Downtown Design Dubai offers design 360 °, this is the third edition, could you explain how the approach of the exhibitors has changed through the years?
From the first edition to the upcoming third edition of Downtown Design, you can see a marked growth in both our scope and ambition for the fair. This year, we have over 90 exhibitors from 25 countries across 15 different product categories. The geographical diversity, the mix of established and emerging regional and international brands is very visible this year, and with the increased capacity we have seen an expansion in both the size of the booths that exhibitors have taken, and in the sophistication of their concepts. Over the last three years, exhibiting brands have better understood how investment in their stand, promoting products suited to or developed for this market and a commitment to the marketing process creates impactful results. Of course, we support our exhibitors along the way, providing consultation on design, marketing, PR, operations and business networking to ensure they have a successful fair.
Downtown Design has moved this year to D3 – Dubai Design District, what are the trends that you have in common?
D3 are our sponsors, partners and host for the venue this year. It’s a strategic, symbiotic alliance rooted in common goals – to establish Dubai as a global capital of design, to nurture our own creative industries and to provide a platform for international design brands to do business in the region. We are part of Dubai’s burgeoning design community.
The design is often compared to the luxury market, what do you think about this statement?
Dubai has an affinity with all things luxury, but even in luxury there is diversity. As the tastes of regional consumers evolve, the luxury offering will mature and segment to meet changing demand. Design is a response to our environment, our lifestyles and the challenges presented by them.
What characterizes and differentiate Downtown Design from other events proposed in Middle East?
Downtown Design is the only event in the Middle East that presents a ‘curated’ show of brands, concepts and products. With demand outstripping the supply of space this year, it was even more crucial for us to carefully review each application to exhibit, to ensure that we showcase ‘best in class’ brands to satisfy the region’s discerning buyers. Despite doubling our footprint, we are still a boutique fair, and this allows us to liaise personally with each exhibitor, to discuss the design of their stand, the products they intend to bring, and to support each with marketing and public relations through our dedicated international and local PR agencies, our online marketing and extensive social media and direct marketing campaigns.
Since the first edition, Downtown Design has been a business to business platform for regional and international brands to connect with key buyers in the regional market. As one of the Middle East’s only fixtures in the design calendar where the industry can get together under one roof, and as the pace of development in the region continues to grow, the event is becoming instrumental in facilitating the growth of our industry.
