I found out Gucci recently closed down their store at Villa Moda. What I heard is that Gucci is now back with Sheikh Majed who is relaunching them at 360 Mall. Sheikh Majed founded Villa Moda back in 1992 which became so successful that it was taken over by Dubai around 2 years ago. Sheikh Majed was then outed from Villa Moda or he left not sure but in any case it seems he’s now taken hold of the Gucci brand.
I also heard Prada will be leaving Villa Moda and heading with Chalhoub Group who currently have Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Nina Ricci.
54 replies on “Gucci and Prada Gossip”
He who has the money makes the rules; two years ago it seemed like DIFC was the best thing that happened to Villa Moda. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Sheikh Majid played his cards right.
(Note: this might be verbal diarrhea from me)
Villa Moda is kinda like Great Britain …. Not …. that …. Great!!
“Sheikh Majed was then outed from Villa Moda or he left not sure”
Every one know what happened and why it happened. But I guess due to government recent intolerance towards its citizens we wont be able to talk or say anything without being prepared to face lawsuits and prosecution.
Its got Prada is going to be heading to Chalhoub groub, they are much more professional.
3azez : we will continue talking and say what our (dstoor) gaves us the right to say with lawsuits or without ….we are kuwaities our free word is what makes us different ..
sorry for talking out of the subject of the entry..
What happened Badriya? I never heard about this story?
Majed founded new company that has Gucci and Marni now
It all makes sense;
https://www.arabianbusiness.com/592552-difc-reviews-retail-strategy-amid-closures
Meow: its about khalid alfudala case check it here http://www.kalfadala.com words can’t explain ….
hope u check it out
Guess what? Gucci never been under Villamoda “Company” umbrella for the record. Go check its license!
I don’t know if it’s a good or bad move
i commented on a previous post about this, but you refused to publish it. he was forced out due to immoral business conduct. lets just leave it at that.
and the shit keeps on coming!
after what both of them did to their staff who cares.
Good call for Chalhoub to take Prada Group. I don’t care who has what brand in Kuwait as long as we get to see the collections on the shopfloor!
P.S Gucci in Villa Moda & 360 is not FAKE!!
also S3NA, Majed did not “founded” the new company he is working with the family who own 360 as their link between the the Brands and Kuwait!
from my own inside information, Sheikh Majed took the most successful brands and left the money loosing ones behind. For example, PRADA and DOLCE&GABBANA have been loosing money at VILLA MODA since many years and have been only selling during the end of season sales. But still, my heart goes with VILLA MODA which is a great iconic Middle Eastern luxury retail concept that will never be replaced by anyone. I feel that Sheikh Majed will take VILLA MODA back again and turn it around.
You should have seen Villa Moda Shuwaikh. The building looked so sad. It’s a shame to see an iconic place like Villa Moda goes downhill. I miss its glory days (esp the ones when it used to be next to Mais Al-Ghanim)
Now, sign of neither Gucci nor Miu Miu. Etro has been already taken by Shalboub.
BRANDS ARE SOO OUT
Fakes……gone.
So nobody thinks this is because of all the reports and emails accusing villa moda of selling fakes? And they never even addressed these reports.
I stopped buying anything from VM since, and i know a lot of people who don’t shop there anymore.
S: Only an idiot would believe the official Gucci dealer would sell Gucci fakes. Not only that but as I mentioned Gucci is going to Sheikh Majed… the same guy who you are accusing of selling fake goods.
Oh and I forgot to add.. anyone who believes crap they get in emails and bbm forwards is an idiot as well.
Kuwait is gossip central…it is very very sad
Questionalble
so even now we stil have to buy designer shoes/bags/,,,etc from outside
Mark, This happened like 2 years ago. I know someone who works in a bank and handles Villa Moda accounts. There were huge payment receipts going from Villa Moda to Chinese companies. The person did some investigation and found out that the cities the companies were located in were like #1 when it comes to Class A fake brands.
You may choose not to believe this since it comes from someone you don’t even know, let alone trust. But some people, including myself, have their reasons to believe that were was a lot of manipulation when it comes to the goods sold by Villa Moda. Certainly not everything was fake. But there sure was a mix of both. It could be one brand only, or more. Again, This came from someone I know very well who experienced the whole incident. That’s why I believed it.
I know someone that knows your someone and he told me to tell you to stop being so gullible.
*believe that there was a lot …..
Sorry typo.
Same thing could be said about you 🙂
To each their own.
hahaha put your handbag away!
@ Your Truly & Mark,
It is so sad the someone I know, know your someone working at the bank which and was checking someone making some transactions to someone in China that the someone don’t know. MAN, someone is having an investment in China but the someone at the bank is always looking to accounts of someone with money!
Sorry to say, but someone must be upset for never having the chance to hold some fake something from VillaSomething!
