One of Australia's most famous retailing names, Myer, is set to go international, with plans to open a department store in Dubai next year and four others to follow in the Middle East.
The move, which will be announced on Monday, will see Myer open its Dubai outlet late next year and four other Middle East shops in the next five years, Fairfax newspapers reported.
Myer chief executive Bernie Brookes said Dubai customers will have a similar experience to those at its Chadstone store in Melbourne.
"It will be a Chadstone-cum-CBD type store. It will have our branding, our designers," he said.
The plan will be a 50-50 joint venture with Nakheel Fashion, a company owned by Dubai's ruling family, the Maktoums.
"Culturally and economically I think Dubai has a lot of similarities with Melbourne and indeed Australia," Mr Brookes said.
"There are no other Australian department stores there and very few other competitors, so we think we can plug the gap in the market.
"It will mean about 100 to 130 jobs first up. We expect about 20 to 30 of those to be from Australia, and each of the stores afterwards will have about 300 to 500 people."
Melbourne designer Rosemary Masic, who owns the Nevenka label, told Fairfax she was delighted to be one of about 40 top Australian designers whose work would be showcased in the Middle East for the world.
"Once people know that you are all around the world and sitting in Myer in Dubai next to Harvey Nichols in Dubai it automatically puts your brand into an international status," she said.
