Kate Spade New York Enters the Middle East with Jashanmal Group
Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 12:29PM | Narain 
KATE SPADE NEW YORK ANNOUNCES ENTRANCE INTO MIDDLE EAST
First regional store opens in Kuwait
Kuwait, March 8, 2012: kate spade new york announces a new distribution partnership with Jashanmal Group in the Middle East with the opening of its first store in the region. The partnership deal will involve exclusive distribution for the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain and will include women’s ready to wear, handbags, small leather goods, fashion accessories and jewelry in both wholesale and retail points of sale.
The first kate spade new york store opening took place at the 360 Mall in Kuwait on March 8, 2012. This will be followed by a store opening at the Dubai Mall in mid April. Both locations will carry the full lifestyle offering of product. There are plans to expand into other territories in the region in 2012 and 13 with multiple retail stores and several shop-in-shops.
Craig Leavitt, CEO of kate spade new york said; “We are confident that the Middle East market will be a key growth area for us, and intend to have a meaningful presence in the region, opening in three new markets in the months ahead. We are excited about our distribution partnership with the Jashanmal Group as they have a proven track record of strong brand management and aggressive growth plans. We feel certain that our product - with its spirited, chic and colorful DNA will resonate with the Middle Eastern consumer, and will excite her as an accessible luxury lifestyle brand. This launch coincides closely with our expansion into Europe, having opened two stores in London last fall, as we recognize the importance of traffic moving between these two markets.”
Tony Jashanmal, Group Executive Director added; “We are delighted to announce our association with kate spade new york which is one of the fastest growing brands in the US. We are confident that this is an excellent addition to our portfolio of accessible luxury lifestyle brands and we are sure that it will offer our consumers an unparalleled sophisticated shopping experience.”
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For further information please contact:
Catherine Tracey, Senior Account Manager - DABO & CO
Email: catherine.t@daboandco.com
Tel: 00 971 4 3444901
Notes to the Editors:
about kate spade new york
In 1993, kate spade designed the utilitarian bag she’d been craving for years but couldn’t find anywhere and so began a revolution in the accessories market. simple silhouettes with clever details and crisp palettes soon established a visual shorthand for the brand that’s recognizable the world over. In 2007, kate spade turned the reigns over to design powerhouse Liz Claiborne, Inc. and Deborah Lloyd, formerly of Banana Republic and Burberry, took the helm as creative director and co-president with an aim to broadening the line while honoring kate’s rich history. Today you’ll find the brand on the arms of women everywhere – with 36 retail shops, a thriving e-commerce business, 89 locations in Asia, a new flagship in Brazil and distribution in more than 400 doors worldwide.
About Jashanmal Group:
Founded in 1919, the Jashanmal Group today is a corporation with multi-channel activities in the GCC and India with headquarters in the UAE. The retail division operates over 100 stores in 5 countries and a thriving distribution and wholesale division supplies a network of over 1,000 points of sale everyday in segments ranging from travel retail to mass and mid-market outlets to high-end retailers with a diverse product group that includes: home appliances, luggage, tobacco, print media and writing instruments.