Beloved contemporary streetwear label Les Benjamins has opened its first store in Dubai. Housed in Mall of the Emirates, the sprawling space is minimal with an artistic flair and doubles as a creative co-working hub; an ode to the thriving creative community in the city. "I’m always interested in amplifying the voices of the youth in the Middle East,” shares founder and creative director Bunyamin Aydin.
Les Benjamins injects heritage and cultural influences into ready-to-wear, home décor and accessories, allowing for exploration and expression in a way that is simultaneously fashion forward and comfortable. Worn by streetwear aficionados, statement-makers and game changers, the label has solidified itself in the community, becoming an admired label for both its clothes and philosophy.
The interiors were inspired by the UAE's rich culture and its vibrancy: pops of neon punctuate the space (you can't miss the giant neon-green table in the centre). “Les Benjamins Dubai is about contrasts: old and new, open and intimate, gleaming and earthen,” explains Dong-Ping Wong, architect and mind behind its Istanbul flagship and Yeezy's Calabasas studio. "We used a traditional plaster technique most directly seen around the souks and structures of Old Dubai to balance out the classic luxury, glossy materials of both the mall and new Dubai as a whole... To create intimate spaces within a totally open floor plan, we looked to the Basilica Cistern in Old Istanbul, the city where Les Benjamins is from.”
To celebrate the opening of the new boutique, Les Benjamins has dropped 10 limited-edition tracksuits and a 100-piece collection of T-shirts. See you there! First floor, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai.
