Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), one of America’s favourite denim brands, has made its much-anticipated debut in Bahrain with the launch of a stylish new mall outlet … and success is already brewing in more ways than one.
The occasion was celebrated last week with a live DJ, refreshments and some lucky guests even walked away with a complimentary pair of denims to ensure they pass the word around.
AEO is known for offering affordable fashion that focuses on what’s new and trendy, with denim always at its core. The brand offers a wide range of clothing, accessories and personal care products.
Its 27th store in the region – measuring 368sq/ft and located in Seef Mall – aims to reflect the brand’s origin and style. Julian Wing, business director at AEO MENA, said: “We are delighted to be opening our debut store here and can’t wait for new customers to visit, find their perfect pair of jeans with the help of our denim experts and enjoy the authentic American spirit which American Eagle Outfitters brings to the Middle East.”
For ladies, AEO jeans come in 10 fits, 30 sizes and 49 washes, including the AEO favourites: Extreme Legging, Jegging, Tomgirl and Skinny. These are also available in the super stretch and comfortable Denim X.
For guys, AEO jeans come in eight fits, 30 sizes and 49 washes. The range includes the newly-launched Flex Denim that combines both comfort and exceptional fit and comes in three levels of stretch; Core (25 per cent stretch), Active (25-40 per cent stretch) and Extreme (45+ per cent stretch). Katie Weir, public relations and social media executive for AEO, said: “Men love the flex denim range here in the GCC because it works amazingly with their lifestyle.
“They really like to feel comfortable and these are the most comfy jeans in the market. Men are able to pick just the right amount of stretch they want.”
Another unique product line sold is labelled ‘Denim X Cafe’ which is infused with 2.2g of coffee. Since coffee grounds are naturally deodorising it repels any build-up of odour, bacteria and UV penetration. It comes in four styles, sizes 00 to 16, at a cost of BD23. Katie said: “We find the people who buy these are fashion forward and lead very busy lifestyles so they cannot wash their denims every day but still care about style and hygiene.”
The store opened promoting a new ‘holiday’ collection which its designers say is focused on individual style, free-spirited fashion and ‘real’ people. It features on-trend pieces perfect for the cooler weather.
A key essential this season is the blanket coat for dry desert days offering an effortless style, while the on-trend Mohawk print in a warm South-western palette adds a pop of colour to the simplest of outfits. It’s best to wear with a classic pair of black ‘sateen’ jeans, a figure-fit basic long sleeve tee, ankle boots and hat.
For gents, this festive collection sees the return of ‘buffalo plaid’. The brand offers a vast palette of plaid shirts in warm and cool tones – wear it with destroyed denim, joggers or chinos and layer with a sheepskin-trimmed denim jacket.
Since its opening the store has been jam-packed with shoppers and the popular plaids button-downs, T-shirts and colours are being snapped up as soon as the team refills the shelves!
Ray Harris, senior brand manager, AEO Retail Division, Middle East, added: “This division has got off extremely well. The general public really welcomed it to Bahrain and it has launched equally strongly as in other successful markets like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. We don’t have ‘Aerie’ our lingerie line in this store and customers are already asking for it, therefore, we will include it in the next store we plan to open within the next year.”
For more information visit the website at www.ae.com
