Authentic Brands Group has expanded its relationship with retail partner Majid Al Futtaim in the Middle East and North Africa in order to accelerate the growth of its global luxury lifestyle brand Juicy Couture.

The long-term partnership sees Majid Al Futtaim Fashion appointed as the Middle Eastern master retail and wholesale distributor for the brand.

The partners first teamed in 2007 when Majid Al Futtaim Fashion introduced Juicy to the region with a boutique in Dubai. Today, Juicy Couture has 19 freestanding stores in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait and Bahrain, with plans to open thirty additional stores across the region by 2019.

Now, as the appointed exclusive distributor for the region, Majid Al Futtaim Fashion will create a harmonized brand presence across Juicy Couture's point-of-sale networks including boutiques, shop-in-shops and wholesalers.

“Juicy Couture is one of Majid Al Futtaim Fashion’s most established and best-performing labels in our portfolio, having created a thriving business for the lifestyle brand in the region,” says Rajiv Suri, chief executive officer, Majid Al Futtaim Fashion. “Taking on the position of master distributor for Juicy Couture in the region, demonstrates our leadership and expertise in fashion retailing. We look forward to working with ABG to significantly grow Juicy Couture’s presence in the MENA market over the coming years.”   

In addition to the retail openings, the next phase of growth in the Middle East will center on creating an integrated distribution network beyond shopping malls. Majid Al Futtaim Fashion will look to building on the success of Juicy Couture’s Black Label Collection with a major push in e-commerce, with both omni-channel and wholesale online accounts.

“We are committed to growing Juicy Couture in key global markets and the Middle East is a major component of that growth, ” says Jamie Salter, chairman and chief executive officer, ABG.