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ELLE travels Dubai
Dubbed the "City of Gold," oil-rich Dubai is a world-class shopping mecca with a distinctive Arabic twist.
By Heather Greenwood Davis
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The Burj Al Arab, Dubai
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Where
This affluent United Arab Emirates city is a safe haven in the Middle East, enjoying good relations with its neighbours. With guaranteed sunshine, white, sandy beaches, international hotels and friendly locals, Dubai is a popular hot spot with Europeans.
Your guide
Canadian soprano Michelle Todd has performed at Ontario's Shaw Festival and Stage West. She represented Canada twice at the Cantai Festival in Taiwan with Ensemble Resonance before moving to Dubai six years ago.
The vibe
With its mix of nationalities and religions, "Dubai is a very cosmopolitan place," says Todd. "Out of one million people, only about 18 percent are truly local." Tolerance is the mantra here: disrespect of a person's gender, religion, race or nationality is viewed as a hate crime. Dubai, an international business centre, is the most lenient city in the Middle East. While some local women choose to wear traditional long robes called abayas (often with Chanel underneath), many do not. Expats and visitors are allowed to dress any way they like, although covering up bare skin is mandatory in mosques.
Big picture
"Dubai is really struggling with its identity," Todd says. "On the one hand, it's very modern; on the other hand, it desperately wants to hold on to its Arabic way of life." The result is nothing short of phenomenal, as the modern competes with the historic at every turn. The desert is minutes away from the high-tech downtown core, women in abayas shop alongside Gucci-clad fashionistas, and New World fusion cuisine is just as accessible as the traditional chicken shawarma and tabbouleh. Dubai is a city where the impossible is possible. If you can dream it, chances are it's already under construction there, like the world's tallest building or man-made islands in the shape of a palm tree. "The beauty of the architecture is highlighted by the art that is just as likely to be found on a street corner as in a museum," Todd adds.
What to bring
"You'll need lots of energy and an empty suitcase," says Todd with a laugh. By the turn of the last century, when the city was a trading hub, Dubai reportedly had the largest souks (markets) on the Persian Gulf coast, and today the city's low import duties and sales tax make it a shopaholic's dream destination.
Shopping
"Women here are incredibly stylish," says Todd. "Under their abayas, they're dressed to the nines." Every February, Dubai holds a shopping festival, where sales often mean up to 80 percent off. The recently opened Mall of the Emirates -- reputedly the world's largest shopping mall -- has more than 900,000 square metres of shopping space and even an indoor ski slope should you want a breather from bargain-hunting. Nayomi, the Arabic equivalent of La Senza, is the spot for sensual lingerie, and the Wafi Mall, with Jashanmals and Salam Stores, is the place for local designers. "Other good places are Sauce (for Betsey Johnson) in The Village on Jumeirah Beach Road, the BurJuman Centre (for Louis Vuitton and Chanel) and Fleurt (for pretty, pricey things) and Michie (for funky stuff by Fuego, MKL and Celo), both at The Mercato mall," says Todd. Once you've spent big bucks on the originals, pick up some fabric at Satwa Souk and take it to Dream Girl Tailors in Bur Dubai for tailor-made fashions. "There are 20 to 30 tailors there," explains Todd. "You can have anything you want made overnight. Walk in with a picture of the item you want, and it will be ready and waiting for you the next morning."
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