EVERYONE KNOW THAT ITALIAN FOOTWEAR IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, COMFORTABLE, STYLISH AND QUALITATIVE. Beyond a pair of STUNNING SHOES OR BOOTS, EACH DECENT FASHION MODE IS READY TO FLY TO MILAN OR OTHER CAPITALS OF WORLD FASHION. BUT BEFORE GOING ON THE WAY, IT IS WANT TO VISIT ONE OF THE “VALENCIA” BOUTIQUES IN THE UAE, WHICH COLLECTED THE BEST, INCLUDING AND LIMITED, COLLECTIONS OF THEIR MATTERS, CLEI CERTAIN, CLEI FOLLOWED.
About fashion trends, major consumer markets and the difficulty of choosing is told by Ali Chiaito, CEO of Valencia Shoes.
Ali, please tell me what is happening in your company today and what new things does the Valencia chain of stores offer this fall-winter season?
In April of this year, we moved our old store at Deira City Center to a new, more prestigious location. I must say that the first Valencia store in Dubai was opened in this very shopping center. The new store today covers an area of more than 300 square meters and is decorated in a completely different way. The interior design of the new Valencia store concept was developed by one of the best Italian companies - “Mappa”. We are very pleased with the result - the store looks amazing! It is different from everything you could see in Valencia before. Be sure to go into it!
Very interesting, everyone says that a new crisis is about to begin, and you are expanding? What is the secret of such a phenomenal success of your shoe stores?
There is no secret. We just always wanted to be the best in our field. And for the worthy development of a multi-brand shoe boutique, you need to make a lot of effort. Today, I do not know who else can boast the same number of luxurious fashion shoe brands presented under one roof. That is why we decided to change the concept of boutiques, added new brands to our collection, such as Roberto Cavalli, ETRO, Valentino Man and some others, in order to continue to surprise our customers again and again. I promise you, there will be many surprises in the upcoming season.
And yet, let's get back to the collections of autumn and winter ...
In men's shoe collections, classic trends remain, designers only slightly vary shapes and materials. This fall and winter, we will see a lot of suede again, moreover, men are offered both classic black and blue and gray. These are the dominant shades. As for women's shoes, here we will find many unexpected new products. You understand, ladies' tastes change every second, and we need to satisfy them. In autumn and winter, high-heeled shoes and platforms will still be popular.
Moreover, more sexy and stylish “hairpins” come back to the collection, and if the model has a platform, then it is combined not with a round, but with a pointed toe. This is a new trend, but fashion houses are introducing it gradually, making trial lots to test the reaction of customers. We also offer many different options for flat shoes - moccasins, ballet shoes and so on, but I personally always like women wearing high-heeled shoes! There will be a lot of blue, purple and black shoes, including those made of suede, which does not lose its relevance for many seasons, as well as patent leather. Blue-violet will remain the most fashionable color of the season, as it is also widely used in collections of designer clothes.
Although, in my opinion, black has been and remains the best-selling color for many years! If we talk about ankle boots, ankle boots and boots, we will present interesting and very feminine demi-season collections of beige, white, golden and silver shades, as well as insulated “winter” versions of shoes with fur lining in classic black, gray and brown colors with original finishes. Such shoes are in great demand among Russian-speaking customers, and the “Russian” market is one of the most important for us, so we try to choose the best versions of trendy shoes, knowing how your women follow fashion and love to dress up. Some limited editions of famous designers, even though they have their own mono-boutiques, can only be purchased at Valencia Shoes.
How well are the accessory lines that appeared in Valencia not so long ago?
I must say that sales of accessories in Valencia boutiques increased from 5 to 17%. This is a good growth. The main category is bags and clutches, followed by belts, wallets, scarves and other related products.
What is the hardest part of your job?
This is the most difficult and the most pleasant thing - to predict customer demand and choose seasonal collections in accordance with the expectations of our customers. Most of the effort we spend on the purchase of new collections. It is always difficult, but the experience gained allows our team of buyers to sometimes even exceed the expectations of Valencia customers. Personally, I always start from my own feelings - if I like this pair of shoes, then I can sell it to my client. The buyer always feels, the seller is confident that he is implementing, or not. Call it intuition, but we are always sure that we brought all the best to Valencia stores both in terms of style and in terms of convenience. For me, every pair of shoes is the story behind it.
What's next? Where else will Valencia boutiques be opened in the near and distant future?
So far, we plan to develop our presence in neighboring countries of the region. For the next two years, we already have plans to open 12 new Valencia boutiques in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, as well as monobutics of our brands in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain. Of course, we would like to open our stores in Russia too. But these are more distant plans.
Thanks for the conversation, Ali. I wish you success!
