The Nakheel Mall on the Palm Jumeriah in Dubai has opened and features more than 300 shops, restaurants, entertainment options, and services. Among those include a MODO Department Store, Fabyland, Waitrose Supermarket, Dubai London Clinic, Fitness First, and a 60,000 square foot, 15 screen Vox Cinemas complex. The mall offers 1.1 million square feet of leasable area with two fountains and two waterfalls plunging 65 feet into the mall. A 25 meter (82 foot) high crystal dome serves as the centerpiece of the complex and is also the location of the Palm Jumeriah Monorail Station and mall visitors get free rides for three months after the mall opens. Nakheel Mall is also the access point for The View at the Palm, which is the public observation deck at the top of the Palm Tower at a height of 230 meters or 755 feet above the island and the observatory will open in 2020. The mall will also have 4,000 parking spaces and offer direct pedestrian access to Marina Residences and Al Ittihad Park. It has the potential to become a great mall and could possibly rival the Dubai Mall and the Mall of the Emirates. It should become a major destination for both locals and tourists.
https://gulfbusiness.com/in-pictures-ne ... -jumeirah/

Yet another soulless place in a soulless city?

L410Turbolet wrote:

Yet another soulless place in a soulless city?

The Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates are both highly popular for shoppers and visitors. So, I see the Nakheel Mall being a popular attraction and shopping mall. The Dubai Mall also serves as the entrance for the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa.

L410Turbolet wrote:

Yet another soulless place in a soulless city?

Yes, I was just there and I dont get it?? Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

santi319 wrote:

L410Turbolet wrote:

Yet another soulless place in a soulless city?

Yes, I was just there and I dont get it?? Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

It is legal for non Muslims 21 or older to drink in Dubai, but illegal in public and only allowed in bars, restaurnats, and people's own homes.

ArchGuy1 wrote:

santi319 wrote:

L410Turbolet wrote:

Yet another soulless place in a soulless city?

Yes, I was just there and I dont get it?? Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

It is legal for non Muslims 21 or older to drink in Dubai, but illegal in public and only allowed in bars, restaurnats, and people's own homes.

So when are you going? We need a first hand report...

santi319 wrote:

Yes, I was just there and I dont get it?? Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

Sour grapes that Muslim countries can build a successful city.

I get that the liberals hate this place because they aren’t “woke” enough and do not accept the western obsession with drinking and the extreme LGBTQ agenda that’s being forced down every ones throat in the US.

It’s Phoenix, AZ without the charm of Phoenix. I’ve been there more than I care to think about, but it’s a Disneyland for tourists, but shopping there is outrageously expensive as an American, probably a bargain for a European.

GF

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

It’s Phoenix, AZ without the charm of Phoenix. I’ve been there more than I care to think about, but it’s a Disneyland for tourists, but shopping there is outrageously expensive as an American, probably a bargain for a European.

GF

Would you visit the Nakheel Mall at the Palm Jumeriah.

ArchGuy1 wrote:

L410Turbolet wrote:

Yet another soulless place in a soulless city?

The Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates are both highly popular for shoppers and visitors. So, I see the Nakheel Mall being a popular attraction and shopping mall. The Dubai Mall also serves as the entrance for the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa.

When I went there we didn’t even bother. Those places are popular with vapids and basics. The beaches away from the popular end of Jumeirah are easy to find parking at and are basically deserted on weekdays - it was much more chill than hanging out in a mall.

Aaron747 wrote:

ArchGuy1 wrote:

L410Turbolet wrote:

Yet another soulless place in a soulless city?

The Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates are both highly popular for shoppers and visitors. So, I see the Nakheel Mall being a popular attraction and shopping mall. The Dubai Mall also serves as the entrance for the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa.

When I went there we didn’t even bother. Those places are popular with vapids and basics. The beaches away from the popular end of Jumeirah are easy to find parking at and are basically deserted on weekdays - it was much more chill than hanging out in a mall.

