Majid Al Futtaim bringing American style to the Emirates

Fashion brands from the United States, which are a favourite among celebrities and youngsters, plan to open stores in the UAE.

Fashion brands from the United States that are a favourite among celebrities and youngsters plan to open stores in the UAE.

Majid Al Futtaim Ventures's retail fashion arm has struck deals to introduce the Halston Heritage and Hollister brands to the region this year.

The group is also in the final stages of talks to open an Abercrombie & Fitch store in Dubai.

Halston Heritage, a favourite among celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall and Halle Berry, will open its first store in the region in Kuwait in the second half of the year at The Avenues mall.

Other outlets across the region, including in the UAE, will follow, according to Asil Attar, the chief executive of MAF Fashion.

"My experience in the region has taught me that our customers are sophisticated. They love beautiful products," she said.

"Any brands which are iconic with a heritage really appeal to our consumers and Halston is a beautiful, feminine and very strong brand, which resonates with the demographic of our region and has already quite a loyal following."

MAF will open the first Hollister store, an Abercrombie & Fitch brand, in its home market.

It hopes to open an outlet in the Mall of the Emirates in the third quarter of the year with more outlets to follow across the region over the next two years, according to Ms Attar.

The region's first Abercrombie & Fitch store could open in Dubai next year, she added.

"Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister are retail giants. They are global," Ms Attar said.

"Of course they absolutely appeal to the young demographic of our region. They have a huge following and we spent quite a while working with the brand and understanding the culture and the DNA and we feel it really works with the market."