QATAR. Qatar Duty Free (QDF) has officially opened the first Loro Piana boutique in Middle East travel retail at Hamad International Airport (HIA). It is located in the heart of HIA’s ‘boulevard of luxury brands’ in the Duty Free Plaza South en route to the departure gates.
The LVMH-controlled high-end apparel store is one of several luxury boutiques opening as part of Qatar Duty Free’s ambitious redevelopment of the South Node retail zone.
Loro Piana joins Burberry, Bvlgari, Gucci, Harrods, Hermès, Hublot and Tiffany & Co. in the South Node retail zone.
The Loro Piana store was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which was attended by Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer Engr. Badr Al Meer and Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh.
The ceremony was also attended by VIP delegation from Italy which included Italian Ambassador to the State of Qatar His Excellency Alessandro Prunas and Italian Embassy First Secretary Filippo Perzolla.
“It is an honour to welcome this fine Italian fashion house to Hamad International Airport as its first airport boutique in the Middle East,” commented His Excellency Akbar Al Baker. “Much like Qatar Airways, Loro Piana is a brand synonymous with exceptional quality and service and as such, I am confident that our partnership will be a very long and successful one.”
Commenting on the importance of the Middle East market, Loro Piana Chief Executive Officer Fabio d’Angelantonio said: “We are thrilled to reinforce the presence of Loro Piana within the region with the addition of the Hamad International Airport store.
“This new opening, the first boutique in Qatar, is in fact a consequence of the brand’s growing attention towards the Middle East. Our Qatari customers are long-time, loyal and refined admirers of the brand: Loro Piana is delighted to finally open a store in this country.”
The new Loro Piana boutique offers a curated selection of high-end ready-to-wear fashion and accessories and puts the spotlight on its exceptional fibres, materials, techniques and craftsmanship.
The spectacular boutique carries a focus on Loro Piana’s best-selling items. This includes the Pouch L19 bag, the Summer Walk, Summer Charm and Open Walk shoes, which are all particularly popular with Qatari customers, said the brand.
Customers at HIA can also shop Loro Piana’s winter ‘Storm System’ collection which offers versatile weatherproof outerwear pieces, particularly suited for travelling shoppers.
The boutique also offers a special capsule collection made from a rare and special wool called ‘The Gift of Kings,’ which was a material historically reserved for the royal families of France, Great Britain and The Netherlands.
“We are pleased to welcome the coveted Loro Piana to our luxury retail brand offerings at Hamad International Airport,” said Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer Engr. Badr Al Meer. “As a diverse lifestyle destination of its own, HIA aspires to offer a unique and memorable travel experience for our passengers by integrating world-class retail offerings such as Loro Piana to our airport experience.”
Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh added, “Qatar Duty Free is very proud to be the first airport retailer in the Middle East to launch the renowned Italian fashion house, Loro Piana. We are excited to offer all our shopping enthusiasts an exotic collection of fashion items from the world’s foremost cashmere brand. We are committed to continue expanding our extensive selection of high street brands and unique concepts available at Hamad International Airport in the coming years.”
As reported, The Moodie Davitt Report Chairman Martin Moodie toured the airport in August with Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh to gain a first-hand view of the work in progress at the Doha gateway.