What mall did you visit in Dubai.

sonicruiser wrote:

santi319 wrote:

Yes, I was just there and I dont get it?? Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

Sour grapes that Muslim countries can build a successful city.

I get that the liberals hate this place because they aren’t “woke” enough and do not accept the western obsession with drinking and the extreme LGBTQ agenda that’s being forced down every ones throat in the US.

Example of what you can expect there see reply above....

A little place called Sunset Mall in Jumeirah 3, just to pick up lunch items for the beach. The Burjuman mall was near our hotel but was at least 50% unoccupied so it was a quiet walk at night. And I have no idea which mall it was but we stopped into Carrefour as well near the port.

Aaron747 wrote:

A little place called Sunset Mall in Jumeirah 3, just to pick up lunch items for the beach. The Burjuman mall was near our hotel but was at least 50% unoccupied so it was a quiet walk at night. And I have no idea which mall it was but we stopped into Carrefour as well near the port.

What are the malls you visited like compared to the Dubai Mall and the Mall of the Emirates, along with the newly opened Nakheel Mall.

None - my fiancee would never set foot in anything so basic. She prefers to patronize mom and pop shops. We were there to see friends and enjoy the warm waters of the Gulf, not for malls.

ArchGuy1 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

It’s Phoenix, AZ without the charm of Phoenix. I’ve been there more than I care to think about, but it’s a Disneyland for tourists, but shopping there is outrageously expensive as an American, probably a bargain for a European.

GF

Would you visit the Nakheel Mall at the Palm Jumeriah.

Yeah, I suppose. Having seen Ibn Battuta, Mall of the Emirates and the Dubai Mall, I’m not sure what it would offer. Spend a few weeks on “standby” there in the summer when the temps exceed 45c, the mall is a pleasant hang out.

GF

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

ArchGuy1 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

It’s Phoenix, AZ without the charm of Phoenix. I’ve been there more than I care to think about, but it’s a Disneyland for tourists, but shopping there is outrageously expensive as an American, probably a bargain for a European.

GF

Would you visit the Nakheel Mall at the Palm Jumeriah.

Yeah, I suppose. Having seen Ibn Battuta, Mall of the Emirates and the Dubai Mall, I’m not sure what it would offer. Spend a few weeks on “standby” there in the summer when the temps exceed 45c, the mall is a pleasant hang out.

GF

The source I provided with the original post has some information worth reading and for you to make an opinion.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

It’s Phoenix, AZ without the charm of Phoenix. I’ve been there more than I care to think about, but it’s a Disneyland for tourists, but shopping there is outrageously expensive as an American, probably a bargain for a European.

GF

Outrageously expensive by my Scandinavian standards as well.

sonicruiser wrote:

santi319 wrote:

Yes, I was just there and I dont get it?? Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

Sour grapes that Muslim countries can build a successful city.

I get that the liberals hate this place because they aren’t “woke” enough and do not accept the western obsession with drinking and the extreme LGBTQ agenda that’s being forced down every ones throat in the US.

But look how they built it with indentured labour from poor muslim countries, with Indians overseeing them and expat Europeans and Americans designing and planning the place. The locals only provided the money.

In the UAE, you have to find culture to enjoy it. I visited the mosque instead of the mall on a layover in Abu Dhabi and loved every minute of the visit.

sonicruiser wrote:

Sour grapes that Muslim countries can build a successful city.

What does "muslim" have to do with any of it? How do you define "successful"?
I was merely commenting on the fact that Dubai (And Abu Dhabi) seems [to me] like a inhumane clusterf*ck of concrete boxes, without any soul, character or genius loci.
They deserve credit though for being able to convince people to spend their vacation there and that shopping in the same stores they have at home is the thing to do. In many cases come back repeatedly. THAT is truly impressive.

sonicruiser wrote:

I get that the liberals hate this place because they aren’t “woke” enough and do not accept the western obsession with drinking and the extreme LGBTQ agenda that’s being forced down every ones throat in the US.

Irrelevant. See above.

santi319 wrote:

Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

If you can't get a drink in Dubai, then you really haven't tried very hard.

