April 15, 2016
Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli announced it has opened its first shop in Iran in the wake of the lifting of sanctions.
Some analysts think Iran could be a potential goldmine for luxury goods companies like Roberto Cavalli. But many conservatives—and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi—have warned that Iran must not be made into a shoppers’ paradise and that Western consumer goods are not wanted.
Roberto Cavalli is not the first Italian brand to strike out in Tehran with a store dedicated to its own label—the model favored over department store concessions by many luxury fashion companies as it allows them to control their image and relationship with customers.
The 350-square-meter shop with floors made of brown quartzite mixed with crystal dust and decked out with pony skin carpets sells women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and eyewear.
“We think Iran is set to become a very interesting market for luxury products,” Cavalli CEO Renato Semerari said in Milan.
Leather goods maker Piqua-dro opened in a Tehran shopping center last year. Dolce & Gab-bana, striking away from its usual form-fitting creations, launched a hejab collection in January.