Dubai's MoE expansion: Kim Kardashian’s Skims, Primark, Ulta Beauty opening dates revealed

Dubai: Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates is set to welcome some of the world’s most sought-after retail brands as part of its ambitious Dh5 billion redevelopment, with Kim Kardashian’s Skims, British retail giant Primark, and American beauty powerhouse Ulta Beauty leading a roster of 100 new stores opening over the next five years.

The comprehensive transformation, marking the mall’s 20th anniversary, will see international brands choose Dubai as their gateway to the Middle East. At the same time, the shopping destination undergoes what Khalifa Bin Braik, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management, calls “a bold refounding of a global retail icon.”

Bin Braik confirmed that the Skims store, US reality star Kim Kardashian’s shapewear and lifestyle brand, will open by the end of the year.

“At the end of the year, we will have the opening of the first physical Skims store. The global brand has never existed in physical form. It was always e-commerce. And very soon, we’ll have a physical Skims store globally in the Mall of the Emirates,” he added.

Ulta Beauty is also expected to open by the end of the year, while the first Primark in Dubai is scheduled to open next year, Bin Brain revealed.

Beyond the retail expansion, Mall of the Emirates is also undergoing its most significant infrastructure transformation since opening, designed to handle the growing demands of Dubai’s booming population and tourism sector, according to Bin Braik.

The updates also include a new seamless entry ramp from Abu Dhabi, which is currently under construction, part of a road network improvement project that began 18-19 months ago.

“Another important part of the Dh5 billion investment is the reimagining of the entire road network around the mall. Very soon, whether you’re coming in from Abu Dhabi or elsewhere, you’ll have a ramp that allows you to enter seamlessly,” he said.

The mall introduced a barrier-free parking system last year, eliminating the need to stop for tickets. “We’re looking at completely refurbishing our parking infrastructure facilities as well. That’s going to happen over 12 to 15 months,” said Bin Braik.

Moreover, AI-backed wayfinding solutions are being implemented throughout the complex to enhance customer experience. Moreover, an improved personalised digital touchpoint will complement the physical shopping experience as well.

"The main focus is doing what’s right for the consumer, easing the consumer journey into and out of Mall of the Emirates, and really giving back valuable time to our customers," Bin Braik told Gulf News.

“All of this investment directly reflects consumer feedback — more F&B, more cultural, leisure, and entertainment experiences, and above all, delivering world-class service. That’s what Mall of the Emirates has always stood for, and we’re doubling down on it,” he added.

The redevelopment’s retail component involves adding approximately 20,000 square metres of gross leasable area to house 100 new stores and outlets.

"This is something we’ve worked very closely with our teams internally, our partners, our tenants," Bin Braik explained. "We're looking at adding additional 20,000 square metres of gross leaseable area, and this is roughly 100 new stores."

The expansion will integrate seamlessly with existing operations, ensuring minimal disruption for the mall’s 40 million annual visitors during the five-year construction period.

"We're doing it extremely carefully, working closely with our key partners, tenants, our teams internally... to ensure that whatever we do, we don't disrupt [the customer experience] and the mall continues to trade effectively," Bin Braik assured.

The five-year timeline reflects this cautious approach, with some projects deliberately extended to preserve customer experience rather than rushing completion.

One of the project’s most innovative features will be a unique outdoor dining concept created by removing sections of the mall’s roof.

“For the first time in Mall of the Emirates, we're ripping out… ripping off the roof of one side of the mall, and adding entertainment and F&B as part of that," Bin Braik said.

This “dining under the stars” experience is part of a comprehensive reimagining of the mall’s food and beverage offerings, featuring five distinct dining destinations throughout the complex.

Mall of the Emirates is overhauling its entertainment portfolio with four new concepts, all operated by sister company Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment, and all are set to launch within the next 16 months.

Recent additions already include the region's first dining IMAX experience operated by Vox Cinemas and a new Covent Garden-style cultural space with dance studios and a performance area.

The mall is launching a comprehensive 25,000-square-foot wellness destination, Gray Wellness, situated within the Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates and developed in partnership with Dubai-based Seven Wellness.

“Wellness is something that we’ve doubled down on. We have partnered with Seven Wellness, another like-minded company based in Dubai. Gray Wellness is all about self-care, mindfulness, longevity, movement, and nutrition. The 25,000 square feet of space will actually open in the next two weeks,” he added.

Whilst international brands generate headlines, Mall of the Emirates maintains strong commitment to supporting regional entrepreneurs and local businesses. "Since COVID, we’ve started seeing a lot of F&B local champions, and we’re doubling down on that," Bin Braik revealed.

“We’re also seeing new local brands in beauty, fashion, and retail emerging, and we’ve been introducing them into our malls. There are some great success stories — for instance, through Launchpad at City Centre, as well as in City Centre Egypt and Bahrain, where a few local brands have experienced significant growth,” he said.

“We also have brands in Oman now looking at expanding into Dubai, and Dubai-based brands that are ready to scale regionally,” Bin Braik said.

Rather than viewing e-commerce as a competitor, Mall of the Emirates is embracing digital integration to enhance the in-store shopping experience.

The mall’s loyalty app now serves over 5 million members, whilst new personalised digital touchpoints create what Bin Braik describes as "that omni-channel experience that ultimately would add tremendous value to the physical real estate."

This integrated approach explains why digital-first brands like Skims are choosing the mall for their physical debuts. Despite the scale of expansion, management prioritises experience quality over visitor quantity, measuring success through Net Promoter Score (NPS) rather than footfall targets.

"What's important is if I'm able to satisfy every consumer that comes to Mall of the Emirates and put a smile on every face and every car that leaves Mall of the Emirates," Bin Braik explained.