Showcasing the works of young Emirati artist Wafa Al Marzooqi, the second Bidaya exhibition is being held until February 6, 2012 at the Waterfall Atrium in the ground floor of the mall. Honoured as the ‘Outstanding Graduate 2011’ at the Abu Dhabi Industry Awards for Academic Excellence, Wafa’s works are being presented under the auspices of the Mansoor Bin Mohammed Photography Award initiative.

Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: “We are committed to celebrating the wealth of creative talent in the UAE, highlighted by our support of ‘Bidaya.’ The event brings a new dimension to the emerging trends in arts scene in the UAE, and is a perfect fit to The Dubai Mall, which hosts entertainment and cultural activities that appeal to all visitors.”

Wafa is known for her creative story writing skills, and is the author of several children’s books including Water = Life, the Al Qatoo Hasson series and In the Fridge. Passionate about art and character design, she has worked on several character design projects for various entities and individuals.

A first of its kind initiative in the country, Bidaya showcases a wide range of artistic ideas by young Emirati artists from different fields including art and culture. It aims to crystallise the aspirations of young talent and highlights the creative thinking and outlook of young Emiratis.

Located in the heart of Downtown Dubai, described as ‘The Centre of Now,’ The Dubai Mall has 1,200 retail outlets, two anchor department stores and over 160 food and beverage outlets, in addition to a rich portfolio of leisure attractions including Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo; KidZania®, an innovative children’s ‘edutainment’ concept; SEGA Republic, a 76,000 sq ft indoor theme park; the 22-screen Reel Cinemas; and the Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink.

Al Ain, UAE, 2nd February, 2012: Visitors to Bawadi Mall, the largest shopping mall in Al Ain, were in for a great thrill when a group of 800 students from AJ Group of Schools as well as public took over the entrance area and performed a three-minute Flash Mob dance.
 
The show which began with the students performing in a random fashion snowballed into a unique artistic spectacle with more dancers joining in and enlarging the circle.

Khalid Shraim, Senior Marketing Manager, Bawadi Mall said: “Flash Mob is a global phenomenon in which a group of people assemble randomly in a public place and perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief period. The student show at Bawadi Mall constituted a unique artistic expression.  As a mall, we were delighted to host the spirited performance for few minutes.”

Shraim added: “The students had an amazing grace and agility, as did the visitors who were impressed by the random dance performance. The mall serves as a perfect venue for such events that need a large area and high footfall.”

The funding of the ‘3 minute Freeze’ in Bawadi Mall went to the Hope Centre for Special Needs located in Oud Al Touba in Al Ain City.

Suhail Munir, Group Communications Manager for the AJ Group of Schools added: “One of the best things about the event was the use of social networking technology to gather the mob and everyone was receptive to doing something for the Hope Centre.”

Munir added: “I was thrilled to see the harmony created by the students as well as the impression they created on the visitors. We chose Bawadi Mall because we believe that it is one of the leading malls in the UAE and it offers the perfect ambience to perform this dance in a friendly and cosy environment.”

Shraim added: “Bawadi Mall which houses a mix of international as well as regional retail brands of fashion, food, jewellery and much more, is distinguished by innovative ideas because we believe that our job is to reach out to the community by creating an emotional bond across the diversity of cultures.”

Apart from the series of initiatives run by the mall throughout the year, Bawadi Mall features a varied mix of fun, ranging from the “Roller Coaster” to the “Fun Ski Village”, amongst many other attractions. Eight movie theatres, including Grand Class Hall, a bowling alley, a distinctively rich food-court and several casual dining alternatives offering delicious varieties of cuisines, make a visit to Bawadi Mall a worthwhile and exciting experience.

New brands have made their debut in Al Ain city through Bawadi Mall, such as Zara, Mango, MAX , Marks & Spencer, Kotton, New look, H&M and ACE amongst others. The mall hosts more than 380 retail outlets, including international names.

Release Date: 03rd February 2012

Jacky’s Electronics, the UAE’s leading multi-brand consumer electronics retailer, is expecting better sales turnover in the first quarter of the year as a result of a good performance experienced in its outlets during Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).

According to Ashish Panjabi, Chief Operating Officer, Jacky’s Electronics, the first quarter of the year is always a busy period in terms of footfall and sales and is carried over in the coming months. “The various festivities that are happening in the coming months mean people will be looking for gadgets and electronics as gifts especially during the Chinese New Year, Navroz in March, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day,” he added.

