Investment opportunities abound at Dubai's Downtown Design

Professionals, enthusiasts, students, the media and brands are gearing up for Dubai Design Week - not least its commercial centrepiece Downtown Design.

Downtown Design is the only platform in the Middle Eastern region for professionals and design experts to discover original, high quality design from all over the world and 2015's outing - which takes place from October 27th-30th - will not disappoint.

This will be the third incarnation of the event, which will be twice the size of last time, being hosted for the first time in a purpose-built venue spanning 6,000 m sq in the Dubai Design District that will represent 90 brands from international heavyweights of design to some of the outstanding startups to emerge from all over the world.

Fair Director Rue Kothari said: "Downtown Design is increasingly becoming a focal point in the design calendar that attracts active professionals from around the world. With the pace of development in the region, and so many brands looking to enter the market, we provide a crucial platform to meet key players in the industry and grow their business."

Curated from a long list of applicants, the exhibiting brands have been carefully reviewed to ensure a mix of brands covering a wide breadth of product categories – from lighting and furniture to kitchens and bathrooms –70 per cent of which will appear for the first time as exhibitors, with many never before seen in the region.

Among the 13 returnng exhibitors are Canada's Vin de Garde, which designs climate-controlled cellar environments, Dubai’s Nakkash Gallery, and Bohemian lighting brand Lasvit from the Czech Republic.

Leon Jakimic, Lasvit President, said: "We debuted at Downtown Design last year and were very impressed, not only with the turnout of key decision-makers from the industry, but also of high net worth consumers who have visited our stand."

New exhibitors include premium Italian bathroom company Antonio Lupi, Denmark’s premier silver brand Georg Jensen, and Hacker Kitchens and Rolf-Benz UAE. Hacker Kitchens and Rolf-Benz is celebrating five years in the UAE in 2015 and a 30 per cent year on year growth, therefore the organisation's participation in the fair is yet another opportunity to grow market share in an exciting market.

Samir Ranavaya, Managing Director of Hacker Kitchens and Rolf-Benz UAE, stated: “Exhibiting at Downtown Design is a real milestone in our development and we see the event as a platform to help to grow our business in the UAE and the region.

"We’ve made a real contribution to the rapidly expanding UAE interiors market and we feel confident that the market will continue to grow. Consumers in the UAE are not afraid to take chances with their homes, they are brave and adventurous when it comes to interiors. When you add in the fact that many properties here are larger than those in Europe, it makes for some very exciting kitchen creations."

Organisers of Downtown Design view this convergence of the design industry on the city as an opportunity to meet key industry players and foster new relationships. As a dynamic business platform, Downtown Design is encouraging a greater number of the region’s buyers to engage with exhibitors via the first Buyers Programme. Working with the latest in VIP matching software, Downtown Design’s dedicated Buyer Team is able to facilitate a smooth and productive experience, with wide array of benefits including access to closed events, talks and a Buyers Lounge.

This October, Dubai will be the only place to be for industry and design enthusiasts. 

"I believe that the growth of Downtown Design along with projects like the Dubai Design District, and the launch of Dubai Design Week, with all the incredible brands, designers and concepts that will debut here in the last week of October, will help further our goal – to establish Dubai as a global hub for design,” says Kothari remarked.