The Ultimate Guide to Shopping in Dubai – GALLERY
If Boutique Originally founded in Beirut by Johnny and Soha Farah, If Boutique was Dubai's first concept store. Johnny's niece Maya Shehadeh brought the concept to Dubai in 2006, choosing a two-story villa with gardens as the setting for her sharply-edited pieces from designers including Rick Owens, Simona Tagliaferri, and Damir Doma, with jewelry by Parts of Four, fragrance by Maître Parfumeur et Gantier, and leather handbags and accessories by founder Johnny Farah's eponymous brand. Local cult followers visit the moment new collections arrive, and Qatari and Kuwaiti clients regularly stop off with empty suitcases en route to other destinations. This winter's just-in collection sees a distinctive prevalence of black. Unmissable for serious fashion lovers.
The cARTel – the Wearable Art Concept Store Not so much a concept store as a gallery showcasing wearable art, The cARTel sits easily amongst the hip art galleries in Dubai’s industrial Al Quoz district. Peter Richweisz and May Barber’s finely-curated showroom assembles a broad spectrum of avant-garde designers as diverse as Henrik Vibskov, Iris Van Herpen, Alexis Reyna, Hussein Chalayan, Gareth Pugh, and MM6 alongside homegrown creative talent like Hessa Al Falasi’s HF Boutique label. The items are presented against a backdrop of fashion-themed art exhibitions and installations. Currently on display: Zeinab Al Hashemi's ͞Fashion Landscapes, A Collaborative Installation͟. The cARTel Warehouse 6, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1, Street 8 Tel: + 971 4 388 4341 www.thecartel.me
Sauce The much-loved and multi award-winning boutique Sauce is a veritable fashion institution in the UAE. And with nine locations, it has pretty much every aspect of fashion covered. Wittily reflecting Dubai's love of the extravagant, Sauce features exuberant designs for daytime, evening, and the beach, along with an edit for fine jewelry. Sauce regularly showcases emerging talent alongside established contemporary brands, and has separate stores for kids and for the home. New in store this winter: a limited edition collection of daywear from founder Zayan Ghandour’s Zayan the Label with the message “Love you always” delicately embroidered in Arabic calligraphy. Sauce www.shopatsauce.com Sauce Dubai Mall First Floor, Fashion Section, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai Tel: +971 4 339 9696 website Sauce Village Mall Ground Floor, The Village Mall, Jumeirah Beach Road Tel: +971 4 344 7270 website The Design Shop Wasl Square Shop 43, Al Wasl Road, Safa Park Tel: +971 4 388 3488 website Sauce in the Hood City Walk Mall Tel: +971 4 344 1410 website Sauce On Sea The Beach, Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Dubai Marina Tel: +971 4 430 4202 website Sauce Rocks The Galleria Mall, Al Wasl Road Tel: +971 4 344 0608 website Saucette The Galleria Mall, Al Wasl Road Tel: +971 4 344 0012 website Sauce Marina Mall First Floor, New Extension, Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 681 8650 website
West L.A. Comes to Dubai Saudi Arabian Alia Korayem spent much of her life in L.A. and realized how well its affordable, urban-cool brands would translate to the UAE. Within Dubai, West L.A. is the place to stock up on fun and funky beach and streetwear from contemporary brands from California, Miami, and Australia. The store is split into two parts: the front-facing women's section offers the best of party dresses and beachwear by Alice McCall, Private Party, and Style Stalker, while the back-facing men's section carries t-shirts, shorts, shoes, and accessories by brands like Deus and Duvin. The local brand House of Nomad, by creative talents Ahmed el-Sayed and Saleh al-Banna, is also a must-see. West L.A. Boutique Sunset Mall, Jumeirah 3 Tel: + 971 4 394 4248 www.westlaboutique.com
Boutique 1 The Boutique 1 experience is somewhat akin to having a glossy magazine spring to life. On request, the store offers a personal stylist to create the perfect outfit for a special event from the boutique's sharply-focused collection of international brands ranging from Proenza Schouler, Victoria Beckham, and Peter Pilotto to Alaïa, Elie Saab, and Roksanda. The in-house makeup consultant will create the face to complement the look. Alterations are on the house. Boutique 1 The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Dubai Marina Tel: + 971 4 425 7888 www.boutique1.com Mall of the Emirates, Fashion Dome Tel: +971 4 395 1200 www.boutique1.com
