São Paulo – Famous for its sandals, shoes, bags, and accessories made from plastic, Brazilian brand Melissa arrived in the United Arab Emirates in October earlier this year thanks to partners Danilo Iglesias, Jacqueline Iglesias, Rafael Dias, and Nina Ávila. Danilo is Jacqueline’s husband, and Rafael is Nina’s. The store, located in The Galleria Al Maryah Island mall in Abu Dhabi, opened on October 3. The partners are now working on launching the online operation and are already considering expanding physical stores to other cities in the country.
Melissa belongs to one of Brazil’s largest footwear manufacturers, Grendene. Danilo told ANBA that discussions with Grendene and Melissa began about 18 months ago.
“We have a licensing agreement, for now, for the territory of the UAE. Under this license, only we can operate official Melissa stores in this territory. At the moment, we’re negotiating the launch of the online store, which will be the official Melissa shopping platform, and I believe it will be up and running by the first quarter of next year,” he says.
Melissa was created in 1979, inspired by fishermen’s sandals from the French Riviera. From this inspiration, the Aranha model became the brand’s icon, which has since crossed Brazil’s borders and is now known worldwide. Melissa is also famous for its collaborations, including with designers Karl Lagerfeld (1933–2019) and Vivienne Westwood (1941–2022).
Danilo explains that the opportunity to bring Melissa to the UAE arose from a contact he made with Grendene. The company’s shoes were already reaching the UAE but through a few distributors. “There wasn’t an official presence; multi-brand stores were selling Melissa through some distributors, but there wasn’t a stronger presence via official stores and channels,” he says.
After research, studies, and the development of a business plan, the first store opened at the beginning of October. Since then, Danilo says, the response has been positive—from both foreign customers living in the UAE and Emirati clients themselves.
“It even surprises us because even the Emirati women who come to the store say they already know it, that they’ve bought it in Europe or on a trip to Asia. Since the brand has a very strong global presence, it’s very well known,” he says. “The UAE is a relatively young country, but some customers—around 30, 40, even 50 years old, local Emiratis—say they’ve been wearing Melissa since childhood. It’s a product that’s very well received and didn’t need any adaptation,” the executive adds.
Danilo explains that each partner’s experience is helping build the business in the Arab country. Rafael is a data analysis specialist, while Jacqueline and Nina focus on store operations, understanding the daily routines, habits, and desires of the customers. “I think it’s a very distinctive background that helps with planning, strategy, management, and daily sales,” he says. In addition to the online store, Danilo says the company is already looking at expansion opportunities in the other emirates, especially Dubai.
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
