JEDDAH: While Tommy Hilfiger’s parent company is laying off staff and closing stores in the US, the American premium fashion brand is expanding in Saudi Arabia.
The company, which is now headquartered in Amsterdam, launched a new footwear and accessories shop in Riyadh, the second such outlet in the region after the first outlet opened in Dubai Mall in May.
The store features the brand’s latest bags, accessories, and footwear ranges.
The franchise in the region is operated by the Dubai-based Apparel Group, which manages stores in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.
Tommy Hilfiger has over 2,000 stores worldwide and is owned by Manhattan-based PVH Corp., which also owns other fashion brands such as Calvin Klein, Van Heusen, IZOD, ARROW, Warner’s and Olga.
PVH Corp. in July last year announced it was to cut 450 jobs and close 162 retail outlets, with Van Heusen and IZOD impacted the most. The company said it aimed to save $80 million dollars by laying off around 12 percent of its office staff.
“The COVID-19 crisis is dramatically reshaping the retail landscape in ways that we believe will be long term in nature and far-reaching in terms of consumer purchasing behavior,” president Stefan Larsson said in a report by Reuters.
According to its latest quarterly report released in May, PVH Corp. reported total revenue of $2.079 billion in the quarter, compared to $1.334 billion during the quarter leading up to May 2020.
As a result, it made a net profit of $99.9 million for the quarter in May 2021, compared to a loss of $1.096 billion in the quarter leading up to May 2020.
Tommy Hilfiger expands retail footprint in Riyadh
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Tommy Hilfiger expands retail footprint in Riyadh
Gulf-EU value chain integration signals shift toward long-term economic partnership: GCC secretary general
RIYADH: Value chains between the Gulf and Europe are poised to become deeper and more resilient as economic ties shift beyond traditional trade toward long-term industrial and investment integration, according to the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit 2026 in Dubai, Jasem Al-Budaiwi said Gulf-European economic relations are shifting from simple commodity trade toward the joint development of sustainable value chains, reflecting a more strategic and lasting partnership.
His remarks were made during a dialogue session titled “The next investment and trade race,” held with Luigi Di Maio, the EU’s special representative for external affairs.
Al-Budaiwi said relations between the GCC and the EU are among the bloc’s most established partnerships, built on decades of institutional collaboration that began with the signing of the 1988 cooperation agreement.
He noted that the deal laid a solid foundation for political and economic dialogue and opened broad avenues for collaboration in trade, investment, and energy, as well as development and education.
The secretary general added that the partnership has undergone a qualitative shift in recent years, particularly following the adoption of the joint action program for the 2022–2027 period and the convening of the Gulf–European summit in Brussels.
Subsequent ministerial meetings, he said, have focused on implementing agreed outcomes, enhancing trade and investment cooperation, improving market access, and supporting supply chains and sustainable development.
According to Al-Budaiwi, merchandise trade between the two sides has reached around $197 billion, positioning the EU as one of the GCC’s most important trading partners.
He also pointed to the continued growth of European foreign direct investment into Gulf countries, which he said reflects the depth of economic interdependence and rising confidence in the Gulf business environment.
Looking ahead, Al-Budaiwi emphasized that the economic transformation across GCC states, driven by ambitious national visions, is creating broad opportunities for expanded cooperation with Europe.
He highlighted clean energy, green hydrogen, and digital transformation, as well as artificial intelligence, smart infrastructure, and cybersecurity, as priority areas for future partnership.
He added that the success of Gulf-European cooperation should not be measured solely by trade volumes or investment flows, but by its ability to evolve into an integrated model based on trust, risk-sharing, and the joint creation of economic value, contributing to stability and growth in the global economy.
GCC–EU plans to build shared value chains look well-timed as trade policy volatility rises.
In recent weeks, Washington’s renewed push over Greenland has been tied to tariff threats against European countries, prompting the EU to keep a €93 billion ($109.7 billion) retaliation package on standby.
At the same time, tighter US sanctions on Iran are increasing compliance risks for energy and shipping-related finance. Meanwhile, the World Trade Organization and UNCTAD warn that higher tariffs and ongoing uncertainty could weaken trade and investment across both regions in 2026.