Dubai is Las Vegas, but without the charm, authenticity and gambling. And, let's be honest, Vegas has neither of the former two either. Dubai (or, rather Do Buy), is a soulless temple to insane and planet wrecking consumption, with absolutely no redeeming qualities. That they built another idiotic mall in a place already overflowing with expensive malls selling the same overpriced junk, hardly comes as a surprise.

The best thing about Dubai is passing V1 with all donkeys still turning and burning. It could vanish into the ocean tomorrow, and the world would be a better place for it.

Yeah, I've lived there as you might infer, and hated every aspect of it.

PS
At any given point in time there are no less than 25.000 prostitutes in Dubai, all trafficked.

sonicruiser wrote:

I get that the liberals hate this place because they aren’t “woke” enough and do not accept the western obsession with drinking and the extreme LGBTQ agenda that’s being forced down every ones throat in the US.

Ah bless, things must be tough for you dear.

scbriml wrote:

santi319 wrote:

Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

If you can't get a drink in Dubai, then you really haven't tried very hard.

In Vegas drinking is not only restricted to hotels or the irish village... I mean, thats the thing with DXB everything is an illusion and when you call them on it they get mad... at least admit it..

I hate shopping, Christmas has been much nicer for me since I can buy everything online and avoid malls entirely. I get that they have a use, however "spending time at the mall" has never been much a thing in my family, the idea of shopping, eating, going to the cinema, etc., all in one day, I've never done it. I might go to one or two shops, use the cinema separately if convenient, and go to one of the restaurants at another time.

It seems that in developing countries malls are a must have to show the world and the local population that you have evolved, I wonder how long that will last. A few years ago I was in Casablanca for work and my local colleagues showed me around one evening, the old city, the Hassan II Mosque (built by our company), the corniche, then their biggest pride, the mall ! Full of French shops, to boot. I was underwhelmed to say the least, but it was educational.

sonicruiser wrote:

santi319 wrote:

Yes, I was just there and I dont get it?? Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

Sour grapes that Muslim countries can build a successful city.

I get that the liberals hate this place because they aren’t “woke” enough and do not accept the western obsession with drinking and the extreme LGBTQ agenda that’s being forced down every ones throat in the US.

One major reason Dubai is successful is because it is much closer to our way of life than in places like Saudi Arabia or Iran, so your argument falls on its face.

Now, when you have the real deal at home, there is no point in going there for that reason, obviously, and you only notice the restrictions, not the freedoms.

So much of Dubai is just Western business and IP moved to a city that regulates less than at “home”. EK is an airline DL, BA, KLM would love to be we’re it not for unions, regulators and politics.

Kiwirob wrote:

sonicruiser wrote:

santi319 wrote:

Yes, I was just there and I dont get it?? Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

Sour grapes that Muslim countries can build a successful city.

I get that the liberals hate this place because they aren’t “woke” enough and do not accept the western obsession with drinking and the extreme LGBTQ agenda that’s being forced down every ones throat in the US.

But look how they built it with indentured labour from poor muslim countries, with Indians overseeing them and expat Europeans and Americans designing and planning the place. The locals only provided the money.

I thought that the Indians were used for slave labor as well

stl07 wrote:

Kiwirob wrote:

sonicruiser wrote:

Sour grapes that Muslim countries can build a successful city.

I get that the liberals hate this place because they aren’t “woke” enough and do not accept the western obsession with drinking and the extreme LGBTQ agenda that’s being forced down every ones throat in the US.

But look how they built it with indentured labour from poor muslim countries, with Indians overseeing them and expat Europeans and Americans designing and planning the place. The locals only provided the money.

I thought that the Indians were used for slave labor as well

Not in many cases - they are ‘middle management’ so to speak. Someone needs to do the actual operational planning and day to day because generally speaking the locals certainly aren’t going to do complex work. I remember being surprised by the border control agent at DXB doing my passport check while she was on a private phone call at 0130. At first I thought she was nuts and talking to herself and then saw a bluetooth earpiece under her head cover.

