Photographed by Ezra Petronio, 2015
Isabel Marant opened its second flagship in Dubai this week. The new boutique is situated in the Dubai Mall’s recently-launched Fashion Avenue extension, alongside other stores including Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Alaïa, and Loewe. “Dubai is a great shopping destination and we are excited to expand our presence,” says Isabel Marant, founder of the eponymous French house to Vogue.me. “The new Fashion Avenue expansion is the perfect opportunity to welcome The Dubai Mall’s visitors to the universe of the brand. The Middle East consumer is an international traveler who is super acute on new trends. They are also often lovers of all things French and Parisian, which makes them great brand ambassadors,” she adds.
Along with the ready-to-wear collections, the new store will house the brand’s ever-expanding range of accessories, handbags, shoes, jewelry, and Étoile, which is the equally cool, younger sister of the main line, or as Marant calls it “the companion to the casual moments in life.”
“The Isabel Marant style is not only about clothes but also about attitude: self-confidence and coolness make for a personality that’s open and approachable,” she says about the women she designs for. “Easiness and comfort make an outfit that can make all situations from the office to a family dinner to a party while always being oneself and on point.”
Courtesy of Isabel Marant
The interior of Marant’s new Dubai Mall store is reflective of the je ne sais quoi attitude of her clothing. Drawing inspiration from the 60’s French experimental movement, the 232 square meter space features sculptural columns covered by handmade clay tiles and oak shelves that emit the easy elegance synonymous with the label.
The designer, who launched her namesake brand in 1994 with a line of jerseys and knitwear, has found fans in a number of A-listers for her laid-back pieces that are the epitome of French girl cool. Over the years, the exporter of French girl style has brought the brand’s chic-bohemian ethos from Paris to all points of the globe, boasting retailers in more than 25 cities including in Beirut, New York, Tokyo, London, and Dubai.
Additionally, following the brand’s highly-successful collaboration with H&M in 2013 (that reportedly sold out within minutes), Marant made her first foray into menswear, unveiling her debut men’s collection during Paris Fashion Week in September. She plans to further expand the brand with many new stores opening around the globe, including two in China and four in Europe.
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