Abu Dhabi-based Dalma Mall has signed lease agreements with international fashion and lifestyle conglomerate, Apparel Group, to open 10 outlets featuring an assortment of fashion, footwear and accessories brands in the mall.

Rashid Doleh, executive director of Dalma Mall, signed the agreement with Nilesh Ved, chairman of Apparel Group.

The group will open 10 stores sprawling over 17,000 sq ft in the mall, according to the agreement, a statement from a mall official said.

Set to open by the first quarter of the year, the new stores will offer visitors the opportunity to select from a range of popular high street brands including Aéropostale, Aldo, Aldo Accessories, Bench, Nine West, Charles & Keith, Tim Hortons Coffee, Dune, Naturalizer and Ingot.

“Through partnerships such as with Apparel Group, we are focused on creating an ideal tenant mix that will strengthen customer loyalty and repeat visitor footfall. This, in turn, will add value to our retailers, maximising their business and operational efficiencies,” Doleh said.

With over 60 per cent of its total area of 1.6 million sq ft already leased, the mall has signed strategic partnerships with major groups such as Landmark Group and Al Futtaim.

More than 60 outlets are open already including a large Carrefour Hypermarket, Centrepoint, Home Centre, Fun City, Max, Emax and Matalan, the statement said.

Recording an average month-on-month footfall growth of 35 per cent, the mall expects a surge in visitor turnout with a large number of anchor stores opening later this year including Marks and Spencer, BHS and Toys R Us, it said.

Abu Dhabi’s largest Cineplex – the 14-screen CineRoyal Cinemas – offering over 2,200 seats and unprecedented cine-going experiences, has also opened at Dalma Mall, it said. – TradeArabia News Service