Aaron747 wrote:

stl07 wrote:

Kiwirob wrote:

But look how they built it with indentured labour from poor muslim countries, with Indians overseeing them and expat Europeans and Americans designing and planning the place. The locals only provided the money.

I thought that the Indians were used for slave labor as well

Not in many cases - they are ‘middle management’ so to speak. Someone needs to do the actual operational planning and day to day because generally speaking the locals certainly aren’t going to do complex work. I remember being surprised by the border control agent at DXB doing my passport check while she was on a private phone call at 0130. At first I thought she was nuts and talking to herself and then saw a bluetooth earpiece under her head cover.

Interesting, I think I must have been thinking about the labor in Qatar actually.

stl07 wrote:

Aaron747 wrote:

stl07 wrote:

I thought that the Indians were used for slave labor as well

Not in many cases - they are ‘middle management’ so to speak. Someone needs to do the actual operational planning and day to day because generally speaking the locals certainly aren’t going to do complex work. I remember being surprised by the border control agent at DXB doing my passport check while she was on a private phone call at 0130. At first I thought she was nuts and talking to herself and then saw a bluetooth earpiece under her head cover.

Interesting, I think I must have been thinking about the labor in Qatar actually.

Perhaps so...though many in DXB may still be Indians of lower social class, a lot of laborers and taxi drivers I encountered were either Pakistani or Bangladeshi.

Aaron747 wrote:

stl07 wrote:

Aaron747 wrote:

Not in many cases - they are ‘middle management’ so to speak. Someone needs to do the actual operational planning and day to day because generally speaking the locals certainly aren’t going to do complex work. I remember being surprised by the border control agent at DXB doing my passport check while she was on a private phone call at 0130. At first I thought she was nuts and talking to herself and then saw a bluetooth earpiece under her head cover.

Interesting, I think I must have been thinking about the labor in Qatar actually.

Perhaps so...though many in DXB may still be Indians of lower social class, a lot of laborers and taxi drivers I encountered were either Pakistani or Bangladeshi.

Yea that was how it was in Abu Dhabi too. I was thinking about Doha and falsley assumed the UAE was the same.

Aesma wrote:

One major reason Dubai is successful is because it is much closer to our way of life than in places like Saudi Arabia or Iran, so your argument falls on its face.

Dubai is fairly conservative and socially not that that different from Iran, however both Dubai and Iran are much more liberal than Saudi Arabia. Places like Turkey and Beirut are a lot more liberal than the UAE. Dubai is definitely closer to Iran's way of life than either the West or Saudi Arabia from a cultural perspective, which really isn't that surprising considering Iran is right across the water from Dubai. I will say that from an economic perspective though, Dubai is definitely and by far the most liberal in the Middle East and it is the economic, not the cultural aspect of Dubai that is similar to the west. Given that the UAE's economy is easily the best in the Gulf for investment, the skyscrapers lining Dubai definitely create an image of a liberal city, but the skyline and megaprojects are a result of significant economic, not social liberalization. I'm the last person to defend Dubai since it is run by A grade hypocrites, however they are very adept and skilled people who know what they are doing and do it well. Dubai didn't become the preeminent Middle East, North African, and South Asian financial hub among the ranks of Singapore and Hong Kong with the third busiest airport in the world by accident.

sonicruiser wrote:

Aesma wrote:

One major reason Dubai is successful is because it is much closer to our way of life than in places like Saudi Arabia or Iran, so your argument falls on its face.

Dubai is fairly conservative and socially not that that different from Iran, however both Dubai and Iran are much more liberal than Saudi Arabia. Places like Turkey and Beirut are a lot more liberal than the UAE. Dubai is definitely closer to Iran's way of life than either the West or Saudi Arabia from a cultural perspective, which really isn't that surprising considering Iran is right across the water from Dubai. I will say that from an economic perspective though, Dubai is definitely and by far the most liberal in the Middle East and it is the economic, not the cultural aspect of Dubai that is similar to the west. Given that the UAE's economy is easily the best in the Gulf for investment, the skyscrapers lining Dubai definitely create an image of a liberal city, but the skyline and megaprojects are a result of significant economic, not social liberalization. I'm the last person to defend Dubai since it is run by A grade hypocrites, however they are very adept and skilled people who know what they are doing and do it well. Dubai didn't become the preeminent Middle East, North African, and South Asian financial hub among the ranks of Singapore and Hong Kong with the third busiest airport in the world by accident.

