opening was attended by Al-Futtaim who said, “Kuwait is a growing market for Marks &Spencer and we have capitalized this huge retail opportunity by opening two big stores in Kuwait this year including the largest international store at The View in February. This significant investment reiterates our commitment to the country. The new store exhibits an excellent interplay of lovely interiors, attractive display windows and exceptional lighting scheme complemented by a convenient customer shopping experience. The collection displayed at the store offers confident style, innovation and outstanding quality designs at fantastic value while focusing on timeless fashion trends for women. By Ben Garcia

Kuwait · 30 Mar 2014

Linked: The Avenues - Phase 1