CAMBODIA. DFS Group today opened the first T Galleria by DFS store in Cambodia. The store is in Siem Reap, a popular resort town and provincial capital near the ancient temple of Angkor Wat.
The retailer described T Galleria by DFS, Angkor as the largest duty free luxury department store in Cambodia, offering travellers “an integrated retail, hospitality and leisure experience”.
The store will open in phases until June, eventually bringing 170 brands to the 86,000sq ft space, including leading international fashion & accessories, watches and jewellery, wines & spirits, and beauty and fragrances brands, plus a selection of locally handcrafted artisan products.
“Here at DFS Group, we’re continually inspired by our customers’ appetite for discovery and adventure,” said DFS Group Chairman & CEO Philippe Schaus. “We are honoured to be able to welcome them to Siem Reap, a destination renowned for its rich culture and history, and to offer more opportunities for them to enjoy their stay.
“T Galleria by DFS, Angkor is an oasis of luxury in the heart of the city, allowing visitors to indulge their taste for the finest international brands as well as experience the best that Cambodia has to offer.”
T Galleria by DFS, Angkor is set within a verdant park, adjacent to the Angkor National Museum. The museum houses some of the region’s most acclaimed historical artefacts. The store is described as a celebration of local culture and heritage within an elegant, contemporary setting.
DFS worked closely with Cambodian artisans to incorporate traditional Khmer motifs and carvings throughout the store. Stone columns feature panels carved in styles reflecting the nearby temples and palaces of Angkor Wat; intricately patterned wall screens and floor tiles evoke local architecture; and a nearly 60-foot art installation, suspended in space above the store’s vaulted atrium, is inspired by the hues of Buddhist monks’ robes.
From day one, over 200 local Siem Reap sales associates will welcome customers with the hospitality for which Cambodia is renowned.
The opening of T Galleria by DFS, Angkor also marks the exclusive Cambodian debut of several brands, including watches and jewellery brands Bvlgari, Carl F. Bucherer and Tiffany & Co; and international fashion labels Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Fendi, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Saint Laurent and Zegna. In the world of beauty, customers can also discover 12 beauty and fragrances brands, including Bobbi Brown, Clé de Peau Beauté, MAC and Sulwhasoo, again exclusive to the store.
DFS said that shoppers will discover a “stunning” array of products sourced from Cambodia’s top artisans, including Angkor Artwork, whose master craftsmen Eric and Thierry Stocker produce lacquer and straw marquetry using traditional techniques. Other drawcards include Golden Silk, one of the last fully integrated silk producers in the world to use the rare yellow silkworm indigenous to Cambodia; and Samatoa, an eco-friendly accessories brand that has revived the near-forgotten technique of lotus fibre weaving.
T Galleria by DFS, Angkor has also teamed up with Artisans d’Angkor, a socially-conscious business aimed at revitalising Cambodia’s traditional craftsmanship while pioneering a sustainable working environment. An exclusive collection of luxurious handwoven silks and fine crafts showcases products that were designed by and will benefit local artisans.
Adding to T Galleria by DFS, Angkor’s appeal as “an oasis of calm and tranquillity” in Siem Reap, the store also offers travellers a respite at its onsite restaurant, Crystal Jade, which will open in June. The first Crystal Jade outlet in Cambodia, the restaurant will serve traditional Chinese cuisine and dim sum dishes in a casual yet sophisticated setting, overlooking the gardens and reflecting pools outside.
Siem Reap serves as the gateway to the fabled ruins of Angkor Wat, one of the world’s most important heritage sites. The largest religious monument in the world, the temple was built in the first half of the 12th century and has since become a symbol of Cambodia and its prime tourist attraction.
Cambodia has enjoyed a boom in tourism in the last few years, with Siem Reap accounting for almost 70% of the 6 million international travellers estimated to visit the country this year.
