Miss Selfridge is to ramp up its presence in the Middle East as it opens its first store in Kuwait.

The young-fashion chain opened in The Avenues shopping centre in Kuwait this month and franchise partner Alshaya said there are plans to open a “significant number” of other standalone shops, alongside concessions in Debenhams department stores.

According to Alshaya, the Kuwait shop has already been well received by shoppers.

Miss Selfridge – part of Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia group – has also opened for the first time in Dubai this month, as a concession in Debenhams at the Dubai Mall.

Miss Selfridge has more than 200 shops in the UK and almost 50 stores internationally including 16 in Saudi Arabia.

Arcadia has more than 2,500 stores in the UK with about 420 franchise shops in Europe and Asia. Green has expressed ambitions to target more overseas stores across the group after the successful high-profile launch of Topshop’s flagship store in New York last month.

MHE Retail chairman Edward Whitefield said that young fashion has been performing well in those countries and it could be a good move for the retailer. “Kuwait is a better position to be in than
Dubai. It has not over-expanded,” he explained.

Miss Selfridge declined to comment on the move.