From a single boutique in Damascus, Syria, to the Middle East’s leading luxury group, the Chalhoub family has built an empire through resilience, reinvention and enduring partnerships.
1950s to 1970s: Foundations
1955: Michel and Widad Chalhoub open the first Christofle boutique in Damascus. A family business is born, launching a vision to bring international luxury to the Arab world.
1965: The company operations relocate to Beirut, establishing a broader regional presence as the company expands beyond Syria.
1975: The family moves to Kuwait amid the Lebanese civil war, bringing 30 employees. Anthony Chalhoub joins, marking the entry of the second generation.
By the late 1970s both Patrick and Anthony Chalhoub joined their parents in the family business.
1979: Patrick Chalhoub joins the family business. The company reaches 100 employees as growth accelerates across the Gulf.
1980s to 1990s: Building the Empire
1980: Tanagra launches in Kuwait — the group’s first owned concept store, curating refined lifestyle and gift experiences. The shift from distributor to retailer begins.
Tanagra in Kuwait
1982: The first Louis Vuitton boutique in the Middle East opens in Kuwait, establishing a partnership model that would define the Chalhoub Group’s future.
1989: Faces (originally Wojooh) debuts as a pioneering beauty concept store, reimagining how the region experiences cosmetics retail. Today 85 stores across the Middle East.
1990: Headquarters relocate to Dubai following the Gulf War — the fourth major relocation in 35 years. The UAE becomes the group’s permanent home.
1991: Chalhoub enters Saudi Arabia, beginning what would become the group’s largest and most strategically important market.
2000s: Scaling Partnerships
2001: Anthony and Patrick named co-chief executive officers; founder Michel Chalhoub becomes chairman, formalizing the leadership transition to the second generation.
2006: The Sephora partnership begins — a relationship that nearly ended two years later when LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton considered exiting the region. Chalhoub’s persistence saved the partnership, which thrives today.
2010s: Innovation and Diversification
2012: Level Shoes opens in Dubai Mall — a 96,000-square-foot experiential destination that redefines luxury footwear retail globally.
Level Shoes in Dubai Mall
2016: Ghawali launches, offering a modern reinterpretation of Arabian fragrance heritage. The brand marks the group’s move into original product creation.
Ghawali
2017: Chalhoub acquires Christofle, the French silversmith that launched Michel Chalhoub’s dream in 1955. The brand comes full circle — from first partnership to full ownership.
2020s: Global Ambitions
Michael Chalhoub takes the helm of the group his grandparents started.
Hyku Desesto
2025: Michael Chalhoub becomes CEO, marking the third generation of family leadership. The group reveals a strategic investment in Willy Chavarria, launches Makette, its first proprietary fashion brand, and prepares Level Shoes’ U.S. debut in Miami.
