Optimised retail

After conducting an in-depth study, retailer Chalhoub Group found that local women spend far less on clothing than tourists because they predominantly dress in traditional black robes.

Working with London-based design studio HMKM, it decided to put this insight into action and create a store that would appeal directly to women in the United Arab Emirates. 

The focus on three key categories means the retailer can offer a far more in-depth range of products. Christian Dior, Christian Louboutin and Tom Ford are among the many international names that have opened boutiques dedicated to either bags, beauty or children’s wear.

HMKM started the design process by imagining a retail oasis in a desert, before developing a Garden of Imagination concept that brought together interactive technology as well as fantasy environments. Adventurous children can explore a playground, while adults indulge in a little pampering in Tryano’s fragrance zone.