LUX Fashion & Lifestyle Awards 2018

www.lux-review.com Page 11 LUX 2018 Fashion and Lifestyle Awards In less than three years, Apartment 51 has emerged as a leader of quality homeware and lifestyle inspiration. With a HQ based in Dubai, U.A.E and a customer reach spanning across the GCC, Bassam explores how this unique brand came into being and how it has worked to achieve the vision of its founders since its inception. “Here at Apartment 51, we understand that people are as unique as snowflakes and therefore so are our styles. You should never have to compromise on your taste or your love of luxury simply because you are not being offered enough choices. Your home should be a representation of you, your tastes, your personality and a celebration of the people and things that you love.” “It was this vision that led our founders, Huda Al Rostamani and Roberta Calarese to open Apartment 51 in 2016. Both already established businesswomen, they wanted to curate an online homeware store that provided customers from all over the United Arab Emirates and the GCC region, with unique designs that would fit beautifully into their home. The collections we carry are hand-picked from around the world, and our multi-brand offering and focus on refined, contemporary design has seen the brand go from strength to strength, allowing us to branch out into retail stores in 2017 and, with new brands being added to our offering all the time, we plan to have an exciting journey of growth in the years to come.” Driven by a small dedicated team, all of them equally obsessed with design, Apartment 51 is committed to working alongside a range of creative visionaries and providing designers with as platform to showcase their work. “Collaboration is at the heart of our success, and therefore we work with brands of all Apartment 51 was born out of a passion to widen style horizons and create lifestyles that are filled with effortless beauty. Brand Manager Bassam Younes talks us through this innovative company and how it has worked to achieve the success it enjoys today. Apartment 51 Best Multi-Brand Homeware Retailer 2018 - Middle East sizes, some having centuries of legacy and some just starting out, but the common thread they all have is their commitment to design and manufacturing. So many of our designers and brands have a speciality and focus on one particular type of product, and because of that they excel in their ability design and create. They do not dilute their work and we really appreciate that. Handcrafting and hand-finishing is important to them and it is important to us, that’s why our partnerships work. There is an understanding for the beauty and rarity of traditional art and design. As such, we are able to offer our customers unique designs that will stand the test of time and surpass all fleeting trends and fads.” As he looks towards the future, Bassam believes that technology will drive Apartment 51’s ongoing focus as it seeks to remain at the cutting edge of luxury homes and lifestyles. “To continue supporting our clients and offering them the solutions they can rely on, digital development is very important to us. Whilst 2017 did see us branch out into traditional brick and mortar retail, an area we hope to continue growing in, first and foremost we are an ecommerce business. That is our flagship, and to take the brand where we want to take it, we must work with the best talent in the digital media and ecommerce fields. There are challenges, but there is also so much more opportunity to gain exposure and build connections that wouldn’t be possible without the impact and reach technology has given retail. It is the best tool we have and will help us drive even greater success for our brand, and most, importantly, our clients.” “This drive towards technological revolution is important for our company, as our market is now driven by technology. Technology and digital media has allowed retailers to speak with their customers in a way that, 10 years ago, we could have only dreamed of. Now, we have customers that are so connected with products, and are so well educated and savvy to media marketing that people are now only looking for authenticity. It is not about the gloss of luxury anymore, luxury is once again being found in quality and conversation. Customers are looking online and on social media for companies and products that they can trust, and that is a really satisfying objective to be a part of. After all, that is how luxury retail should be, and the digital, global market we live and work in today allows us to push that agenda more than ever before.” Company: Apartment 51 Contact: Bassam Younes Address: Apartment 51, AWRostamani Lifestyle LLC, 305 AWRostamani Head Office, Al Ittihad Road, Dubai, P.O.Box 23437, UAE Website: www.apartment51.com