The laws in Dubai are more liberal than Iran, for example women are not required to wear headscarves or an abaya.

santi319 wrote:

scbriml wrote:

santi319 wrote:

Its like Vegas on steroids but you cant drink..

If you can't get a drink in Dubai, then you really haven't tried very hard.

In Vegas drinking is not only restricted to hotels or the irish village... I mean, thats the thing with DXB everything is an illusion and when you call them on it they get mad... at least admit it..

Well, you just said "you can't drink" when clearly there are plenty of places to drink (and not just hotels).

Who "gets mad?"

ArchGuy1 wrote:

The laws in Dubai are more liberal than Iran, for example women are not required to wear headscarves or an abaya.

As far as the headscarf goes, the police generally won't give you a hard time about it unless you go out of your way to try to provoke them. But provoking the police would get you in trouble anywhere.

Dubai on surface value is more liberal but Iran is more liberal under the surface.

It is almost unheard of in Iran to be jailed for being in debt or for swearing on social media. Both of those things can and have landed people behind bars in Dubai. Laws change arbitrarily every day in Dubai with almost no notice like a deck of cards. Iran is a lot more consistent and laws generally don't change barring some drastic tectonic shift.

The reason for that is that the UAE is an absolute monarchy with power in the hands of a single person who changes laws whenever they want. You would never believe it based on what the west would have you believe, but Iran has a parliamentary assembly that has to approve any changes to its laws. Yes, Iran has a supreme leader, but it is exceptionally rare for him to intervene on domestic affairs without consulting parliament and his advisors first. In the UAE, laws are changed solely by His Highness with no regard to what anyone else thinks. To be completely honest, if I was going to decide whether to live in Dubai or Iran on the basis of local laws, I'd rather live in Iran.

All this said, Dubai and Iran are both a lot more liberal than somewhere like Saudi Arabia which is the worst of the worst.

sonicruiser wrote:

ArchGuy1 wrote:

The laws in Dubai are more liberal than Iran, for example women are not required to wear headscarves or an abaya.

Dubai on surface value is more liberal but Iran is more liberal under the surface.

It is almost unheard of in Iran to be jailed for being in debt or for swearing on social media. Both of those things can and have landed people behind bars in Dubai. Laws change arbitrarily every day in Dubai with almost no notice like a deck of cards. Iran is a lot more consistent and laws generally don't change barring some drastic tectonic shift.

The reason for that is that the UAE is an absolute monarchy with power in the hands of a single person who changes laws whenever they want. You would never believe it based on what the west would have you believe, but Iran has a parliamentary assembly that has to approve any changes to its laws. Yes, Iran has a supreme leader, but it is exceptionally rare for him to intervene on domestic affairs without consulting parliament and his advisors first. In the UAE, laws are changed solely by His Highness with no regard to what anyone else thinks. To be completely honest, if I was going to decide whether to live in Dubai or Iran on the basis of local laws, I'd rather live in Iran.

All this said, Dubai and Iran are both a lot more liberal than somewhere like Saudi Arabia which is the worst of the worst.

How liberal are Egypt and Jordan compared to the UAE.

1. Jordan
2. UAE
3. Egypt

sonicruiser wrote:

1. Jordan
2. UAE
3. Egypt

Very accurate. Jordan is quite adept at keeping its less agreeable elements and fundamentalists far from areas dependent on tourism, of which there are several.

After reading the comments, I feel that the Nakheel Mall will be a successful tourist attraction due to it's design and the amenities including two waterfalls inside. Visitor traffic will increase after The View at the Palm opens next year.