Urbanist While Dubai's Box Park owes more than a passing nod to London’s Shoreditch with its edgy pop-up stores in converted shipping containers, the authentic Middle Eastern creativity of Box Park's fashion boutiques makes it unique. This is best seen at Urbanist, with Vivetta, Love Moschino, and Olympia Le Tan rubbing sleeves with local designers Latifa Al Shamsi and Aya Khair. Don't miss the “Cool Finds” section of locally-sourced designers, which includes the Karletena keychain dolls by Abu Dhabi designer Ladyaja, shell and mother-of-pearl jewelry, and furniture. Urbanist Boxpark, Al Wasl Road Tel: +971 4 348 8002 www.urbaniststore.com
The Fashion Vault The Fashion Vault is a treasure trove bursting with international and local emerging design talents for Muslim women. It offers possibly the widest range of traditional wear in Dubai, from the contemporary chic of ByLaha's minimalist abayas, to Material Girl's lavishly-embroidered interpretation, to Outré's sensuous collection in ultra soft raw linen in subtle shades of grey, white, café au lait, or pearl gray silk, all handmade in the UAE. The Doll House beauty section carries an edit of local favorite Huda Beauty for lips and nails, with US Glam Glow skincare. The Fashion Vault Ground Floor, Shop #21-22, Sunset Mall, Jumeirah 3 Tel: + 971 4 321 1111 www.thefashionvaultdubai.com
Sandals with Soul at Capritouch Italian brand Capritouch offers a beautiful, fresh range of cotton and linen sportswear for men and women in its Dubai Mall boutique. It also includes an in-store customization service to allow customers to create their own open leatherwork sandal design. The fun part is choosing a hue from the vast spectrum of aquamarine, turquoise, fuchsia, tangerine, silver, or gold leather straps, pairing it with a second or third color, or embellishing with one of the brand's jewel designs. These are then expertly-fitted to the foot on the premises by Italian mastercraftsmen, with initials or name optionally engraved onto the sole. Pro tip: moccasins for men can be produced in tressed leather in Anacapri, which takes between 15-20 days. Capritouch Ground Floor, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai Tel : +971 4 325 3313 www.capritouch.ae
Level Shoes Level Shoes (previously Level Shoe District) at the Dubai Mall is pure luxury shoe heaven. The 96,000 square foot space is the biggest shoe retail space in the world, with individual boutiques of dizzying opulence for men and women that include Prada, Cadadei, Jimmy Choo, Malone Souliers, Ralph and Russo, Isa Tapia, Giuseppe Zanotti, and more, many of whom feature designs exclusive to the UAE. Level Shoes Ground Floor, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai Tel: + 971 4 350 5333 www.levelshoes.com
The Dubai Mall No list of shopping in Dubai would be complete without mentioning The Dubai Mall itself, a mall which directly reflects the city's love of the extravagant, the amazing, and sheer, unadulterated fun. Not only are there thousands of brands ranging from Armani to Zara, the world's largest shoe shop, and incredible bespoke services, but there is also an Olympic-sized ice-skating rink, a 10 million-liter tank aquarium, and an underwater zoo. Already the world’s largest mall (over 1 million square feet in size) and next to the world’s tallest building (the Burj Khalifa), The Dubai Mall is about to get even bigger, with an expansion to its luxury quarter set to be completed in the second half of 2017. Until then, have no fear: it’s business as usual for dedicated shoppers. The Dubai Mall Downtown Dubai www.thedubaimall.com
Etoile La Boutique Owned by prominent fashion entrepreneur Ingie Chalhoub, Etoile La Boutique has received several awards including the Gulf Connoisseur award for the “Best Fashion Boutique”. The boutique offers Chalhoub's masterful mix of international luxury brands including Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, and Derek Lam, juxtaposed with rising stars. Her own brand, Ingie Paris, can also be discovered here. Etoile La Boutique's sumptuous, baroque-oriental fusion interior is designed by Jacques Garcia: the walls are covered with more than 350 gold leaves, with original fine art and plush sofas to recline on whilst taking it all in. In addition to the locations in Dubai, Etoile La Boutique also has stores in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Etoile La Boutique Mall of the Emirates Tel: + 971 4 341 4166 Wafi City Tel: + 971 4 327 9132 Galeries Lafayette, The Dubai Mall Tel: + 971 4 339 9933 The Galleria, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 2 626 6922 etoilelaboutique.com