Among the product categories, mobile phones and digital cameras have done exceptionally well during the festival while new models released from various brands for tablets and smart phones contributed to good sales as well. Meanwhile, the pace of growth for the IT categories remains constant.

The BlackBerry Porsche, priced over AED7,000, has been virtually sold out within the same day whenever stocks are available while iPhone 4S continue to be a bestseller. On the Android platform, there has been a swift movement for both the Samsung Galaxy SII and the Galaxy Note which have been heavily marketed throughout DSF, while Sony’s newly launched Tablet S has done well in the past week.

Meanwhile, in the digital SLR camera segments, the Canon EOS1100D and Canon EOS500D received the highest demand from consumers, while in the point and shoot category Fujifilm FinePix S3300, Sony Cyber-shot DSCW570, Nikon Coolpix S6200, Samsung MV800, and Panasonic Lumix GF3 were the top five bestsellers. In the video camera category the Panasonic SDRT76 and JVC GZHM445 have sold many units.

“We received similar sales turnover during the first 15 days of DSF as compared to the same period in 2011. While the average selling price dropped considerably this month, but we were able to maintain the sales turnover through the increased volume of units via better value bundles and offers across product range,” Panjabi said. 

Jacky’s Electronics is giving away premium gifts sets such as perfumes, fragrance coffrets, pilot cases and writing instruments from leading brands for every electronics products bought during DSF until 5th February. Among the premium items to choose from are Hugo Boss, Yves Saint Laurent (YSL), Gucci, D&G, Commes Des Garcons, and Van Cleef & Arpels perfums and fragrance coffrets; HP and Targus pilot cases; and Cross writing instruments.

Aside from these bundle offers, Jacky’s is also offering Extended Warranty scheme of up to four years on all products. Customers can also recycle their old electronic products through Jacky’s Eco-Exchange programme. Customers can also avail the Easy Payment Instalment Schemes at 0% interest through ADCB, Barclays, Citibank, Emirates NBD, Mashreq, National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Standard Chartered.

Latest deals and promotions are also updated on Jacky’s Twitter and Facebook pages on www.twitter.com/jackysuae/ and www.facebook.com/jackysuae/ respectively.

K. Balakrishna Pillai (Former Minister of Kerala), Sultan Bin Majid Al Mammari (Member MajlisAshura), Humaid Bin Ali Al Nasri (Member-Majlis As Shura), Ali Bin Salih Al Kalbani (Ministry of Commerce), Khalifa Bin and HamoodSalim Al Yaqubi (Ibri Municipality) were also present. A large number of expats along with locals were also present on the occasion.

The new hypermarket in Ibri is Group’s 5th outlet in Sultanate of Oman; taking its store count to 38 amid an aggressive expansion drive. Spread over 45,000 sq. ft.,the hypermarket showcases fresh food section comprising fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, fish, it also has a huge area dedicated to department store items such as electronics, stationery and fashion brands for ladies, gents and kids. The outlet is situated at Souq Road, Ibri; andeasily accessible from the major road with ample car parking.

This is another initiative by Regency Group towards providing better shopping experience to the local and expatriates community in Ibri at unmatched affordability, guaranteed quality and choices of products/services. The store planning, atmospherics and layout has been designed specifically to provide “a complete solution” to the customers at Ibri and nearby locations, Mr. Anvar Ameen said.

By introducing the “GrandMe” loyalty card, our customers are getting splendid opportunity to make grand shopping a more pleasurable experience with value added shopping and boundless benefits, Mr. Aboobacker said.

The traditional dances performed by Omani cultural troup added colour to the grand inaugural celebration.Fabulous offers and promotions with competitive rates are available at store in connection with the inauguration.

Our next mall in the GCC will be opened at Dammam, Saudi Arabia on 1st February 2012.

Mr Rashid Doleh, Executive Director of Dalma Mall, signed the agreement with Mr Nilesh Ved, Chairman of Apparel Group. As per the agreement, Apparel Group will open 10 stores, which will sprawl over 17,000 sq feet in the mall.

Set to open by the first quarter of the year, the new stores will offer visitors to the mall the opportunity to select from a range of popular high street brands including Aéropostale, Aldo, Aldo Accessories, Bench, Nine West, Charles & Keith, Tim Hortons Coffee, Dune, Naturalizer and Ingot.

Mr Doleh said: “The agreement with Apparel Group underpins the evolution of Dalma Mall as the definitive lifestyle destination in Abu Dhabi offering a large array of retail choices for visitors. We are committed to bringing exceptional global brand experiences to the mall, and Apparel Group’s rich repertoire of popular brands will be a huge draw for Abu Dhabi residents and visitors.”

