i've been to ZAI ....
i cannot really give an opinion bcause when i went there, a lot of stuff were gone bcause of crazy sales ... so i can't tell really about their shopping.
i bought a Joseph Homme jacket for only 80euros .... which is correct, imo ...
the shop is all brand new so i think they still need to organize ... but it's very big and I thought the sale service was good (though i still prefer my people at Aida) ...
my only complain is how they displayed the Maria Luisa section ......... which imo is not very Maria Luisa spirit (I thought I was in Fiorrucci wolrd) .... I didn't really check the women section .... So i can't say about it really ....
another bad point : it's really far from where I am (in West Bay, near W Hotel)
The Pearl hasn't opened all their shops yet and the day I went there was soooooo hot (people who've been there can understand how humid it can be) that I spent all my time waiting for my driver drinking orange juice, reading and chatting with the waiter .... AND sweating .....
anyway, i advice to go there by 6-7pm but I don't know the timing of shops closing.
to jump on what dulcisima told, a guy - i can't remember where - told me that some qatari shops got a season late ... but i'm sorry everything i saw was current season ... and i saw it back in Dubai days after .... so NO Doha gets everything on time ....
a note for people in charge of Tom Ford's shop (in Villiagio) - if they read TFS ....
Tom is coming to Dubai on Nov. to visit his Dubail Mall's shop, so I really suggest you to open your shop in Nov. and invit him to come !! That would be an idea ........ non ?
Coz when will it be open ? The cardboards are there for a long time now ....
But maybe that's the idea .......
I appreciate your input, your talking from a personal experince and so am I. I travel alot back and forth to Europe ( infact i spend more time in EU)and the region, the middle east region gets the collection later than Europe correct, some collections get on time and others get way later. I am talking about my personal experince when I went to purchase a Marchesa dress that was a Summer Collection and was already in sale in the US , i go in Zai and they claim its a "new collection"...Zac Posen's collection was untouched for the longest time, i remember the red frame bag which was a big IT for the season two years ago and sold out in netaporter was laying on Zai's shelves for the longest time ever, and even when it was sale time they only took a "generous" 15% of claiming its still new, its not suprising that no one really shops until they get overstocked with items that no one buys, because people have better, faster ,cheaper and much more knowlegdable alternatives.
Take netaporter for example, you email their fashion advisors and within the 24 hours you a response to all your inquries with no doubts, a dress doesnt fit you , you can return it no issues, you could also get a refund on designer items provided that tags are still on it and its within 7 or 14 days of purchases...these policies do not exist in the region shopping at all...My friend purchased a Temperly london dress for around 10 US dollars from Zai it was a bit big on her and they offered to alter to her size, they took the measurements , everything.....she went in to pick it up...and try it on...the dress was a long gown...needless to say they made it soo short that even with no shoes ..the dress falls above her ankles...and what was the SA response "oh it looks good on you, its so in now" please! what a line!! she asked them to get her another one as they did not alter to as she has requested...they had nothing left and refused to give her a refund. If that happens in Europe which i assure you it never does, you get compensated, they try to please their customers not go after their money!
Aida is evidently the best so far hands down, the prices , the services, the collection etc..
The Pearl isnt a summer shopping location, its best i heard during winter and early spring season and their prices almost matches Europe prices, ofcourse I am not denying that rental prices are rocket high, but there should be a match.
Another thing , AlSalam is probably takes the worst prize in terms of price, collection etc...i am not slamming Zain , but i think it should be much much much better than that.
I also heard of a new mall opening up at the West Bay area next to the pearl so that sounds pretty promising, they will be carrying Aramani Jeans, Diesel, Kenneth Cole, tommy hilfiger, CK, Zara, H&M, pull amd Bear etc...and the upper level will have luxury designers, chanel, hermes etro etc...so that sounds promising...
but yes to answer your answer my standards are Chanel Coture 
