HOKA selects Place Vendôme for first Qatar store

Global performance footwear brand from Decker, launches at Qatar’s leading retail and leisure destination, strengthening Place Vendôme’s position as a home for fast-growth international brands.

Doha, Qatar, 27 May 2026: Place Vendôme welcomes the opening of the first HOKA store in Qatar today, bringing one of the world’s fastest-growing performance footwear and apparel brands to the country’s leading retail and leisure destination. 

Located at Place Vendôme, the 200,000 sqm retail, leisure and entertainment destination, the new 180 sqm HOKA store will showcase the brand’s full line-up of performance footwear, apparel and accessories, serving runners, fitness enthusiasts, lifestyle consumers and visitors looking for technical products that combine comfort, support and distinctive design.

The opening marks an important addition to Place Vendôme’s international brand mix and reflects the continued growth of Qatar’s lifestyle, sportswear and wellness retail market. It also strengthens the destination’s appeal to a broad customer base, from residents and families to tourists and regional visitors.

Shane Eldstrom, CEO of United Developers, said: “The opening of HOKA’s first store in Qatar is a significant addition to Place Vendôme and reflects the continued evolution of our excellent brand mix. The growth of lifestyle and athleisure brands has been the defining theme of Qatar’s recent retail market, and HOKA is sure to be a welcome addition to this mix.

“At Place Vendôme, we are focused on creating a destination that brings together luxury, fashion, lifestyle, leisure and hospitality in a way that reflects how people want to shop, spend time and experience Qatar today. The arrival of HOKA adds another important dimension to that offer.”

The Qatar store has been launched by Apparel Group, one of the region’s leading retail franchise groups, which operates a portfolio of international brands across the GCC and wider global markets. The store is located adjacent to brands including New Balance and Geox on Level One.

The arrival of HOKA follows a strong period of leasing momentum at Place Vendôme. In the first quarter of 2026, the destination secured 4,039 sq m of new leases across 10 new or upsized stores, including the arrival of New Balance’s first “Grey Store” in the Middle East, alongside new retail, leisure and food and beverage concepts including Noir Café and Urth Caffe.

HOKA was conceived in the French Alps and has become recognised globally for its distinctive approach to cushioning, support and performance. The brand has built a fast-growing international following among elite athletes, everyday runners and consumers seeking high-performance footwear that can be worn for competitive sport through to everyday life.

Since opening in April 2022, Place Vendôme has established itself as one of Qatar’s most visited retail and leisure destinations, attracting an average of around 45,000 visitors per day. The destination is home to more than 560 retail units over 4 floors, with more than 96 food and beverage outlets, Novo Cinemas, the Trocadéro Theme Park and Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail Hotel, Residences and La Vallée SPA Switzerland Spa.

Place Vendôme’s luxury and lifestyle offer includes Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Dior, Cartier, Fendi, Gucci, IWC, Loro Piana, Prada, Miu Miu, Patek Philippe, Tom Ford and Tiffany & Co., alongside leading international lifestyle and high street brands including H&M, Lululemon, Mango, Marks & Spencer, Samsung, Sephora, Virgin Megastore and Zara.

Sanjay Mehta, Group Marketing Director at United Developers, said:

“HOKA’s opening is a strong example of the type of brand addition that continues to broaden the Place Vendôme experience. It speaks to Qatar’s growing interest in active lifestyles, ath-leisure performance retail and high-quality international brands, while also giving our visitors another reason to return to the destination.

“As Place Vendôme enjoys its fourth anniversary, we are continuing to build a balanced and commercially relevant offer that serves residents, families, tourists and the wider GCC customer base.”

Place Vendôme has collected a series of major industry accolades, including World’s Most Beautiful Shopping Centre, awarded by UNESCO Prix Versailles, Premier Shopping Mall Experience at the Qatar Tourism Awards, Best Mall 2024 and 2025 at the Shop Qatar Awards, and a Gold Award at the 2024 Middle East Council of Shopping Centres & Retailers Awards.

-ENDS-

About Place Vendôme

Developed by United developers and designed by Hubert de Malherbe and Arab Engineering Bureau, Place Vendôme is a grand vision brought to life — an architectural landmark where global brands converge. Inspired by the sophistication of Rue de la Paix in Paris, it reimagines the experience of luxury shopping, lifestyle, and entertainment in the heart of Qatar.

Having first opened its doors to the public in April 2022, the $1.3bn project offers 1,150,000m2 of retail and leisure space comprising 560 retail units including 30+ F&B outlets, a luxury 18-screen cinema, a 18,000 m2 indoor theme park/entertainment zone and 377-bed Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail, Hotel and Residences. 

The Parisian-inspired destination is home to numerous grand fashion houses including Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Dior and Cartier, alongside Fendi, Gucci, IWC, Patek Phillipe and Tiffany & Co. These flagship brands are complemented by a range of other high street and lifestyle brands, including Marks & Spencer, Samsung, Sephora, Virgin Megastore and Zara. Key F&B brands include Armani Caffè, Le Relais de L’Entrecôte, and Wagamama. 

As one of Qatar’s leading landmarks, Place Vendôme attracts over 16 million visitors annually and has collected a string of prestigious awards including World’s Most Beautiful Shopping Centre (UNESCO – Prix Versailles), Premier Shopping Mall Experience (Qatar Tourism Awards), and the Best Mall 2024 and 2025 (Shop Qatar Awards).

About United Developers

A consortium of four prominent Qatari investors, United Developers which harnesses their combined expertise in retail, real estate, hospitality and construction to deliver extraordinary destinations and experiences. As United Developers’ inaugural project, Place Vendôme is a flagship development that showcases retail and leisure excellence, while also contributing to Qatar’s economic diversification through enterprise opportunities and job creation. Other assets owned by the group include the Trocadéro Theme Park, Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail, Hotel and Residences and the forthcoming luxury Hotel Palais Vendôme.

About HOKA

HOKA is one of the world’s fastest-growing performance footwear and apparel brands. Conceived in the French Alps, HOKA footwear is known for its combination of cushioning, support and smooth ride technology.

The brand works with elite athletes, tastemakers and everyday runners to continue advancing the design and performance of its footwear and apparel. HOKA serves a global community of athletes and active consumers, from finish lines to everyday life.

For more information, visit HOKA.com or follow @HOKAMiddleEast.

About Apparel Group

Apparel Group is a Dubai-based global retail group with a portfolio of over 85 international brands across 14 countries, and a network of more than 2,500 stores.

The Group has a strong presence across the GCC, including Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman, and continues to expand across markets including India, Southeast Asia, South Africa and Egypt. Its brand portfolio includes Tommy Hilfiger, Skechers, ALDO, Charles & Keith and Tim Hortons.

For further information

Simon Stretch
Director, Innesco
Email: simon.stretch@innesco.co.uk
Mobile: +44 7860 644321

Sanjay Mehta
Group Marketing Director
United Developers
Email: s.mehta@uniteddevelopers.qa
Mobile: +974 3000 4087