In an exclusive interview, Karl Lagerfeld chief executive Pier Paolo Righi and Taraf chief executive Ahmed Shibel discussed the project’s many details
Dubai real estate developer Taraf and luxury fashion house Karl Lagerfeld has launched a new set of branded residences in the emirate. The project marks Karl Lagerfeld’s fourth branded residential property worldwide and the first in the Middle East, adding to the Maison’s growing real estate portfolio.
Located at Dubai’s Meydan area, the real estate project will be an “exclusive, branded community,” Karl Lagerfeld chief executive Pier Paolo Righi said at a media roundtable on Tuesday.
The Karl Lagerfeld X Taraf project will include 51 exclusive villas designed under the fashion house’s aesthetics, and will also offer tribute to the late German fashion icon.
Karl Lagerfeld X Taraf: Everything you need to know
Targeted at high-net-worth-individuals (HNWIs), the customisable villas come in two façades – Soft Modern and Urban Modern. However, prices for the villas vary depending on the number of bedrooms.
“The 5-bedroom villa starts at AED15 million, whereas the 6- and 7-bedroom villas are priced at AED20 million and AED25 million, respectively,” Taraf chief executive Ahmed Shibel told Arabian Business.
When asked about any special features of the villa, Karl Lagerfeld’s Righi said that it is “difficult to single out one individual feature.”
“[The project] is more about the approach taken of how he [Karl Lagerfeld] would have envisaged to build his home here in Dubai. He would have definitely leaned toward incorporating certain, important elements such as his collection of books – he had over 300,000 books in a special library – and more,” Righi said.
When asked if Lagerfeld’s famous furry friend Choupette would be featured in the design, Righi said: “His pet has been extremely important in his life, and I think he would always have ideated a place where Choupette would have felt at home and comfortable. However, there will not be a literary reference to her, but probably the way the home could be experienced by his pet cat as well.”
Other features will include premium materials, water features, and architectural designs, inspired by Lagerfeld’s love for the 18th century. The project in Dubai also mirrors the elegance of the Maison’s headquarters in Paris, with a runway connecting the 51 villas and highlighting Burj Khalifa views.
Dubai ‘held a very special place’ in Lagerfeld’s heart
On Tuesday, Arabian Business reported that Dubai branded residences have become a global real estate phenomenon, with hotels, jewellery brands and motoring companies entering the property market.
Dubai is establishing itself as the top city in the world for developing luxury branded residential properties according to a new Property Finder report, with over half of new home projects through 2022 consisting of standalone branded apartment buildings not connected to hotels, far surpassing the global average, as the city capitalises on strong demand from investors and residents seeking named-brand amenities in high-end housing without the transient nature of a hotel.
Both Righi and Shibel revealed that the partnership came at the right time as Dubai branded residences are becoming popular in the emirate.
“I think the reason we’re launching this now is because, first and most importantly, we found the right partner to do this. We also think that the branded residences market continues to perform and in Dubai, I think there is more demand than there is supply for branded residences, especially for villas. And the emirate has always been a good market to do luxury residential, more so because the market has been doing really well,” Shibel said.
Righi also concluded by revealing that Dubai “held a very special place” in Lagerfeld’s heart.
Karl Lagerfeld X Taraf is due for completion in Q2 2027.
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