Balenciaga opened its biggest flagship store in the world recently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Balenciaga is leaning into Saudi Arabia's growing influence in the global fashion scene with its new flagship in Riyadh. The French fashion house, famous for its directional street style under creative director Demna, internationally renowned for pioneering subversive and conceptual designs, is keeping things big in the Middle East with its new store in the heart of Riyadh.
The French luxury brand chose Riyadh's Solitaire Mall to unveil its new flagship store, which has been designed and built by architecture studio MAD. The French luxury brand chose Riyadh as part of its plan to capitalize on Saudi Arabia's growing influence in the global fashion scene and the thriving luxury market in the country. Balenciaga's new store in the capital is its ninth store in the country and its third in Riyadh.
Balenciaga certainly has a lot to like about Saudi Arabia. It's one of the world's wealthiest nations, and there's a significant demand for luxury fashion there. Plus, as part of the G20, Saudi Arabia is using its growing global influence to turn the country into a fashion and culture hub, reported Bloomberg. Balenciaga has tied the knot with a country that's already home to brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Gucci. Luxury brands have been flocking to the Middle East in record numbers, especially to Saudi Arabia. The country's luxury market is expected to reach $11 billion in yearly sales by 2026.
The new store is a herculean effort at 36,000 square feet. It measures 2,250 square yards, making it the biggest store in the world for Balenciaga. The store spans a remarkable 2,250 square meter area, making it the brand's largest retail space globally.
It's also an industrial-chic masterpiece, inspired by Balenciaga's Paris flagship that opened in 2021. It was designed by the in-house team of Balenciaga and it features the brand's signature industrial aesthetic. The flagship store in Riyadh is set against a background of ocre stone walls. It's characterized by imposing steel-framed modular windows that offer a glimpse of the interior, shaped like a LeFort pattern. The windows are a balletic contrast to the refined, polished interior of the store.
The façade of the store features a PXRB fabric mesh that changes colors and appearance as the sun moves. The interior of the store passes through five zones, from the steel-clad circular retail space to the sublime interior retail space, the showcase spaces, and finally, the Balenciaga VIP room. The store's color palette is a stark contrast to the desert landscape of Riyadh. It was also made exclusive to the store, which offers an even larger selection of items. Balenciaga's new store serves as a one-stop shop for a curated selection of the brand's ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, bags, jewelry, leather goods, fragrance, the Balenciaga Run sneakers, and glasses.
The store's centerpiece is a Balenciaga VIC room. For an even more exclusive experience, the store in Riyadh has a separate VIC room, which stands for "very important clients". The room uniquely features a customized carpet printed with a traditional Tuareg rug motif, and it offers a more private shopping environment.
Balenciaga isn't shying away from its love for Saudi Arabia. In fact, the brand paired up with Pan Saudi Arabia to launch a store-exclusive capsule collection of handbags and accessories featuring the wajh al khir symbol. Balenciaga opened its first store in Saudi Arabia in 2023, only a year after LVMH, the parent company of Balenciaga, opened a duty-free shop at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
This is Balenciaga's second store in the Middle East, following its flagship store in Dubai, which Saint Laurent also calls home. Balenciaga cemented its Middle East expansion by hosting a runway presentation in Jeddah, which featured a cast of models including Hailey Bieber, Joan Smalls, and Cindy Bruna alongside models from its broader Middle East and Africa roster. The fashion house's regional strategy in the Middle East and broader global push comes as Kering, the parent company behind Balenciaga, Gucci, and Saint Laurent, reports a drop in revenue for the third quarter. Balenciaga's new store officially opened in Riyadh.
