Manolo Blahnik opens first Doha store

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Mar 9, 2017

Manolo Blahnik has opened a new store in the Middle East, in the Qatari capital of Doha.

Located in the Gate Mall in Doha's Salam district, the 430 square foot store is designed by London-based Nick Leith-Smith, in the same opulence of the Manolo Blahnik Dubai store inside the newly opened Dubai Mall.

The British-crafted store features a neutral palette set against Middle Eastern landscapes such as the Rub’ al Khali desert and the Sabkha salt flats. The store also boasts an intricate white hardwood screen, cut in a stone coral pattern -- a moniker of Islamic architectural details.

The collection of shoes and handbags -- curated especially for the region -- feature all of Blahnik’s latest designs and are displayed against a geometric canvas hung on the back wall. Meanwhile, a tiered display table and ottomans in jewel-tones add points colour to the minimal store outfit.

The Qatari opening comes after Manolo Blahnik opened its very first store in Malaysia in late 2016. A Tokyo flagship store is slated for later this year.