Michael Guenoun, CEO of Time Vallée, tells us about the store’s regional expansion plans, the post-Covid rebound of luxury travel retail, and more
By Sony Thomas
Multi-brand luxury watch store Time Vallée recently opened its first boutique in the Middle East at Qatar’s Hamad International Airport. Spread across two floors at the Qatar Duty Free section of the airport, the store will showcase watches from the world’s leading watch brands. We catch up with Michael Guenoun, CEO of Time Vallée.
At a time when most luxury watchmakers are setting up their own boutiques that are decidedly upscale and engaging, what does Time Vallée offer its customers that they won’t get from a dedicated brand boutique?
TimeVallee is a re-imagined multi-brand concept. Our boutiques are designed to guide watch lovers and beyond to learn, browse and experience the watchmaking world. Our inspirational space mixes heritage and contemporary luxury, allowing all of the Maisons to offer a seamless client experience throughout all touchpoints.
Time Vallée had a pop-up store in Yas Mall Abu Dhabi for six months. How was the response from watch enthusiasts in the UAE capital?
We have witnessed a tremendous amount of engagement through the pop-up that we have opened in Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi, as our clients’ interest in the watchmaking world is continuously growing in the region.
When it came to opening the Middle East’s first flagship boutique, you chose Qatar. What prompted this decision?
When we visited the site of the new Terminal in Hamad International Airport, we knew that we wanted to make a statement as bold and inspiring as the way the airport has been designed. As such, Qatar Duty Free’s vision to offer an inspirational and memorable shopping experience motivated us to design a state-of-the-art standalone boutique that fits perfectly well within the luxurious ecosystem that the airport is hosting.
Do you have plans to open boutiques in other markets in the GCC? If so, where are the next stores going to be?
The luxury market in the region presents a lot of untapped potential that is yet to be developed. However, our expansion plans will always depend on and respect the brand equity, current distribution and clients’ needs.
Do you see travel retail, especially for high-end watches, gathering pace and regaining lost ground after the Covid lull?
Like all luxury retail, travel retail also rebounded following the Covid imposed restrictions. We do see airports across the world renovating and upscaling their Duty Free space. The new terminal in Hamad International Airport is a great example of the potential that travel retail has to offer in the region and beyond.