The Dubai-based giant Apparel Group’s fashion arm R&B, most recognized for its exciting portfolio of international fashion and accessories brands, brings yet another dynamic fashion chain to the Kingdom by opening two stores in Dhahran and Jazan.

“The plan is to open 50 new stores across the Kingdom over the next five years and additional 100 stores in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries,” said Arun Pagarani, R&B general manager, after launching the brand in the Kingdom.

“With successful stores already operational in Oman and the UAE, the R&B’s ambitious expansion plans involve opening an initial three stores in Saudi Arabia during the holy month of Ramadan,” said Pagarani.

The first store in Mall of Dhahran is extended across an estimated retail area of 4,500 square meters, followed by a 2000 square meters store in Al Rashid Mall in Jazan.

Spelling out the best features of the brand that distinguish R&B from other apparel and fashion chains, Pagarani said: “R&B is Apparel Group’s most popular upcoming fashion retailer offering quality clothing at affordable prices across GCC.”

The brand offers exceptional clothing for children, women and men.

R&B also offers an amazing selection of footwear and accessories in a variety of styles to compliment the perfect look.

The brand also has a swanky home section offering a great range of soft furnishings and home accessories to be features in Riyadh, Dhahran and Jazan.

The Riyadh showroom, the R&B chief, said is planned out as a single level store on Khurais road, occupying an area of approximately 3500 square meters.

This will be the third store scheduled to open next month.

On ambitious expansion plans in Saudi Arabia, Pagarani said: “We aim to launch six more stores in our second phase, which will bring our store count to 10 in just the first year of operation in the Kingdom.”

The fourth store in an area of 3,500 square meters is scheduled to open in September 2014 on Khaleej Road in Dammam.

The Apparel Group is home to 54 international brands, represented by over 930 stores spread over four continents and employing 9,000 plus multicultural staff.

Pagarani said that R&B has received excellent feedback from customers since the brand was launched in Oman and the UAE.

The Apparel Group owes its amazing growth to the vision and guidance of its dynamic Chairman Nilesh Ved, who has taken the company from strength to strength since its inception 15 years ago.

The Apparel Group began with just one brand in 1999, and the group is now aiming to have 1,200 stores by 2015.

The group has strong presence in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia besides Singapore, Jordan, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

Plans are afoot to enter new markets like Iraq, Egypt and the broader African continent.

The group can boast to have brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Aldo, Nine West, Skechers, Aeropostale, The Children’s Place, Tim Hortons, Charles & Keith to name a few.