Galeries Lafayette in the Dubai Mall opened on 18 May 2009. Galeries Lafayette is the well known French department store based in Paris. The Dubai branch is the first Galeries Lafeyette in the Middle East and is a partnership between Emaar Malls Group, Galeries Lafayette and Gard Investments. The official opening ceremony will be held at the end of September 2009, along with the opening of Lafayette Gourmet and the Lafayette restaurant, at the end of Ramadan.