Nordstrom - MENA Expansion

A junior-level class, Retail Systems and Management, consisted of a semester-long project that placed four students and I into a group and tasked with researching a department store of our choosing in order to come up with a new “Big Idea” for the company in order to improve the company’s performance.

After extensive research into the company’s structure, its target audience, and its brand perception, we suggested that Nordstrom expand its presence (which is currently solely within North America) into Dubai with the intent of expanding into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

The decision to expand into the MENA region served as a way for Nordstrom’s flagship stores to continue establishing themselves as a global leader in luxury fashion and culture, while still accommodating expat residents with affordable luxury through the expansion of Nordstrom Rack. Furthermore, its presence in Dubai and other areas within the Middle East would serve as a gateway for further international expansion in East Asia and Oceania if Nordstrom were ever to decide upon further international expansion.

As we developed our second deliverable, we focused on the logistics and strategies Nordstrom would use to gain a foothold in the region.
I developed AI renditions of website remodels, social media posts, store interiors, and art pieces that would be used in Nordstrom’s expansion into the region. Furthermore, I was tasked with developing a sustainability plan in order to comply with increasing global expectations for fashion companies. I proposed creating a partnership with the UAE’s government in order to reuse excess fabrics that would otherwise have been disposed of.

Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia seek to become global entertainment and cultural hubs. Nordstrom’s collaboration with their governments could help with developing fabric architecture that could be intended for display in the case of an abstract fabric tower or functionally used as “fabric rooftops” over pedestrian walkways to let light through while providing shade. Collaborations such as these would reduce Nordstrom’s environmental footprint while making its brand visible to every resident and visitor.