O-Concept Store The O of O-Concept store was chosen to symbolize eternity and globalization. (That it is also the first letter of Emirati owner Omar Bin Khediya's name was “pure serendipity,” he says.) Be prepared to linger at this destination store, as the beautifully curated mix of Middle Eastern and European fashions for men and women — not to mention the jewelry, furniture, and home accessories — demand close attention. O-Concept Store also carries contemporary Saudi Arabian label Toby by Hatem Alakeel, with embroidered pastel abayas in a light linen and cotton mix from his kimono-inspired Peon collection; evening wear from Wahid Hannan's Wahid Line; and, exclusively to the UAE, Jeremy Scott. For men, don't miss celebrity favorite Tom Rebl and swimwear by Safe Milano. Recuperate with a delectable espresso or cappuccino at the integrated O-Concept Café. O-Concept Store Shop #2, Beach Hotel Apartment, Al Hudaiba Road, Jumeirah 1 Tel: + 971 4 345 5557 Website
Sneakers Paris Parisian cult sneakers store Sneakers Paris has just arrived in the UAE, the brand's first venture outside France. Sneakers Paris exclusively features the limited edition of Adidas NMD in the UAE, with Adidas Nomads available in three winning styles of gold, silver, and Bronze. The store also stocks limited editions of Nike, Puma, and New Balance for men and women. Sneakers Paris First Floor, Sunset Mall, Jumeirah 3 Tel: + 971 4 341 2900 Website
Zoo Concept The funky Zoo Concept store is located beside the original site of the Dubai Zoo. It is the perfect showcase for the region’s local talent, housing an eccentric collection of limited edition indie urban streetwear, accessories, and one-off pieces for the home. Zoo Concept Villa 142, Jumeirah Road, Jumeirah Tel: +971 55 224 1538 Website
An Emirati Manifesto at Amongst Few Less of a store, more of a manifesto: Mike Taylor and Flo Moser co-founded the Amongst Few flagship store to uphold "the traditional Emirati philosophy of simplicity and function with a strong emphasis on quality." The brand is, Taylor says, "the reflection of a city that is shaping its own identity with an authentic creative vibe at its core." They designed the store interior in concrete and steel in homage to the industrial backdrop of Taylor’s home town of Birmingham, UK, fused with ash wood and green plants in homage of Moser's Austrian origins. The Amongst Few streetwear brand sits alongside Adidas Originals, Nike, Puma, Asics, and New Balance for men and women, along with lifestyle products such as Kuumba Incense, Nocs Audio, Ray Bans, Krink Paint Pens, vinyl LPs, DVDs, and magazines. Amongst Few also collaborates with a local art gallery selling original artwork from Banksy, Damian Hirst, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Takashi Murakami. Amongst Few Palm Strip, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 1 Tel: +971 4 386 9221 www.amongstfew.com
Human & Beings Pop-Up at Box Park Minimalism is hardly the norm in Dubai, but Box Park's Human & Beings strikes a blow for pared-down chic, with linen dresses, cotton pant suits, oversize shirts, and kimono dresses from contemporary labels wittily suspended from a shipping rope rail on cardboard hangers. Simple leather sandals and rope-soled espadrilles beautifully accessorize the selection. Must-haves include the Buwood wooden handbags handmade in Italy in walnut with camel leather trim and interiors lined in premium nappa leather. Human & Beings Box Park, Al Wasl Road Tel: +971 50 918 3330
City Walk Located between Downtown Dubai and Jumeirah Beach, the new City Walk mall's contemporary architecture blends seamlessly with its European-style street layout. Most boutiques open both into the mall and out onto the inner courtyard to allow for a stroll in the open air, where shoppers can take in the graffiti street art exhibition currently underway. City Walk includes a selection of fashion and beauty outlets, as well as dining options for the whole family. Also one to check out: the beautiful new multi-story Level Kids, a whimsical sister store to Level Shoes that offers designer children’s clothing and gifts. City Walk Al Wasl and Al Safa road junction, Jumeirah Tel: +971 4 317 3999 www.citywalk.ae
Mall of the Emirates There's always a buzz at the Mall of the Emirates, home to the Middle East’s first Apple Store, the indoor ski slope Ski Dubai, the Magic Planet Entertainment Centre for kids, and a slate of luxury and high street brands. This month also sees the inauguration of British designer Paul Smith's new store and Alessandro Michele's Gucci Garden installation at the Gucci boutique. Ralph Lauren Kids is also hosting a special photo shoot with the Polo Bear. Mall of the Emirates Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road Tel: +971 4 409 9000 www.malloftheemirates.com