Has no one ever thought that it didn’t have to be the owner who was selling fakes, but the buyers who could have been doing double deals….anyway,never shopped there and can’t tell the difference between fake and real anyway!
Mark, you’re being downright rude to the people who have a different opinion about villa moda and majid alsabah. it’s a bit disappointing to see. i can only refer you all to research the company and not the ‘shop’.
Mariam @4.44pm is correct by the way
I don’t think I am being rude, I am just using common sense which some people seem to lack. I don’t care about the shop, company or anything. My argument is you can’t expect the official gucci or prada store to sell fakes and still remain open, licensed and in business. Some people believe everything they read in forwarded emails and that’s just stupid.
If one guy created something successful then he can create another one!
All this talking is not about X Brand rather about Villamoda and its worldwide propaganda. Villamoda is considered as a Fashion Brand on its own.
Everyone should support Majed on his effort to put Kuwait and the Kuwaitis on the high class Fashion list.
Kojak, what high fashion list? A shop in Kuwait sells it and Kuwaitis wear it. Highly any innovation involved, no one is designing anything.
S3na, its what most of the Kuwaitis do anyway, go to Europe or America, buy for very cheap claim tax and come home happy! I am sure places like Al Othman or Ostora are not having the best of days either.
Luxury is dying my friends unless you buy it at a stupid price or abroad.
Its called the mix n match strategy,, You can sell both the real brand and the fake and no1 would know abt it, because its under one roof and the same people who have the license and in business are doing so all around the middle east region. In other words its called “easy cash”! I know this because I know people living out of it. Its not just in the fashion world, its in the fast food industry, especially in Kuwait.
oh no, does that mean i may have had a fake big mac last night?? 🙁
Have you ever heard of fake big mac “sauce” before? Its called “Research” …”Questionable”
Questionable: It’s called the mix n match strategy. Thats how McDonalds makes all their money, they sell fake food mixed with real ones. One real big mac, one fake big mac, one real mcflurry, one fake mcflurry. No one would know the difference!
yeah, they also have the genuine fake big mac. The cheese and lettuce are real, everything else is fake.
:O
it saddens me to see male egos unwilling to waiver for the truth. Mark, maybe you like to live in denial. But its true. thats why majed was outed. i worked with him and he is of blood relation. what he did may be wrong, and immoral, but nonetheless i respect him for at least birthing the ‘iconic’ VM, which once made us the envy of the world.
anyhow, enjoy denial island.
Mariam: So let me get this straight. You’re saying Sheikh Majed was selling fake gucci’s at his official gucci store, he got caught and then kicked out of villa moda. YET, he managed to take the Gucci brand from them and is now reopening it…
Don’t you think Gucci would have given the brand to someone else if what you’re saying is true? Or are Gucci also involved in this conspiracy as well? Does Gucci sell fake Gucci’s?
@Questionable
Luxury is dying for real; my pocket too! 😀
The Gucci people are not looking for sales figure rather than luxury lifestyle. And believe me, they love Majed!
Hang on a second Kojak, your trying to say that a Multi Million Dollar company would not care about sales?? So if you had your own organization you wouldn’t give a s*it if it makes money or not?
You guys all need to step out of your tini tiny world and talk about something else other than Sheikh Majed and Villa Moda!
@Questionable
It is up to you to believe it or not, but personally I met Gucci CEO and the Regional Director. They would like to have sales but not the general type of sales. They’re looking for sometype of society and specific sectors in which to include the other gangs (top Brands)! ;D
Why are you people so obsessed with what some rich Sheikh is doing? If you want to buy it, do. If not, move on.
I’m waiting on Coach to open. Any news on that?
I’m sure there’s an explanation to all of this, but everything we heard was just plain rumors. I think it all had to do with financial issues. Luxury businesses were going down (worldwide) and Villa Moda had become largely owned by the Dubai guys.
I guess it was just separation due to “creative issues” – they were probably more interested in dealing with the financial issues, and Majed was always more into the creative aspect to everything (the brands, stores, and may I remind people of his amazing events).
But at one point, Villa Moda employees went on strikes more than once because they weren’t getting paid. That again, goes to show that they were facing financial problems.
Anyway, the brands that Majed has taken with him are now headed by a new company (with investors including those who own a large part of 360 mall). It’s not fully owned by him, he owns part of the company, but definitely not all. I “heard” he needs the funding at this point. You can ask the employees at Marni’s temporary Pop Up shop in 360, they’ll tell you about the new Co.
Sorry for the long comment. Felt like I should add my input to the comments.
Sorry Alya i thought you were one of few talking sense until you came up with that “staff going on strike and not getting paid bit”
Hello Mark,
what you are hearing about fake stuff was all these rumors spread we are very good family friends of sheikh majed and prada and all these shops are given to Sheikh majed and now dubai lost control of villa moda completely and sheikh majed has total control over the whole thing, dont you see that the one in shuwaikh and fanar are closing down and wont open till’ november