Mall Rats
Size matters in Dubai. The Emirati hotspot is swelling at a blistering pace, with burdgeoning towers and colossal development projects sprouting seemingly everywhere, all in a bid to impress and become a darling of the jet-set crowd.
Shopping, a favourite Dubaian past time, is no different. Forget the quaint streets and the quirky shops (one exception). It’s all about malls and the oh-so familiar high street shops that dwell there.
Although I’m not a big fan, the ones I saw had just enough spice to make it worth checking out.
Top-class office building, luxury hotel, glitzy shops. Nothing more to say.
This Italian-themed shopping haven counts Hugo Boss, Diesel, Topshop, Bershka and Mango in its retail lineup.
A large, picturesque Arabian marketplace filled with intriguing arts and craft stores.
This King Kong of malls boasts all the desirable names in luxury including UK-retailer Harvey Nichols, and sports an imposing indoor ski facility.
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Coolest shop in Dubai
Amid the area’s obsession with massive retail centres (due mostly to the desert heat), the concept store Five Green seems to be the lone beacon for things independent. It carries T-shirts from Yoko Devereaux, 2K by Gingham, Paul Frank, and e.vil. (via Timeout Dubai)
Photos courtesy of Emirates Towers, Wikipedia, Qualitagious, Mall of Emirates and Five Green.
Addresses
Why bother, since transportation in the UAE is all about driving or riding cabs.
