Footasylum partners with Apparel Group to expand into Gulf region

Footasylum has signed a strategic partnership with Apparel Group to expand its retail presence across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), marking the UK-based retailer’s first physical stores outside its home market.

Under the agreement, Footasylum plans to open 40 stores across the GCC over the next five years, covering the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. The rollout will take place through a combination of wholesale, ecommerce and franchise channels.

The partnership gives Footasylum access to Apparel Group’s regional retail infrastructure, including its store network, digital capabilities and established customer base. Apparel Group said its loyalty programme includes more than 12 million members across the region.

Apparel Group, which is headquartered in Dubai, operates more than 2,500 stores and manages over 85 international brands across 14 countries. Its portfolio spans fashion, footwear and lifestyle retail, with operations supported by in-house retail technology, shopfitting and mall partnerships.

Footasylum, which is based in Rochdale, has built its business as an omnichannel footwear and sportswear retailer in the UK. The Gulf expansion represents its first sustained push into international bricks-and-mortar retail, following growth through digital channels in recent years.

The companies said the partnership is intended to establish Footasylum as a multi-market brand in the region, with store openings phased over the five-year period.

David Pujolar, CEO of Footasylum, said: “This partnership with Apparel Group is a major step forward for Footasylum. In recent years, we’ve begun to build a growing international presence through wholesale and ecommerce, and this agreement significantly accelerates that momentum in the Gulf region. 

“Through this collaboration, we will also be entering physical retail outside the UK for the first time, backed by a partner with unrivalled reach, deep market knowledge and strong operational excellence. By partnering with Apparel Group, Footasylum gains immediate access to one of the region’s largest retail networks, advanced omnichannel and marketing capabilities, and a customer base of more than 14 million loyal Club Apparel members.”

Dan Moneypenny, VP International at Footasylum, added: “This partnership will enable us to bring our distinctive streetwear and sportswear proposition to a much broader customer base across the region, and I’m confident Apparel Group is the ideal partner for this next stage of our growth. We look forward to working closely with them as we enter a new era for Footasylum.”