Printemps announces its first international store in Qatar
Group will have 150 brands exclusive to Qatari market
AFTER a one-year interruption due to the pandemic, the much anticipated Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition (DJWE) is back with renovated events and setups including a special lounge, workshops by global experts, and a showcase of exceptional pieces from Qatari talents – exclusive and limited collections designed for Qatar.
One of the much anticipated stores taking part in the ongoing exhibition, the French department store group Printemps, has announced the outline of its first department store in Qatar which will operate directly. It will open at Doha Oasis in September, weeks before the country hosts the FIFA World Cup.
The world’s first department store to open since the COVID-19 lockdowns, the new Printemps Doha represents a next-generation department store that combines an immersive in-store experience with new technologies to create an ultra-personalised customer relationship.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune, Thierry Prevost, general manager of Printemps, said this was the brand’s first expansion outside France. “We chose Qatar to be the first destination for our expansion plan. We are very confident about the strength of our concept which focuses on international expansion. This is our first step; our chairholder is Qatari and we all believe we will find the right audience here.”
Thierry affirmed that being part of the exhibition is highly important and also serves as a prelaunch introduction of the brands to the Qatari market.
“(There will be) more than 500 brands. Thirty percent of them will be exclusive in Qatar. Two of our luxury brands are presented during the exhibition. We are introducing a luxurious bag from l’etrange, a crocodile bag with a golden handle and 178 diamonds, valued at $1.4 million.
“It is an opportunity for us to say we are finally in Qatar and from the very first day we noticed a great turnout. We are expecting great success. We made sure to attend this exhibition which is expecting around 30,000 visitors so I am assuming a great turnout for us as well.”
Printemps, said the manage, was introducing two brands during the exhibition. “We want to deliver a message that we are paying special attention to the region and exclusively Qatar. Out of 500 brands, 150 will be exclusive in Qatar. We have studied the market very closely. We know well what to offer to our clients and we are bringing something different.”
Printemps is also planning to collaborate with Qatari designers. “We have signed an agreement with M7 the fashion accelerator. We will be presenting a platform in which we select every three or four months a designer with M7, to sell certain products as international brands.”
On the September 1, Printemps store will open officially in Doha Oasis. “We have planned our opening project here for over four years, so start of our project is implemented at the perfect time, and the World Cup is definitely a huge milestone for our marketing strategy.”
Thierry said that Printemps’s target is mainly women. Work is on to build a fashion store, offering something different that is not only luxury. “We are simply targeting people who are interested in fashion.”
“We work on a very specific concept that is eco-systemic and friendly’ department store. We will be the biggest department store in the region. We will be opening 14 restaurants, have very strong F B offerings plus a plan to attract customers. We are very comfortable and confident with our services.
“Our customers will be able to have an appointment with our team in Paris from Doha, so they will be able to reach personal shoppers from Paris and have a close look at products in our private salon. It is a one-to-one experience, very personalised. We are also working on a very technical surprise that we will be revealing soon.
We chose Qatar to be the first destination for our expansion plan. We are very confident about the strength of our concept which focuses on international expansion. This is our first step, our chairholder is Qatari and we all believe we will find the right audience here