Parisian ready-to-wear labels Maje and Sandro, owned by two Moroccan-born sisters, announced the opening of dual stand-alone stores at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates on Valentine’s day, February 14th.
Designer Evelyne Chétrite founded Sandro in 1984, and Judith Milgrom, who worked together with Evelyn, founded Maje in 1999. Both brands are under the umbrella of the SMCP Group (Sandro, Sandro Men, Maje, and Claudie Pierlot), a group created by the Milgrom sisters in 2009, which has previously received investment by L Capital, an investment group that is part of Bernard Arnault’s LVMH portfolio.
Both brands are reputed for their contemporary take on high-end fashion, proposing affordable ready-to-wear clothing for women (Maje and Sandro) and men (Sandro Men). Both have experienced rapid growth in recent years, establishing 700 sales points worldwide. In 2011, total sales jumped 40% to US $409 million (AED/SAR 1.5 billion), with a 2014 target of US $675 million (roughly AED/SAR 2.5 billion). Last year, SMCP Group opened 150 new stores worldwide.
The opening of both Maje and Sandro at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai represents the group’s first stand-alone stores in the region. There have been rumors of further developments throughout the Middle East, which have yet to be confirmed.
Several celebrities have already represented both brands in past advertising campaigns, including Vanessa Traina and Alexa Chung. Model Saskia de Brauw is the face of Maje’s Fall 2013 collection, which is currently in stores.
