Race to the top: Dubai’s fashion fervour

With its international profile as a leading tourist and shopping destination, as well as being a preferred base for many companies due to its business environment and strategic geographic location, Dubai has garnered a reputation as a trend-setter.

But how well is it doing in the industry which cares the most about setting trends: fashion?

According to the 11th annual survey of the Top Global Fashion Capitals lists, published in September by the Global Language Monitor, it’s doing pretty well.

Dubai’s ranking on the 2015 index is 17th, which, despite being some way of the ‘big four’ of Paris, New York, London and Los Angeles, represents a big jump from its 2014 position of 31st. Perhaps unsurprising given the emirate’s track record in making rapid and impressive developments.

The race to the top officially began in 2013 when His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued a decree to start turning a vision of the emirate as a regional and global destination for design and fashion into reality.

Not an easy task, but an important one knowing that fashion has become increasingly intertwined with a city’s status, triggering global competition among the most economically powerful centres.

Original article by Tamara Pupic

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Race to the top: Dubai’s fashion fervour