Louis Philippe store in Dubai
Louis Philippe had been selling through Kalyan Silks' outlets in India for years now. The two are taking that long-established alliance a notch higher with the new store in Dubai. Image Credit: Supplied
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Dubai: Indian apparel brands are getting some high visibility time in the UAE retail space - one of the biggest names just got itself a much bigger exposure than the rest. One of iconic labels in the Indian menswear category, Louis Philippe, recently had the opening of its first branded outlet in the UAE, at the Deira City Centre.

The Louis Philippe, part of the Aditya Birla conglomerate’s fashion and retail portfolio, store will be operated by Kalyan Silks, an Indian retailer more known for its collection of ethnic wear and with a growing store network in the UAE and Gulf.

“Kalyan Silks is also a multi-brand retailer, and one of our biggest partners in India,” said Jacob John, President of Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd. “Louis Philippe menswear was selling through Kalyan Silks’ stores in the UAE, and together we decided it was the right moment to take it up a notch with the first standalone store in the UAE.

Jacob John, President of Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd
“In the near future, we plan to increase our retail footprint by launching several additional Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs) of our brands throughout the Middle East.” Image Credit: Supplied

Louis Philippe first made an impression in the Indian menswear retail in the late 1980’s and all through the 90s, just when the category was making a decisive shift from the non-branded into the full-on branded space. Initially selling through multi-brand stores, it soon graduated into standalone stores and made its presence felt across the country.

That brand prominence easily spilled over into the UAE and Gulf markets, where again, it was sold through multi-brand outlets. If dress shorts was what made it popular initially, Louis Philippe has since expanded into a broader men’s collection. (This now includes LP Jeans and LP Sport’s, apart from Louis Philippe Luxure.) The new Dubai store ‘marks the beginning of our journey in the Middle East, a region with immense potential for our brands’, said John. “We are convinced that the brand will create an equally powerful impression in the UAE - we are excited about our growth prospects here.”

Making an impression
Recently, several apparel brands from India explored UAE and Gulf possibilities through a dedicated trade show. These labels were trying to make a good first impression and then, if possible, break into the UAE retail market.

“There are many fairly new Indian apparel brands that are ready to make an entry overseas,” said a franchise owner. “As with anything else in India retail, getting into the UAE represents the first step for an international expansion.”