One of the biggest-selling golf apparel brands in the United Arab Emirates, J.Lindeberg, is putting down solid foundations in the Emirates after launching its global flagship store in The Dubai Mall, with eGolf CEO Dean Cheesley playing a big part in increasing sales of the premium brand since taking over as J.Linderberg’s official distributor in 2020.
eGolf has increased the brand’s sales to record heights by 205% in the UAE and has also introduced J.Lindeberg women’s apparel to the market. Within six months of launching its stockist Spring Summer 2021 collections to the UAE market, J.Lindeberg has been a major contributor to the company’s apparel sales.
“Since we became the official brand distributor in January 2020, the brand has really taken up a step to the next level across our golf business,” said Cheesley at the grand opening of the store, which is currently the brand’s largest store globally.
Located on the ground level in the world’s largest and most famous shopping mall, the 270 sqm retail outlet stocks the full range of J.Lindeberg’s sport and fashion collections that include golf, racket, ski, outdoor, active and athleisure collections, and is the first store globally to showcase the brand’s new interior direction. The new store celebrates the brand’s Scandinavian heritage with a sophisticated and clean aesthetic and has been inspired by the iconic J.Lindeberg bridge logo, featuring a geometric play between curves and straight lines throughout the store, as well as colourful surfaces and repetitive graphic elements that create a futuristic and luxurious ambience.
“The store offers everything that the brand has available,” added Cheesley. “Because it’s the flagship store, golfers can find exclusive styles that won’t find anywhere else in the region. They can also experience men’s fashion and athleisure for the first time as previously we have only introduced the golf assortment across the region.”
The first stand-alone store opening for J.Lindeberg in the Middle East marks a significant milestone for the brand and is not only a celebration of the incredible success it has achieved in the Middle East, but symbolises the exciting new era under the leadership of CEO, Hans-Christian Meyer.
“J.Lindeberg’s goal is to inspire the UAE’s energetic urbanites to aim higher and live life to the fullest,” said Meyer. “Every part of the new flagship store lives and breathes the brand’s sophisticated sporting energy and brings to life the Scandinavian progressiveness that we stand for.
“Dubai is renowned for its booming retail and fashion offering, and we wanted to offer shoppers from around the world access to the full J.Lindeberg retail experience. As one of the world’s most desirable function and fashion brands, it only seemed natural for us to launch the brand’s flagship store in one of the most famous shopping destinations in the world.”
The brand was first introduced to the golf market in the 90s when founder, Johan Linderberg, called on five-time PGA Tour winner Jesper Parnevik to be his muse out on the course. The partnership changed the golfing fashion landscape when Linderberg dressed Parnevik in vibrant pink pants – something the golf world hadn’t seen before and established Parnevik as a style icon of golf.
These days J. Linderberg has a number of high profile players wearing the premium and fashionable clothing, including Viktor Hovland, Nelly Korda and Matt Wallace.
“Johan Linderberg was a visionary when he looked at the whole of the golf industry back in the 1990s,” added Meyer. “He started styling Jesper Parnevik in fashion on the golf course and back then you weren’t fashionable on the golf course.
“Players wore oversized pleated clothing that was navy and beige but we changed that by bringing in fashion and colour. That is still the DNA of the brand – we are fashionable but with function.”
