Biography
Since opening her first luxury boutique in 1975, Najla Maatouk, founder of the Al-Ostoura company, has established one of Kuwait’s most successful high fashion multi-brand chains and obtained licenses to operate mono-brand stores for the likes of Balenciaga, Anna Sui, Stella McCartney and Chloé. Inducted into the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity by the President of the Italian Republic, Maatouk has also consistently been featured in the Journale Du Textile, a leading French industry magazine, as one of the most prominent buyer’s from the Middle East.
Al-Ostoura first opened its doors in a small shopping complex in 1985. Having spent a few years travelling for her first boutique Bint El-Ishrine and learning art history and philosophy, Maatouk’s honed aesthetic and global view reflected in her avant-garde offerings from brands such as Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto and Jean Paul Gaultier , marking the store as one of the most fashion forward outlets in Kuwait. In 2001, the in-store magazine Al-Ostoura became the first Arabic monthly publication dedicated to fashion, arts and pop culture and quickly achieved widespread circulation, attracting advertising from major brands and Gulf stream companies.
Al-Ostoura currently maintains a presence in all major shopping outlets in Kuwait, operating under the Al-Ostoura and Limelight brands for apparel and accessories and also through licensed mono-brands. The company has also opened interior design franchises for brands such as Driade, Venini and Poltrona Frau.