Latest posts by Martin Moodie (see all)
- How I overcame Severe Tire Damage to become the oldest influencer in town - April 20, 2024
- Free as a (Kiwi) bird and flying high in Haikou - April 13, 2024
- Discovering Food Accademia’s world of fine flavours at a Hong Kong cha chaan teng - April 6, 2024
There were MMs everywhere on the Moni Ducci stand during TFWA World Exhibition: myself, a certain industry pioneer called Mohamed Mounib, and an industry newcomer – the Magic Mirror.
The occasion was a press conference to show off the young fashion brand’s new Magic Mirror, an innovation that allows customers to ‘try on’ shirts ‘virtually’, via a plasma screen.
It’s a typically innovative approach from the UAE company, founded three years ago with Niveen Ibrahim (above left) at the helm as General Manager, supported by her long-time boss at Abu Dhabi Duty Free, Mohamed Mounib (now with Pearl Azure, the ambitious UAE hotel, leisure and retail development company). The company Chairman is another well-known figure in aviation and travel retail circles, the former Chairman of Abu Dhabi Civil Aviation, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.
[All the Ms, left to right: Mounib, Moodie and McLoughlin]
Underlining the strong support Moni Ducci and Niveen have attracted from travel retail, the stand was packed during the press conference as Erik Van Velzen, Managing Partner of Automated Retail Concepts (pictured top), showed off the technology.
Dubai Duty Free boss Colm McLoughlin was on hand to try on different shirt colours, styles and ties (it was surprising he didn’t demand green after the Irish rugby team’s triumph over the Australians a couple of days earlier in the Rugby World Cup, so Moodie’s own Magic Mirror was called into play later in the day).
Valiantly, Niveen did her best to raise the sartorial standards of The Moodie Report with a protracted fitting later in the week (below).
Personally though, I prefer black…
The Magic Mirror is a neat concept and one that addresses the time and logistical constraints of trying on shirts and accessories such as ties in an airport environment. It’s also nice to see a young brand leading the way in terms of technological innovation. Innovation? Make that magic.