Page 2 - #194 Oct/Nov 2024

CONTENTS
THE WORLD’S ONLY GLOBAL RETAIL AND LEISURE MAGAZINE

CLICK HERE www.rli.uk.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2024 ISSUE 194
TO VIEW VIDEO OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2024
J1 BEACH DUBAI
J1 BEA
AI
CH DUB
WHERE THE SPIRIT OF
WHERE THE SPIRIT OF
THE RIVIERA COMES ALIVE
THE RIVIERA C OMES ALIVE SPECIAL FEATURES
18 ANCHORED BY EXTRAORDINARY HERITAGE
David Jones was founded in 1838 by Mr. David Jones
24
24
himself, a Welsh-born immigrant who dreamed big.
DAVID JONES DOUGLAS GROUP SWIRE HOTELS It has since revolutionised the way Australians shop,
194
Anchored by Making Unscripted
Extraordinary Life More and Authentic offering services and experience like no other.
Heritage Beautfiul Experiences
AVVA | F&B CONCEPTS & TRENDS | GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPTS | MENA | MOMOTARO JEANS
18
Cover Story 20 MAKING LIFE MORE BEAUTIFUL
Dubai’s latest coastal hotspot, J1 Beach by Merex 18 Founded more than 200 years ago, the name
DOUGLAS has become synonymous with beauty and
Investment, redefines luxury with its fusion of
Riviera-inspired relaxation, world-class dining and inspiration and today the company is the leading omni-
stylish beach club experiences. channel premium beauty destination in Europe.
22 UNSCRIPTED AND AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES
Editor’s Swire Hotels launched back in 2008 and oversees a
collection of urban hotels in Hong Kong, the Chinese
Foreword Mainland and the US. Here we speak with Toby Smith,
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20 26 PIONEERS OF SMART CASUAL
Managing Director to learn more.
As the industry enters the event season, here at RLI we Combining elegance and comfort in its designs, AVVA offers
have been hard at work on our combined October/ a style that meets the needs of the modern world, from day
November issue. Read on to catch up on all the latest
news, views and interviews from across the retail and to night and is suitable for every moment of the day.
leisure sectors. We now turn our attention to our annual
events in London, but we will be back soon with our 28 THE PURSUIT OF AUTHENTICITY
annual ‘MAPIC’ issue.
MOMOTARO JEANS was born in the town of Kojima
Till next time… in the Okayama Prefecture, a world-renowned denim
22 synonymous with ground-breaking quality.
22
James Quinn, Editor production area and has since gone on to become
We conceptualise, design and execute 42 VOYAGER - MENA
From the record-breaking skyscrapers of Dubai to the

digital installations and entertainment Publisher’s vibrant souks of Marrakech, the MENA region is home
Comment
in more than 100 countries to some of the world’s most ambitious projects. In this
feature we will highlight just a small selection of the
numerous projects in the region.
As the leaves begin to change and the crisp air signals 52 SPECIAL FEATURE - GLOBAL
26
the arrival of autumn, we are excited to bring you the
October/November issue of RLI. We know our readers ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPTS
are passionate about staying informed and inspired, so we 26 As consumers increasingly seek memorable experiences,
invite you to dive into it, engage with our stories and we
hope this edition fuels your curiosity and creativity as we entertainment has become a crucial driver for attracting
move into the fall season. foot traffic and enhancing customer engagement across
malls, urban centres and leisure destinations worldwide.
In this issue, we’re thrilled to feature an exclusive Cover
Story interview with Merex Investment who have Here, we highlight a few of these global concepts.
successfully developed a portfolio of innovative and REGULARS
sustainable projects, positioning the company as a key
player in Dubai’s economic growth. RLI talks to Shahram
Shamsaee, CEO about their latest notable project JI Beach. 04 RLI MEETS - DAN PELSON 36 FOOD FOR THOUGHT - JONATHAN DOUGHTY
The excitement is building as we countdown to our events
in London, RLI Connect Global Forum 23 October and 06 UK NEWS 37 DESIGN GALLERY
the prestigious Global RLI Awards 24 October, two days
and four unforgettable experiences await delegates as 08 INTERNATIONAL NEWS 38 LEISURE INSIGHT - KIRYL CHYKEYUK
industry leaders gather to share insights, inspire innovation
and explore new opportunities that will shape the future 10 40
of retail and leisure on a global scale. AMERICAS NEWS FIT-OUT GALLERY
Event season has begun and following our events I will 12 MIDDLE EAST NEWS 56 SPECIAL FEATURE -
be in Riyadh for the FII8 Summit and Retail Congress F&B CONCEPTS & TRENDS
MENA before heading off to Antalya where I am pleased 14 ASIA NEWS
to be MC for the inaugural International Conference on 60
Shopping Centre & Mall Management (SCMM). Don’t 30 EVENT PREVIEW - MAPIC
forget to pick up a hard copy of this month’s issue at the FIT-OUT PROFILE - 63
above events. UMDASCH THE STORE MAKERS EVENT PREVIEW - LEISURUP
32 64
I look forward to catching up on my travels. ENTERTAINMENT PROFILE - LANE7 EVENT REVIEW - IGDS WDSS
Jayne Rafter, Publisher 34 RETAIL INSIGHT - STEPHEN SCOTT 66 EVENTS PAGE

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