Dubai: It’s just natural that the world’s largest shoe store should open in the world’s largest mall.
Spread over 96,000 square feet, level Shoe District, home to over 250 brands of shoes, opened its doors to the public on October 19 at Dubai Mall.
With gold arches marking the entrance and a very prominent Louis Vuitton flagship store, shopping at level Shoe District promises a new concept in high-end shoe-shopping.
While the likes of Dior, LV, Prada and Todd’s stand proud at one entrance of level Shoe District, it’s the sports brands such as Lacoste, Puma and Diesel that mark the opposite entrance of the store, located just past the mall’s mega-popular aquarium.
With escalators leading directly up to the entrance of the store, it soon becomes clear that the space required to create this store was one of the major reasons behind the sudden renovation of the mall’s Gold Souq, an area that has now been drastically reduced in size.
With a central walkway dotted with shops on each side, it’s clear that once fully open, the level shoe district will provide a shopping experience unparallel with any other. A sporty start later, one would hit the big names: Fred Perry, Berluti, Bally, Paul Smith, Kate Spade… With over 30 boutique shops located with the main store, and over 250 brands of shoes across the board, 60 of which will be exclusive to the region, the level Shoe District is divided into four multi-brand areas. Hand picked designer brands, limited editions and style essentials make up the women’s designer area while the women’s contemporary area features brazen fashion-forward designers and will also be the launch platform for many up-and-coming international designers.
The other two areas are the men’s multibrand zone which hosts a mix of classic and contemporary designers and the trends multibrand area, a zone which doubles as a playground for the high-end sneaker and lifestyle brands.
The deeper into the store one goes, the bigger the brand names spotted along the way until, at the halfway mark, the shopper is surrounded by some of fashion’s biggest designer brands ever.
Although some such as Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Chanel, Dior and Gucci have yet to open their doors to the public, the likes of Mar by Marc Jacob, Fendi, Miu Miu and Stuart Weizmann are buzzing with activity, already packed with the city’s shoeholics.
Along with the opening of the big brand names, the level Shoe District will also play host to the region’s first Vogue Café, a concept store by The Zoo, which will sell an array of contemporary books, kitsch toys, quirky gadgets and one-off accessories; as well as a bespoke cobbler service, Patrons of The Cobbler, who will offer customised footwear for men, from dress shoes and oxfords, to the more casual pairs.
