Salama Alabbar is the founder of one of The Dubai Mall’s prime fashion stores, Symphony, which opened in 2008. Her other fashionable feats include acquiring the licenses for Temperley London and media franchise Buro 24/7 for the Middle East, collaborating with Vogue Italia for the Vogue Dubai Fashion Experience, and expanding her shop online by offering a mix of designers, such as Razan Alazzouni and Madiyah Al Sharqi alongside Alexander McQueen and Saint Laurent—a first in the region, hence offering a major platform for our budding local designers.
We sat down with the Emirati entrepreneur to talk about her expansion plans and the Khaleeji clientele.
Sofia Guellaty: What was the original vision behind Symphony and how has it progressed over the years?
Salama Alabbar: I decided to open Symphony because there were too many designers that had no representation in Dubai; and [even] if they did, buyers didn’t select items I could wear. I wanted to wear runway looks that were suitable for me as a Khaleeji. When we started Symphony, it was a very small operation; we had 25 brands and we were interested in the story of each brand, each piece, and the designers themselves.
We were really passionate about it; everyone in the company was really young and we were not looking at it from a business perspective. At the time, The Dubai Mall was still new. Even though people anticipated its potential, at that stage, it was quiet and empty, so you couldn’t really envision what was going to happen. People followed us from the beginning because they saw Symphony as a store that was excited—not just exciting. We started selling from day one.
From there it was all a learning curve. I became self-taught and started going on buying trips, doing our own schedules, passing by showrooms, and making visits to brands I hoped to sell in our store one day.
When I first started working in the region (around 2007), we had Studio 8, as well as Jumeirah’s small boutique-villas for abayas, and Sauce for young designers. What sets Symphony apart from these other boutiques?
The way we buy is [primarily] for Khaleejis and then we try to mix everything. You’ll find the abaya that you can wear to a wedding, a Zac Posen gown, and a beaded Marchesa clutch. When I started, it was my goal to buy high fashion for the Khaleeji clients. They want to wear Jason Wu and Zac Posen, but they have a different way of wearing clothes. The way we buy is also very different from the other stores; our goal is to have every piece on the rail be really special. Even if you don’t buy it, you’ll discover it and learn about how special it is.
Can you tell me more about this Khaleeji girl?
She is an educated, well-traveled, and well-connected person. She is always up to date with the latest brands. For instance, when Rosie Assoulin launched, we were one of the first places in Dubai to stock her.
The Khaleeji girl is going to weddings, she’s going to dinners, she’s very socially active and likes unique, statement pieces. She’s not obsessed with Birkins.
