QATAR. Qatar Duty Free (QDF) is continuing its drive to open 21 new shopping and food & beverage outlets to mark its 21st anniversary this year. The latest openings under the ambitious ’21 in 21’ project – which embraces a range of tastes and budgets across categories – are in-house men’s fashion concept Q-Denim and a debut airport store for leading sportswear brand adidas. Both stores opened in recent weeks, with Q-Denim featuring names such as Tommy Hilfiger, Havaianas, Diesel, Calvin Klein and Armani Exchange.
In the same South Node area, these stores will be joined shortly by Qatari fashion brand Kashkha. Close by, a new airport pharmacy has opened as part of an upgraded services zone. Other brands to open in this area soon will include Samsonite and American Tourister.
In another breakthrough for Hamad International, renowned UK toy retailer Hamleys will open a store in partnership with QDF later this year.
That is among a series of global and regional firsts for the airport, which will include the unveiling of a Christian Louboutin boutique, as reported. The latter opening will make QDF the world’s first travel retailer in the world to offer the luxury footwear to fragrances brand created by the famed French-Egyptian fashion designer.
As reported, on 2 August QDF also launched premium fashion avenue Viale di Lusso, which is positioned as the next-generation luxury shopping and upscale food & beverage concept at Hamad International Airport. It houses the first airport boutique in the Middle East for fashion designer Valentino, as well as stores representing designer names Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Chloe, Jimmy Choo, Emporio Armani and Pucci, which build on QDF’s existing collection of high-end brands. The Emporio Armani Ristorante and Emporio Armani Caffè is a world first for an airport, while a Starbucks Reserve coffeehouse is another prominent F&B outlet in the zone.
In other news, QDF is further clustering key categories together in the South Node over coming months, led by a much-enhanced area for women’s fashion.
Here, an existing Coach store will move to the site occupied by Paris Saint Germain (which in turn will move to a new location) and its space will be taken by Victoria’s Secret. These brands will sit close to a multibrand store that features MCM, Aigner, Furla and Longchamp. Michael Kors will also move into this zone.
Opposite this line of shops will be a Polo Ralph Lauren store offering men’s and women’s and children’s goods; this is set to open by Q1 2022, in an area occupied currently by consumer technology.
Elsewhere, QDF is promising a stunning new perfumes and cosmetics store as part of the vibrant new look in the South Node. The completion of that project will see new brand partners join the line-up, with upgraded fixtures across makeup (including an area devoted to Millennials), skincare and fragrance. QDF said it is aiming to create an area that is “a real luxury experience”, mirroring the style of the recently updated beauty zone across the nearby walkway.
Separately, QDF has just opened its new car raffle showcase in the heart of the terminal.
Other major openings will follow soon, including the newly created Day2Day brand for travel essentials, plus the Big Value duty free shop offering products tailored to a budget-conscious consumer. The new outlets, which will be located in both the departure and arrival areas, are being opened on a phased basis.