He added: “Through partnerships such as with Apparel Group, we are focused on creating an ideal tenant mix that will strengthen customer loyalty and repeat visitor footfall. This, in turn, will add value to our retailers, maximising their business and operational efficiencies.”

Mr Ved said: “New store concepts are a crucial part of our mission to satisfy our multicultural customer base and offer them a one of its kind retail experience. On our recent opening of Tim Horton’s in Abu Dhabi, we received overwhelming response and believe the launch of our new stores at Dalma Mall will receive the same welcome and will further strengthen our presence in Abu Dhabi. Dalma Mall is strategically located at the heart of the emirate’s expansion corridor and serves as an ideal retail destination for the numerous residential communities mushrooming up in the areas. We appreciate the entry from the mall management and feel it will be an apt location for our key international brand portfolio.”

With over 60% of its total leasable area of 1.6 million sq feet already leased, Dalma Mall has signed strategic partnerships with major groups such as Landmark Group and Al Futtaim, among others. More than 60 outlets are open already including a large Carrefour Hypermarket, Centrepoint, Home Centre, Fun City, Max, Emax and Matalan as well as a host of specialty stores.

Recording an average month-on-month footfall growth of 35%, Dalma Mall is all set to register a surge in visitor turnout with a large number of anchor stores opening later this year including Marks and Spencer, BHS and Toys R Us.

Abu Dhabi’s largest Cineplex - the 14-screen CineRoyal Cinemas - offering over 2,200 seats and unprecedented cine-going experiences, has also opened at the mall, underlining its appeal as a must-see shopping and entertainment destination in the UAE capital.

SouqExtra! officials announced this encouraging trend during a cake cutting ceremony held with retail partners and community members to mark the second anniversary of its flagship outlet at Ewan Residences in Dubai Investment Park.

The Anniversary celebration is the first major event on SouqExtra!’s 2012 Activity Calendar. The entertainment needs of children during this event have also been given a special care with bouncing castle, clowns, magic show and a host of other fun filled activities that will continue for 3 days.

Speaking on the occasion, Saleh Abdullah Lootah, Managing Director of SouqExtra! said “These new figures are very astounding, and are driven by the increased consumer confidence in the UAE and the rising demand for modern retailing concepts, such as SouqExtra!.”

This is backed by the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) who stated that consumer confidence in Dubai rose during the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to the previous quarter. The confidence index increased from 15 points to 125, boosted by a 22% in survey respondents’ optimism of an economic recovery over the next 12 months.

“Our operational model, that revolves around the needs and unique demographics of the residential communities in which we are based, has proved very successful and has been praised by retail partners and consumers alike,” said Justin Wilshaw, the Chief Executive Officer of SouqExtra!.

Attending to the local community demand at SouqExtra! Ewan Residences, new retail space has been allocated for more services including a coffee shop, a driving institute and a sunglass offer according to Mr Wilshaw.

Building on the lifestyle supercenter’s community-centric character the first year anniversary celebrations at SouqExtra! Ewan Residences saw a 100% increase in daily footfall.

SouqExtra! is a pioneering lifestyle supercenter model, representing an innovative retail concept shaped by extensive research into outlet positioning as well as the quality and variety of services offered. It offers an innovative programme that encourages local entrepreneurs to enter the exciting retail scene, and focuses on providing access to amenities and services that connect consumers’ professional and family life to the larger community, adding something Extra! to life.

The House of Marley products are of superior quality in both sound and design and are made from eco-friendly materials that embody the Marley family’s values of equality, unity, authenticity, sustainability and charity.

“Our father shared his vision with our family and his fans through the gift of the messages in his music and it is our mission and responsibility to push the movement forward,” said Cedella Marley, Bob Marley’s daughter. “The House of Marley and the MARLEY audio products that bear our family name were created to spread our father’s music and vision to a new generation.”

MARLEY headphones are comprised of three collections: Jammin’, Freedom, and Destiny. All products feature noise isolating in-ear and active noise cancelling over-ear headphones. Docking stations and portable audio systems should follow in the UAE soon afterwards.

“The House of Marley range is devoted to encompassing Bob Marley’s vision of hope, unity and peace through high-quality, funky and sustainable products. To further resonate Bob’s dreams, a portion of sales from these products help in funding the Marley family’s 1Love charities that are focused on youth, our planet and peace. Virgin Megastore is proud to introduce the collection of MARLEY audio products to the UAE, offering our customers an original range of stylish, premium quality headphones and the opportunity to contribute to a greater cause.” said Ahab Shamaa, Regional Product Manager, Virgin Megastore MENA.

