Aïshti#Aïshti Foundation
{{Short description|Lebanese department store chain}}
{{third-party|date=November 2022}}{{Infobox company
| name = Aïshti
| founded = 1989
| founder = Tony Salamé
| area_served = Lebanon, Jordan
| num_employees = 900
| num_employees_year = 2020
| parent = Tony Salamé Group
| website = {{URL|aishti.com}}
| footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/aishti-lebanons-biggest-retailer-root-branch/ |title=Lebanon's Biggest Retailer, Root and Branch |website=The Business of Fashion |date=22 November 2020 |access-date=2024-12-27 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=3&article_id=24090 |title=Aishti's spectacular rise spreads across region |date=1 May 2006 |first=Kaelan |last=Wilson-Goldie |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060505042634/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=3&article_id=24090|website=The Daily Star Lebanon |archive-date=5 May 2006 |df=mdy-all }}
}}
Aïshti is an upmarket Lebanese department store chain founded in 1989. The company operates both Aïshti and Aïzone brands across Lebanon and Jordan. In 2016 the company recorded an annual revenue of $250 million.{{Cite web |last=Donadio |first=Rachel |date=4 December 2015 |title=Aishti Foundation Puts Shimmering Works Amid the Turmoil of Beirut |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/arts/design/aishti-foundation-puts-shimmering-works-amid-the-turmoil-of-beirut.html |website=The New York Times}}
History
Aïshti was founded in 1989 by Tony Salamé.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-22 |title=Aishti: Lebanon's Biggest Retailer, Root and Branch |url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/aishti-lebanons-biggest-retailer-root-branch/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=The Business of Fashion |language=en}} It began as a small store selling Italian jeans and clothing in Jal el Dib.
In September 2020 the new Aïshti store designed by Zaha Hadid under construction in Beirut Souks caught on fire.{{Cite news |date=2020-09-15 |title=Lebanon crisis: Fire erupts in Zaha Hadid-designed shopping centre in Beirut |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-54160630 |access-date=2024-12-26 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2020-09-15 |title=Fire Rips Through Zaha Hadid-Designed Building in Beirut, Lebanon |url=https://architizer.com/blog/practice/materials/zaha-hadid-building-fire-beirut-lebanon/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Architizer Journal |language=en}}
= Stores =
Aïshti also operates Aïshti Minis a children's clothing store in Beirut (Achrafieh and Downton) and Antelias (By The Sea).{{Cite web |title=Aïshti - Store Locator |url=https://www.aishti.com/StoreLocator |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Aishti |language=en}}
== Operating ==
- Amman, Jordan – Opened in 2023 at the TAJ Lifestyle Center.{{Cite web |title=Aïshti Amman now open |url=https://www.instagram.com/aishtiworld/p/Ct3Foa5Bnvr/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=www.instagram.com}}
- Antelias (By The Sea), Lebanon – Opened in 2015 and designed by Adjaye Associates.{{Cite news |date=2016-07-27 |title=The World's Coolest, Most Cultured New Malls |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/27/t-magazine/travel/new-malls-aishti-beirut-alhazm-doha-berlin-bangkok.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20221225125126/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/27/t-magazine/travel/new-malls-aishti-beirut-alhazm-doha-berlin-bangkok.html |archive-date=2022-12-25 |access-date=2024-12-26 |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Aïshti - About |url=https://www.aishti.com/About |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Aishti |language=en}}
- Beirut (Downtown), Lebanon – The flagship store, opened in 1999.{{Cite web |date=2013-07-01 |title=Tony Salamé {{!}} BoF 500 {{!}} The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry |url=https://www.businessoffashion.com/people/tony-salame/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=The Business of Fashion |language=en}}
- Beirut (Rue Verdun), Lebanon – Opened in 1997 at Dunes Center, in 2024 the store moved across the street to the ABC Mall.{{Cite web |title=Aïshti Verdun moves to ABC |url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8HbdyRsB27/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=www.instagram.com}}
- Faqra, Lebanon – Opened in 2020, it also includes an Aïshti Spa.{{Cite web |title=Aïshti now open Faqra |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CAzZpZEAYec/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=www.instagram.com}}{{Cite web |title=Aïshti, Aïzone and Aïshti Beauty & Spa now open in Faqra |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CRYJWOjAjg3/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=www.instagram.com}}
== Closed ==
Aïzone
= Stores =
== Operating ==
== Closed ==
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Opened in 2005 at the Mall of the Emirates.
