Majid Al Futtaim Fashion's partnership demonstrates commitment to the international growth of brands

Dubai, UAE, May 10, 2016-- Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East and North Africa, announced today that it has entered into a franchise agreement with Abercrombie & Fitch Co. to establish a retail store presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. This expands upon Majid Al Futtaim's existing relationship with Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Beginning in 2013, the two parties entered into a Joint Venture Agreement in the UAE and a Joint Operating Agreement in Kuwait for all the company's brands, including Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister.

With Majid Al Futtaim's support, the American retailer that focuses on upscale casual wear for young consumers has opened eight locations to date in the Middle East, including the first ever Abercrombie & Fitch Fragrance Room and one of its most successful opening day sales for Hollister when it launched at Mall of the Emirates. The expansion agreement throughout the rest of the Gulf serves as a testament to both the successful track record and strong demand for the brands in the region.

Forming franchise partnerships underlines Majid Al Futtaim Fashion's commitment to seeking out new opportunities, and proves their dedication to the long-term success of brands, and demonstrates their commitment to the international growth of brands.

This franchise agreement encompasses the Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie and Hollister brands. The first stores in the new territories will be in Qatar during the first quarter of 2017 and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the second half of 2017, with Bahrain and Oman to be opened at later dates.

"We are excited to continue extending the company's presence in the Middle East. We have seen significant demand within the last few years in the UAE and Kuwait and we look forward to helping Abercrombie & Fitch Co. grow in this market," said Rajiv Suri, Chief Executive Officer at Majid Al Futtaim Fashion.

"We expect there to be strong demand for our brands in these new markets, and we are thrilled to partner with Majid Al Futtaim Fashion to expand our presence in the Middle East, "said Arthur Martinez, Executive Chairman of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. "This arrangement represents our second major franchise partnership, as we continue to expand our brand reach."

Majid Al Futtaim Fashion PR Contact:
TOH PR:
Laura Westmacott I Bianca Riley
+971 4382 9800
firstname@tohpr.com

About Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is a leading global specialty retailer of high-quality, casual apparel for Men, Women and kids with an active, youthful lifestyle under its Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids and Hollister Co. brands. At the end of the fiscal year, the Company operated 754 stores in the United States and 178 stores across Canada, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The Company also operates e-commerce websites at www.Abercrombie.com, www.abercrombiekids.com, www.HollisterCo.com

About Majid Al Futtaim Fashion: 
Majid Al Futtaim Fashion is the fashion retailing arm of Majid Al Futtaim. It currently works with a number of leading fashion brands throughout the GCC & Levant region including Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Hollister, Juicy Couture, HOSS Intropia, Halston Heritage and Jane Norman. Majid Al Futtaim Fashion recently announced strategic partnerships with leading brands AllSaints, lululemon athletica and Sacoor Bros.

About Majid Al Futtaim
Founded in 1992, Majid Al Futtaim is the leading shopping mall, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

A remarkable business success story, Majid Al Futtaim started from one man's vision to transform the face of shopping, entertainment and leisure to 'create great moments for everyone, every day'. It has since grown into one of the United Arab Emirates' most respected and successful businesses spanning 14 international markets, employing more than 33,000 people, and achieving the highest credit rating (BBB) among privately-held corporates in the Middle East.

Majid Al Futtaim owns and operates 19 shopping malls, 12 hotels and three mixed-use communities, with further developments underway in the region. The shopping malls portfolio includes Mall of the Emirates, City Centre malls, and also four community malls which are in joint venture with the Government of Sharjah. The Company holds exclusive rights to the Carrefour franchise in 38 markets across Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, and with the Hyperstar brand in Pakistan, operates a portfolio of more than 160 outlets in 14 countries.

Majid Al Futtaim operates 183 VOX Cinema screens and 24 Magic Planet family entertainment centres across the region, in addition to iconic leisure and entertainment facilities such as Ski Dubai and iFly Dubai, among others. The Company is parent to the consumer finance company issuing 'Najm' and "Voyager" credit cards, a fashion retail business representing international brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, AllSaints and lululemon athletica, and a healthcare business that operates a network of City Centre Clinics. In addition, Majid Al Futtaim operates Enova, a facility management company, through a joint venture operation with Veolia, a global leader in optimised environment resource management. The Company also owns the rights to The LEGO Store in the Middle East and operates in the food and beverage industry through a partnership with Gourmet Gulf.

www.majidalfuttaim.com

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© Press Release 2016