Four guiding principles are central to turning Bob’s ideals into actions at The House of Marley: Superior Quality, Sustainably Sourced, Cause Minded and Waste Conscious.

Superior Quality: Bob was a master at his craft and The House of Marley aims for the same excellence in everything it creates. Using reggae music as the test by which all MARLEY products are made, bass is the driving force in every product. That doesn’t mean the highs have been neglected, however. MARLEY products aim for authenticity and you can hear it in every instrument and vocal. MARLEY products are made to withstand even the most active lifestyle and to emulate Bob – timeless.

Sustainably Sourced: The House of Marley’s goal is to create high-quality products in the most ethical and environmentally positive way. MARLEY audio products are made with FSC certified wood, the highest standard for wood and forest products, and use recycled and recyclable aluminium and plastic. The House of Marley is continuously searching for the highest-quality, lowest environmentally impactful materials the world has to offer.

Cause Minded: A portion of proceeds from The House of Marley will benefit 1Love.org. The organisation, sparked by the Marley family, is dedicated to spreading Bob Marley’s message of unity and peace by lifting up the new generation to strike the hammer for charities, causes and ideas that can change the world with a focus on youth, planet and peace. Learn more at 1Love.org.

Waste Conscious: The House of Marley creates eco-conscious products that aim to be sustainable, renewable and recyclable. But one thing it’s not about creating is waste. Each MARLEY product is packaged using pulp or recycled and recyclable material, so it can avoid the waste stream and manifest into something useful again. In addition, MARLEY ear buds and headphones come with storage bags made from natural fibres, such as cotton and hemp.

Retail price ranges from 120 AED for earphones to 1200 AED for the top of the line TTR headphones offering superior audio products to fit every personal style from reggae lovers to conscious connoisseurs. Exclusively available at Virgin Megastores.

Established in 1968, the illustrious name includes a vast array of notable furniture from international brands that are on display at Interiors showrooms around the U.A.E. Some of the renowned brands that make up the Interiors portfolio include: Broyhill, AICO, Paul Robert, Klaussner, Décor Rest and Bernhardt from the USA, Airsprungbeds from Britain, Coleccion Alexandra and Mariner, Soher, Eve, Koher, Fama and Fejomi from Spain, Nicolletti, Porada, Cornelio Cappellini, Seven and Scappini and the Giorgio collection from Italy and Eiccholtz, one of the most famous imports from the Netherlands.

Committed to providing its customers with high-quality furniture for more than four decades, Interiors is the one name that comes to mind when one is looking for unique and revolutionary designs at affordable prices. Providing its customers with the advantage of a wide range of collections to choose from, Interiors is indubitably the unrivaled name in the world of furniture.

Make sure to avail of the fantastic discounts that are being offered at Interiors showroom in Dubai up to the 5th of February 2012.

Dubai - January 21, 2012: Bespoke menswear specialists Royal Fashion today announced its expansion with the launch of its sixth outlet in the Jumeirah Lake Towers community.

A subsidiary of Royal Traders, one of Dubai’s pioneers in textile trade, Royal Fashion’s foray into New Dubai area outlines its strategy to reach out to the growing retail trade in the area, providing easy access for its target clientele to its bespoke tailoring services for upscale menswear.

“Our move into Jumeirah Lake Towers community is the first in a series of expansion we are looking at in 2012. The launch of the new shop is also in line with the changing landscape of Dubai’s residential and commercial hubs with New Dubai flanking Sheikh Zayed Road a bustling centre of activity,” said Ashok Sawlani, partner, Royal Traders, parent company of Royal Fashion

Mr. Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), was the guest of honour during the opening ceremonies.

Royal Fashion, renowned for its bespoke menswear creations, has for nearly two decades been successfully serving upscale expatriates and nationals alike ever since the opening of its first outlet in 1992 in Bur Dubai.

“What makes us stand apart as a trusted brand is our commitment to quality, timely delivery and elegance of our work created from the best of clothing materials sourced from across the globe. We have not faced any slack in the pace of our growth despite the financial crunch and we do anticipate a revenue growth of 15 per cent in 2012 compared to 10 per cent in 2011,” Mr. Sawlani said.

