Willy Chavarria's plans for global expansion Everything you need to know about Chalhoub Group's new investment
That Willy Chavarria was serious had already been clear for some time, ever since last year when the New York designer decided to move his shows from his hometown to the more powerful and international Paris. But now comes news that further cements this feeling: the brand has accepted an investment - the total of which has not yet been made public - from the Chalhoub Group, a luxury group based in Dubai. With a portfolio of eight wholly owned brands and investments in over three hundred others, the group has established itself in recent years in the Middle Eastern beauty and fashion sector, which accounts for 83% of all company activity.
The first investment in Chavarria’s brand was initiated last year by FAE Fashion Ventures, part of the entertainment company First Access Entertainment based in London, Los Angeles, and New York. But while the collaboration was not made public at that time, this time the designer and Chalhoub Group wanted to loudly announce this new beginning - after all, Chavarria’s brand has just turned ten years old. From his latest collections, it’s also clear that the designer intends to expand the social and media reach of the brand, with shows inspired by Latin culture to both celebrate it (Chavarria is of Mexican descent) and to denounce the nightmare that South American communities in the United States are experiencing, targeted by the Trump administration with raids and violent repressive actions.
With an investment from a group like Chalhoub, Chavarria will be able to complement his popularity with strong financial support, not only to build a more stable and prosperous future for the brand but also to grow globally. Chalhoub could be the right choice for Chavarria: the group works with many European brands, such as OTB and EssilorLuxottica, and is the founder of Level Shoes, a luxury footwear retail concept store in the United Arab Emirates with a physical location of 9,000 square meters that welcomes 5 million visitors a year. With the group, Chavarria will be able to expand his business in the Middle East and amplify his resonance in Europe with more structured projects, bringing the New York designer’s name closer to those American titans who became global icons before him.
Dubai is the new frontier of luxury
Dubai and the United Arab Emirates today represent the future of luxury. While the largest markets so far, China and the United States, are facing a severe period of uncertainty, the region boasts stable economic growth (+3% annually until 2030 according to the IMF), a strategic position, and a high purchasing power. Here, luxury shopping malls have become true tourist destinations, sensory experiences with a strong e-commerce presence and high-profile clientele. Some European maisons realized the potential of the UAE long before Chavarria, with Kering opening new offices in the Dubai Design District and establishing a presidency for the Middle East and Africa, or Dior launching Designer of Dreams at the Dubai Fashion Week. Chavarria can thus use Dubai as a laboratory to prepare his brand for global goals, a project whose results we’ll see in the coming months.
