Homegrown fashion label Raoul is making a foray into the Middle East with its third franchise deal this year.

It is teaming up with CGR FZE, part of the Dubai-based Chalhoub Group, which specialises in the retail and distribution of top brands.

There will be nine standalone Raoul stores in the Middle East by 2017, retailer F J Benjamin Holdings, which owns the Raoul brand, announced on Thursday.

The first two will be in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain next year.

Raoul signed two other franchise agreements earlier this year, for the Sri Lanka and China markets earlier.