Dubai’s Haute Couture Hotspot, The Fashion Avenue Opens At The Dubai Mall

Adding colour, verve and haute couture appeal to its ongoing shopping and entertainment festival, The Dubai Mall has opened its dedicated Fashion Avenue, a 440,000 sq ft area dedicated to high-fashion. Fashion Avenue will be a centrepoint of activities during the Festival@The Dubai Mall, currently being organised until May 29, 2009.As the high-fashion hot-spot of Dubai, Fashion Avenue will eventually house over 70 signature or flagship stores, several of which are debuting in the Middle East region. Among the outlets already open at Fashion Avenue are: Jimmy Choo, Missoni, Zadig & Voltaire, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gautier, Burberry, Loewe Emilio Pucci, Chloe, Stella McCartney, Escada, Brioni, Alexander McQueen, Temperley, Roberto Cavalli and Valentino.The Dubai Mall will also launch a 20-meter long hydraulic Fashion Catwalk, which will be an anchor point for fashion retailers to showcase their collection and the world’s leading designers to display their latest in designs. Latest fashions from the world’s top designers including Missoni, Hugo Boss, Mulberry and Temperley and will be on display.The fashion shows will include elaborate displays of high-street fashion and brands including Top Shop, Guess Jeans, Diesel and Reiss as well as children’s brands including Gap, Jacardi Paris, and Tommy Hilfiger to name a few. The Fashion Catwalk shows will be held for three consecutive weekends (May 7 to 9; 14 to 15; and 22 to 23) from 5pm to 9pm at the Fashion Avenue, located on the ground floor.A VIP entrance, with a dedicated drop off area and valet parking service, leads visitors into the most prestigious area – the Fashion Avenue atrium – which will feature some of the world’s most exclusive and coveted designer brands including Chanel, Gucci, Armani, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Ermenegildo Zegna, Hermes, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tom Ford, Lanvin and Fendi. The signature stores vary in size from 5,100 to over 9,000 sq ft marking the largest regional outlets for some of these brands.  Mr Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: “Fashion Avenue is an innovative approach by The Dubai Mall to elevate the overall shopping experience. Nowhere else in the Middle East will you be able to find such a collection of the world’s top brands under one roof. Fashion Avenue is indeed a one stop destination for industry trend setters and fashion enthusiasts.”He added: “By hosting the largest collection of signature and flagship stores all available in a dedicated precinct we are ensuring that high end fashion aficiondas can source their favourite and coveted brands at the mall. If a unique or limited edition piece is available in Dubai, The Dubai Mall will be the place to find it.”Fashion Avenue at The Dubai Mall can be accessed from the overpass bridge off Sheikh Zayed Road and from P3, from Burj Dubai Boulevard.KidZania®, an 80,000 sq ft innovative children’s ‘edu-tainment’ concept; SEGA Republic, a 76,000 sq ft high adrenaline indoor theme park; and a 22-screen Cineplex REEL Cinema, the largest in Dubai are also set to open within The Dubai Mall this year. More than 900 retail stores including 160 F&B outlets are already open, of which several are flagship stores or Middle East debuts of global brands. The mall will also feature two anchor department stores – Galeries Lafayette and Bloomingdale’s.
 

Zegna’s S/S 2009 Accessories Epitomise The Luxury Lifestyle

Ermenegildo Zegna, the global men’s luxury fashion brand, offers a range of spring/summer 2009 accessories to keep the contemporary gentleman in step with the season’s relaxed elegance.

The iconic Italian fashion house’s Heritage collection bags include a Boston travel holdall and an attaché case made of the finest crocodile leathers. Exquisitely crafted and hand polished, these investment pieces are sure to become tomorrow’s sophisticated classics. Colours such as black, tan and bordeaux add a dash of urbane masculinity that enhances the season’s business or leisure wardrobe.

Limited Edition Shoes display Zegna’s mark of impeccable craftsmanship. Also hand crafted and hand buffed, the leather has a two-tone coloured effect while the Goodyear Construction sole provides superior flexibility and durability. Each pair comes in a handsome leather chest complete with cherry wood shoe horns, a shoe buffer and a leather care kit.

Sunglasses from the Zebrano Eyewear collection feature the luxurious material and sleek lines characteristic of modern Italian chic. Aviators have ‘60s-inspired two-tone acetate and lightweight metal frames, as well as Zebrano wood arms and trims. Bamboo, Madagascar rosewood and Moore oak are some of the wood varieties chiseled to perfection and paired with high-quality lenses, displaying the harmony between natural material and technological innovation.

Ermenegildo Zegna accessories are available from the brand’s boutiques at The Dubai Mall, The Boulevard – Emirates Towers and the Mall of the Emirates, a corner shop at Saks Fifth Avenue – Burjuman Centre and selected Rodeo Drive boutiques across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.