fashion conference at shangri la hotel

i've received an email invitation (in december) to an open round table discussion related to fashion that took place at the shangri la hotel on sheikh zayed road.



it was quite informative actually as topics revolved around:
- how the dubai market is changing in terms of fashion - "today's market is saturated with mono-brands" - engi shalhoub (CEO and managing director, etoile group);
- sustaining new fashion brands - "it's great to have style and to have a good collection, but how is one going to sustain it? it is therefore important to have a business plan" - zayan ghandour (co-owner of sauce boutique). "a designer can open his/her own store but it depends on his/her brand's performance and sustainability (mono-brand)" - shireen el khatib (GM of the fashion and jewellery division, al tayer group);
- the dubai international fashion week (DIFW) that should take place in march 2007 (how there would be a focus on new brands and local young talents, not only international designers, and how the new brands should not only be strong on the creative side but also commercially successful);
- some random quotes: "you can't buy taste"; "dubai doesn't need investors, investors need dubai".