Alfred Johnson hands over the eighth Etisalat retail outlet

Having designed this particular entire outlet under the newly-established Alfred Johnson brand name, Johnson designed eight other outlets for etisalat over the past two years as part of Imagination's portfolio, including their DIFC outlet launched in January, the outlet at Emirates Airline headquarters launched in December and the Dubai Festival City outlet that launched in November.

Imagination's work for etisalat was nominated for Best Retail Design at the Commercial Interior Design Awards 2007 held in Dubai.

"We were honoured to be commissioned by etisalat for so many of their retail stores as the market is filled with very good design firms. I am confident that we've done the etisalat brand justice with the outlets we finished so far,"

said Johnson, creative director and managing partner at Imagination.

About his design choices for the Dubai Mall etisalat branch, Johnson said:

"The open environment's design welcomes the consumer to explore the store, and enables the consumer to access a variety of products without being overwhelmed. The pure biomorphic design detail and the key positioning of the displays are a vital step towards the future of retail design, where consumer vision and experience are not hindered by sharp edges."

Johnson's various projects in Dubai include Lowe MENA's Media City Office and Dubai World Central's sales office. Johnson's designs received particular appreciation from etisalat officials and guests at the outlet's launch.

"Set up over 118 sq m area, the Dubai Mall outlet exudes futuristic design and niche styling," etisalat stated in an official statement. The project was referred to in local media as "a state-of-the-art outlet" demonstrating "a smart integration of technology, comfort and decor."

The outlet is a fusion of renowned brands such as Matteo Grazzi and Herman Miller with custom-design handcrafted glass-reinforced concrete and fusion glass. Custom-installed Italian & Dutch LED fixtures were subtly grafted into the environment to heighten the customer's experience of the brand and the products and services being offered.

Johnson, 28, was recognized as Best Young Interior Designer of the Year during the Commercial Interior Design Awards 2007.