Quoting a 2011 last quarter study by Bain & Company on worldwide luxury goods market, Sawlani said  market conditions in the luxury retail sector will help sustain its growth, as sales of luxury goods in the Middle East was projected to increase by 12 per cent at the end of last year, two per cent better than the expected sales growth globally. The study likewise showed that apparel will be a key driver of this growth at 8%, with sales of menswear outpacing women’s wear. 

Congratulating the company on its expansion, Mr. Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of DMCC, said the sustained growth of Royal Fashion over the years was testimony to the strength of Dubai’s traditional trading economy. “The growth of Royal Fashion demonstrates that Dubai continues to be a major hub with growth opportunity for businesses across categories. JLT will benefit from the addition of this well known retailer.” Mr. Bin Sulayem added.

According to Sawlani, one of the strongest points of Royal Fashion is its ability to deliver tailor-made menswear to its clientele in the shortest possible time Royal Fashion is also associated with an array of luxurious fabrics from renowned brands such as Dormeuil, Charles Clayton, Clissold, and Holland & Sherry from the UK, in addition to various Italian brands.  In addition, Royal Fashion also maintains a portfolio of high-end fabrics for shirts, such as Stotz, Cotonificio Albini, Getzner, Thomas Mason, and David & John Anderson, which can be custom-made for both business and leisure wear

While its main clientele are male senior executives, it hopes to tap into the youth market, beginning with upwardly mobile young professionals eager to make an impression in their young careers.

“We have a strong base of regular clients, with our bespoke service for suits and tuxedos. And we have found that the younger demographic would be willing to have their suits made instead of buying even branded luxury suits because they want their individual tastes and designs imprinted into their suits,” added Mr. Sawlani.

For more than two decades, Royal Fashion has been the luxury bespoke tailors of choice for men of distinction – including members of Royal Families, diplomats, bankers and dealmakers as well as prominent UAE nationals and expatriates. In addition to its original store in Bur Dubai, it has outlets in Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Souk Madinat, The Dubai Mall, and on Jumeirah Beach Road.

The demand for consumer electronic goods and appliances in Dubai remains strong, with sales expected to peak at USD 3.97 billion by 2015, according to a recent report from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI). In line with this ‘harman house’, the leading retail chain in home, professional and car infotainment in the Middle East, has revealed that it will be offering a 10 to 40 per cent value back through bundle offerings of high end home entertainment products at DSF 2012. ‘harman house’ is upbeat in targeting 40 per cent sales increase during the month-long run of the DSF, which will be held from January 5, 2012 to February 5, 2012. The confident outlook also complements the company’s direction towards achieving its target of over USD 300 million in revenue for the Fiscal Year 2012.

The increase has been driven by popular electronic devices such as LED and 3D TV sets, Blu-ray DVD players, 3G handsets, smartphones, and computers, and ‘harman house’ has noted that this has directly increased the demand for home theatre systems, headphones, docking stations and feature rich audio products. Recent consumer market reports have also shown that consumers across the Middle East region have demonstrated a demand for versatile yet high-quality options for the multitude of applications and devices they deal with on a day-to-day basis.

“We are very excited to participate in this year’s edition of the DSF where we plan to offer customers some exciting and unique promotions and bundle offers that is aimed at giving our customers the best value for their money,” said Amit Malani, President, Harman Middle East. “Today’s consumers have demonstrated a key shift in buying preferences with the emergence of new marketing techniques like online global launches and product information that can easily be accessed on your phone or your laptop. Consumers are now learning more about the products they purchase, its technology and features, cost, value add-ons and benefits, and we are certain ‘harman house’ products and pricing meet these needs.”

At ‘harman house’, for this coming DSF the price of a 32-inch LED TV will start at AED 1,399 and above, while home theatre systems will start at AED 2,299 and above. Pricing is also one of the other main drivers for sales as ‘harman house’ is expected to stand out because of its offers on flat screens and premium home theatre systems.

The leading company is focused on throwing the spotlight on the harman kardon BDS series, which are the latest additions to its integrated line of home entertainment systems and the JBL OnBeat Extreme, a high-performance wireless speaker dock equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology. Participation at DSF 2012 follows after its recent announcement of the ‘Beautiful Sound’ campaign, which is touted to be its largest ever ad campaign. Adding more colour to the campaign is the presence of internationally acclaimed recording artist and actress Jennifer Lopez who has signed on as their new brand ambassador. The ‘Beautiful Sound’ campaign continues a year of notable artist signings for Harman. Earlier, it launched the ‘Hear the Truth’ brand campaign for JBL, with ads featuring Maroon 5 and international superstar AR Rahman. Additional prominent artist agreements will be announced in 2012.