Dubai-based luxury e-commerce platform Ounass has launched “Ounass Stage,” a physical retail activation concept that allows brands to host temporary takeovers, installations and experiential showcases in Dubai, the company and industry reports said.
The concept debuted with a six-month activation by New York-based lifestyle brand Aimé Leon Dore, marking its first such experience in the Middle East. According to Hypebeast, the installation includes retail space, Café Leon Dore, a custom Porsche 911SC display and artwork by artist Tyrrell Winston. The publication described the project as a rotating retail and cultural concept created in partnership with Ounass.
Hypebeast reported that the activation is designed to mirror elements of Aimé Leon Dore’s flagship retail environments in New York and London, and will run across the summer season in Dubai.
Ounass has not disclosed financial terms or commercial arrangements for the Stage initiative.
Ounass described the platform as “an expression of luxury through immersive activations and curated experiences.”
“Ounass Stage is a platform for what’s next: where fashion, design and culture converge through a distinctly elevated lens.”
The platform was launched in 2016 by Al Tayer Insignia, the retail arm of Dubai-based Al Tayer Group, as a digital-only luxury retail platform serving Gulf customers. At launch, the company said it offered international and regional fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands through an online platform tailored for the Middle East market.
Ounass currently operates across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, and offers same-day and two-hour delivery services in Dubai, according to its website.
The company describes itself as “The Definitive Home of Luxury” in the Middle East and positions its platform across fashion, beauty and home categories.
According to Vogue Business, Ounass expanded from about 65 brands at launch to more than 1,200 brands by 2021, reflecting rapid growth in its assortment since its 2016 debut.
Business of Fashion has reported that Ounass has increasingly used brand activations and exclusive collaborations as part of its retail strategy, focusing on curated experiences and localized campaigns for Gulf consumers.
International brands have used the platform to enter the Gulf market, including British fashion label Club L London, which launched on Ounass as part of its regional expansion strategy, according to FashionNetwork. (FashionNetwork)
The introduction of Ounass Stage adds a physical dimension to the company’s digital-first model, enabling brands to host temporary installations, product launches and hospitality-led experiences in Dubai.
Ounass has not said whether additional Stage activations are planned beyond the current Aimé Leon Dore installation.
