JEDDAH, 29 September — Casual wear has recorded a strong growth in the Middle East, according to a leading retailer. “Our own growth in the region substantiates this claim,” Giordano Executive Director Ishwar Chugani said here yesterday.
“Linen is once again in vogue even as khakis, white shirts, T-shirts and Jeans continue to do well in the region. Despite stiff competition, we’ve come to be known as a global brand in the Middle East, Africa and other regions of the world. We’ve achieved a 16 percent growth in the first three quarters of the year, and are looking to achieve a growth of 18 to 20 percent in the next three years” Chugani said in an interview with Arab News.
“The company has 56 stores in the Middle East, including 23 in the Kingdom. Two more stores will open in Jeddah by the end of 2002. We’re on target to open 100 stores in the Middle East by 2006, making it the largest casual wear retailer in the region. Rapid sales and operational growth in the region is an indication that the economy of the Middle East is strong,” he said.
Chugani explained that the company had set a precedent for its innovative marketing and branding campaigns, having achieved many advertising firsts in the casual wear industry in the region. “Giordano uses original outdoor mediums to launch new collections, such as the 60 branded buses in Dubai, and a large format billboard located at the Clock Tower roundabout in Deira, one of the UAE’s busiest road junctions,” he said, adding that the company was about to embark on an ambitious refit of its stores across the region, bringing them in line with the latest in store design.
The company has its own staff-training program and currently employs 350 employees across the region. It has a strong presence in Qatar and Oman aside from the Kingdom and the UAE. In the Bahrain and Jordan markets, it operates six stores under a franchise agreement. “Major expansion plans for Kuwait are already underway,” he said.
Established in 1981, Giordano International operates over 1,200 stores in 30 countries and serves over 1.5 billion people all over Asia, the Middle East, Australia and Europe. According to him, its worldwide turnover of 60 million pieces is worth over $1 billion.
It has 600 stores in China; 150 in Taiwan; 100 in Korea, 50 each in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore; 15 in Myanmar and some others in Malaysia, Japan and other countries.
“The company’s success is due to its vision to be the best and biggest world brand in apparel retailing, and its mission to make people feel good and look great,” Chugani said emphasizing: “Giordano was among five banks and companies nominated for MEED’s service excellence award.”