What makes a fashion pop-up a success in the UAE?
In recent weeks, regional social media algorithms have been awash with images of New York brand The Frankie Shop's two-week installation in Abu Dhabi, while, over in Dubai, British designer Victoria Beckham put the star power into promotion for her exclusive capsule collection created for online retailer Ounass.
For the uninitiated, pop-ups are temporary installations leveraged by brands (who often don't have a permanent store in the region) to showcase their products, get customers posting on social media, and build brand awareness. Contemporary fashion label The Frankie Shop created a custom space in the capital's Mina Zayed Port, while Victoria Beckham took over Ounass Maison in Dubai's Mandarin Oriental hotel. Pop-ups can serve as a testing ground before a brand invests in its own store, or simply drive customer acquisition through email sign-ups and app downloads. The best pop-ups dial up brand awareness from vaguely-on-my-radar to drank-all-the-Kool-Aid.
Over recent years, Dior has taken over luxury beach restaurant Nammos at Dubai's Four Seasons, Kim Kardashian's Skims held a Valentine's themed pop-up complete with prize-dispensing claw machine in Alserkal Avenue (the queues were wild), and Jordanian footwear designer Amina Muaddi took a stance against scruffy sandals by installing a temporary paean to high-heels right in the middle of flip-flop central, Dubai's Kite Beach.
The man behind many a fashion pop-up is Lebanese entrepreneur and founder of The Haute Agency, brand strategist Wael Al Fatayri. 'Pop-ups work really well in the UAE because people here are driven by novelty and exclusivity. They want the drama,' he says, 'the goal is to get people to talk, to build a buzz. You have to give people a reason to show up and share'.
The most successful pop-ups will incorporate an exclusive collection of styles not available anywhere else, be playful or photogenic (ideally both) and, Wael cautions, don't forget the food and beverages. 'Feed your customers, they drive long distances,' he advises, adding that innovative culinary elements, such as a unique ice cream flavour, add a wholesome sprinkling of sweetness to what is essentially a giant sales pitch. Guests want to feel special and taken care of. Besides being fed, this means making customers feel seen within the wider brand narrative. The Frankie Shop installation, which wrapped earlier this month and was held in collaboration with The Abu Dhabi Investment Office, served a masterclass in local integration by working with regional artists and stylists. 'They respected the Abu Dhabi vibe, not just copying what has been done in New York,' observes Wael, 'when people feel like the brand cares about them it really translates.' The Frankie Shop, known for oversized suiting and a minimalist aesthetic, honoured its hosts with an exclusive Abu Dhabi collection, amplifying the collaboration to a global audience and placing Abu Dhabi on the pulse of one of the world's coolest brands. 'They took The Frankie Shop signature look and localised it, it felt like it belonged where it was,' says Wael. And yes, there was a café, serving collagen lattes to be sipped and snapped while wearing an LED face mask.
Meanwhile, Beckham's capsule of designs for Ounass is 'created with the Dubai woman in mind', according to the online luxury retailer. Showcased by a bevy of the region's most glamorous influencers, the styles are selling out fast online and in the Ounass Maison pop-up, as social storytelling trickles down to serious spending. With her visit supported by Dubai Tourism, the potential power of the pop-up goes far beyond selling a few dresses; it's about cementing the UAE as a central stop on the global fashion circuit, a draw for the world's most chic. Top of the Pops.
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