Retail & Leisure International

FEATURES - CURRENT FEATURES - SEPT 2010 - MARINA

Marina Home Interiors Retail Network is a successful Dubai-based home furnishings company operating with stores across the Arabian Gulf markets. The company’s sprawling showrooms are located in some of the region’s top shopping centres and on upscale high streets as standalone units. Marina Exotic Home Interiors is a home-grown brand that is a household name across the markets it operates in and is synonymous with uniqueness, quality, creativity and unmatched service standards. The company reflects quality and style, and its singular appeal has resulted in soaring brand recognition; striking showrooms invite exploration and an eclectic ambience encourages lingering a little longer. An impression of artistic harmony and attention to detail pervades the atmosphere of each of its showrooms and closer inspection reveals the rare combination of uniqueness and functionality together with durability and a fair price. Marina’s offer has evolved over time, going from strength to strength and progressing from the ethnic to the exotic, from the Spartan to the spectacular; with the austere and the elegant invoking at times a back-to-basics spirit. The consumers have always been given to rediscover the ‘fusion’ sensibility, ultimate workmanship and a glimmer of good taste, all of which are temptingly represented in Marina’s creative merchandising.

Quality control offices at every source country ensure consistently high standards. As a result, Marina’s brand strength has ensured its presence at some of the most prestigious locations in the Gulf area including Sultan Mall in Jeddah, The Sahara Mall in Sharjah and The Seef in Bahrain. The company is also represented at numerous locations in Dubai including Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Festival City and Madinat Jumeirah. Its presence has also been secured at Mall of Arabia, the world’s largest shopping mall and The Pearl in Qatar. Marina services a number of corporate clients, including the award-winning real estate giant, Emaar, developer of the world’s tallest building – Burj Dubai; it is also the preferred supplier of several hotels and resorts including the Jumeirah Group, owner of the famous Burj Al Arab hotel.

Co-founder & Executive Director Khurshid Vakil says that: “This is a world full of intelligent consumers who believe that anything machine made is for philistines and hand-crafted products have an intellectually fulfilling flavour.” The company also specialises in creating very radical pieces of furniture by taking things out of their natural context and transforming them into something totally unseen before. For example, an Indian ox-cart is beautifully converted into a book rack by adding the frame and shelves, or an old carved ethnic window is converted into a coffee table with the addition of a frame, legs and a glass top.

Conceptualised and established in 1997, Marina offers an exciting world of stunning possibilities just waiting to be unlocked by those consumers who seek to explore beyond the ordinary, says Vakil. “Globalisation has not only influenced countries and organizations but has also impacted hugely upon the thought processes of consumers. Today’s consumer is demanding and is no longer ready to settle for less.”