Launch: Upscale stores open new outlets

Baby Shop caters to kids while Lifestyle specialises in home décor, fashion accessories .

ISLAMABAD:

A high-end lifestyle shop and a baby store opened their doors for customers at the Centaurus Mall on Thursday.

Balloons and buntings greeted couples, young parents and individuals who stepped inside the freshly-painted store, browsing through the well-lit interior.

“I’m here to shop for my daughter and we just found her an Eid outfit,” said a beaming Amna, who was accompanied by a toddler and her mother-in-law. Next to them, a young mother, Ravish, nestled her three-month-old daughter, lingering by the kids’ clothing and accessories section.

The two major Middle East-based retail brands, Baby Shop and Lifestyle were launched at the mall the same afternoon. Baby Shop, which is a one-stop store for kids of up to eight years, marked the launch of its seventh store in the country while Lifestyle which already has an established customer base through an outlet at the Jinnah Supermarket, further expanded with its eighth store alongside Baby Shop at the mall.

Baby Shop and Lifestyle Pakistan CEO Abid Umar, said that with 200 stores spread across 14 countries, Baby Shop has the largest presence in its category in the region.

“To celebrate the festive season, Baby Shop has launched its chic Ramazan collection featuring party essentials that also ensure that kids stay cool and comfortable during the hot summer months, retailing a wide spectrum of colours, designs and mix and match options at affordable prices,” he added.

Meanwhile, Lifestyle, he added, is a fashion haven for the quintessential modern day woman. The store houses an assortment of products in home décor, furnishing, fragrances, lighting, bath fittings, fashion accessories, spa gear and gift items for all age groups.

Umar said Lifestyle is growing rapidly, with over 160 stores across the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan, and more than 2,000 dedicated staff serving over 950,000 square feet of retail space.

In Pakistan, Lifestyle is the only brand of its kind offering the complete luxury home solution. Products are of the highest quality grade to ensure lasting satisfaction and modern design elements, he said.

Lifestyle already has stores in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Multan and Sialkot. Overseas locations comprise the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Tanzania and Libya. The store can be browsed at the website www.lifestylegulf.com and the Facebook page AK.galleria.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2014.