Other operations
= Aïshti Foundation =
The Aïshti Foundation is a 350,000-square-foot mixed art gallery and retail space located north of Beirut in Jal el Dib, Lebanon. The Aishti Foundation was constructed on behalf of Aishti CEO Tony Salamé, and designed by architect David Adjaye and interiors by Christian Lahoude Studio.{{cite web |title=Tony Salame's Aishti Foundation Overhauls Art and Fashion {{!}} W Magazine |url=http://www.wmagazine.com/culture/art-and-design/2015/10/tony-salame-aishti-foundation/photos/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151027235102/http://www.wmagazine.com/culture/art-and-design/2015/10/tony-salame-aishti-foundation/photos/ |archive-date=2015-10-27}}{{Cite news |date=2016-04-30 |title=David Adjaye and Christian Lahoude Design Beirut's Super-Chic Aïshti by the Sea Mall |url=http://www.interiordesign.net/articles/11805-david-adjaye-and-christian-lahoude-design-beirut-s-super-chic-aishti-by-the-sea-mall/ |access-date=2017-03-16 |work=Interior Design |language=en-US}} It opened in 2015 and houses over 2,000 works from Tony and Elham Salamé's personal collection. Construction took three years to complete and the cost of construction is estimated to be over $100 million.{{Cite web |date=30 October 2015 |title=First images of david adjaye's completed aïshti foundation |url=http://www.designboom.com/architecture/david-adjaye-aishti-foundation-beirut-lebanon-tony-salam-10-30-2015/}}{{Cite web |date=16 October 2015 |title=Wallpaper* & UBS: Welcome to Planet Art |url=http://www.wallpaper.com/w-bespoke/ubs-smart-art-new-wave}}{{Cite news |last1=Donadio |first1=Rachel |date=4 December 2015 |title=Aishti Foundation Puts Shimmering Works Amid the Turmoil of Beirut |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/arts/design/aishti-foundation-puts-shimmering-works-amid-the-turmoil-of-beirut.html |newspaper=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |date=2015-10-26 |title=Art and Commerce |url=https://www.wmagazine.com/story/tony-salame-aishti-foundation |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=W Magazine |language=en}}
The inaugural exhibition, entitled “New Skin,” was curated by Massimiliano Gioni and features work from notable artists such as Alice Channer, Sterling Ruby and Danh Voh, as well as figures from the Arte Povera movement such as Giuseppe Penone.
In 2024 the foundation presented the Day for Night: New American Realism exhibition at the Gallerie Nazionali d'Arte Antica in Rome, Italy curated by Massimiliano Gioni and Flaminia Gennari Santori.{{Cite web |last=Waga |first=Nel-Olivia |title=Inside 'Day For Night: New American Realism' At Palazzo Barberini In Rome |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/neloliviawaga/2024/05/05/inside-day-for-night-new-american-realism-at-palazzo-barberini-in-rome/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Forbes |language=en}}
= Magazines =
In 2009 through the Tony Salamé Group,{{Cite web |title=Lofficiel Levant Publisher Publications - About |url=https://issuu.com/lofficiel_levant}} L'Officiel Levant was launched as the local edition of L'Officiel for Lebanon and Syria, it was published in French.{{Cite web |date=2009-11-01 |title=L'Officiel lance une version Liban et Syrie - Marie-José Daoud |url=https://www.lecommercedulevant.com/article/16960-lofficiel-lance-une-version-liban-et-syrie |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Commerce du Levant |language=fr}} It was distributed in bookstores, luxury hotels and Aïshti stores. The magazines editor-in-chief from 2009 to 2019 was Fifi Abou Dib (who previously worked for L'Orient-Le Jour).{{Cite web |last=Castro |first=Anne-Sophie |date=2018-08-02 |title=La mode au Liban : témoignage de Fifi Abou Dib (L'Officiel Levant) |url=https://fashionunited.fr/actualite/mode/la-mode-au-liban-temoignage-de-fifi-abou-dib-l-officiel-levant/2018080216454 |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=FashionUnited |language=fr}} In 2019 the magazine ceased publication after ten years.
They also operated A Magazine an English-language publication about fashion which closed in 2019 and Gossip which ceased publication in 2012.{{Cite web |title=A Magazine |url=https://www.aishti.com/News/AMagazine/ |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Aishti |language=en}}
= Other stores =
They also operate boutiques in Beirut for Bulgari, Burberry, Cartier, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, Loro Piana, Roberto Cavalli, Valentino and Zegna.{{Cite web |title=Aïshti - In The City |url=https://www.aishti.com/Aishti/in-the-city |access-date=2024-12-26 |website=Aishti |language=en}}
Tony Salamé
= Art collection =
Salamé owns around 2,500 works by over 150 artists. He works closely with New York art dealer Jeffrey Deitch, and began buying art in 2003, first acquiring Arte Povera works by Penone, Lucio Fontana and others.
According to Gioni, the associate director and director of exhibitions at the New Museum in New York, there has been “a sudden acceleration of the [Salamé] collection in the past ten years."{{cite web |title=The Art Newspaper - International art news and events |url=http://theartnewspaper.com/news/museums/shop-til-you-pop-art-lebanese-retail-tycoon-opens-museum-mall-in-beirut/}} The main focus of his collection is 21st century art.
=Italian Order of Merit=
In March 2015 Salamé was awarded the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Italy's highest honor, by the Italian Embassy in Beirut at an event attended by diplomats, business partners and family.[http://aishtiblog.com/italys-guest-honor/ Italy's guest honor]
=Personal life=
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://shop.aishti.com Official shopping website]
- [http://www.aishtifoundation.com/ Foundation official website]
{{coord missing|Lebanon}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aishti}}
Category:Department stores of Lebanon