Supermodel Eva Herzigova launches Kazakhstan luxury mall in style

The US $450 million was designed by SOM, the same architects as the Time Warner Center in New York, and contains 160 stores. Notable is the inclusion of a 9,000sqm Saks Fifth Avenue department store, marking the first time the famous New York brand has branched into Asia. 

« The world’s most sought-after luxury and high street fashion brands are coming to Almaty as they realise the enormous potential of the market, » said Burak Oymen, co-founder of the mall’s owner Capital Partners. « Their commitment is a sign of their belief in the growth and potential in Kazakhstan and the region, » he added.

It is the first time domestic Kazakh consumers have had the chance to buy brands including Burberry, Stella McCartney, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana and Loro Piana, which are all debuting in the mall.

Yves Carcelle, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, which has opened a store in the mall, called the development « a symbol of modern Kazakhstan. » GDP per capita has grown ten-fold since the mid-1990s in Kazakhstan, with Forbes magazine reporting that there are now over 12,000 millionaires in the country.