VSMUT wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

It’s Phoenix, AZ without the charm of Phoenix. I’ve been there more than I care to think about, but it’s a Disneyland for tourists, but shopping there is outrageously expensive as an American, probably a bargain for a European.

GF

Outrageously expensive by my Scandinavian standards as well.

Shopping in Dubai is not targeted to Europeans or other "wealthy" Arabs (like Saudis; in Saudi there is a mall in every corner with all the major Western brands) but for wrecked countries where you don't have Zara, H&M, GAP, Western icons like Starbucks or luxury boutiques. So that it is:

- Iran
- Iraq
- Pakistan
- Afghanistan
- Western African countries like Somalia
- Central Asia -stans (except Kazakhstan that already has most of those brands and Western malls)
- India to some extent, as the country has already Western-class malls and Indians can also reach Bangkok, Hong Kong or Singapore easily.

Upper classes in those sh_th_ls can fly from their country non-stop to DXB (hello FlyDubai and Emirates) in only 2 or 3 hours and they have all the major global brands.

SCQ83 wrote:

Shopping in Dubai is not targeted to Europeans or other "wealthy" Arabs (like Saudis; in Saudi there is a mall in every corner with all the major Western brands) but for wrecked countries where you don't have Zara, H&M, GAP, Western icons like Starbucks or luxury boutiques. So that it is:

- Iran
- Iraq
- Pakistan
- Afghanistan
- Western African countries like Somalia
- Central Asia -stans (except Kazakhstan that already has most of those brands and Western malls)
- India to some extent, as the country has already Western-class malls and Indians can also reach Bangkok, Hong Kong or Singapore easily.

Ironically it is actually exactly the opposite of what you said. Dubai is definitely targeted more toward other Arabs like Saudis, Qataris, and Kuwaitis. It is rarely true for Pakistan or Iran in particular. I am quite familiar with these two countries. There are plenty of Pakistanis and Iranians that visit Dubai but it's rarely for shopping because there is no shortage of shopping on the higher end of the spectrum within those countries. Western brands are not ubiquitous in the region but Iranian and Pakistani design houses have always been way more popular for people from those countries and have been for decades now. The quality of fabric in Iran and Pakistan is significantly better than anything you can find in Dubai for an equivalent price and any Pakistani or Iranian worth their salt will tell you in no uncertain terms that you are the biggest fool if you pay the Dubai markup on something that is the same quality and a better price in Iran or Pakistan. Since most of us know this, I can assure you that few Pakistanis or Iranians would prefer to shop for western brands vs homegrown brands in their own countries since they're probably transiting through to Pakistan or Iran anyway where they plan on doing the majority of their clothes shopping. I am speaking from firsthand experience on this.

I am Pakistani and haven't bought any clothes from Dubai. However, I have bought many clothes from Iran in particular, their design houses are actually quite impressive and I would argue are actually as good or better than anything I have seen in Dubai. No idea how it became so good but it probably has something to do with their incredible film industry. A lot of the best designs can be seen at the Fajr Film Festival in February. Some Iranian designers below:

https://www.instagram.com/raadfashionhouse/

https://www.instagram.com/bazzelli/

https://www.instagram.com/sajad.ahmadimajd/

https://www.instagram.com/shahab.asadi/

https://www.instagram.com/maryamrazavii/

For the other countries on that list, I have no clue on them so I will leave it to someone else.

Whatever... but you say you are Pakistani.

Tell me which international brands are in Karachi or Lahore and take a look at the store directory in the Mall of Avenues in Kuwait or any other major mall in Kuwait, Jeddah or Riyadh

SCQ83 wrote:

Whatever... but you say you are Pakistani.

Tell me which international brands are in Karachi or Lahore and take a look at the store directory in the Mall of Avenues in Kuwait or any other major mall in Kuwait, Jeddah or Riyadh

The whole point I was making is that Pakistan and Iran prefer their own design houses as opposed to western ones. Arabs don't and that's why they have Dubai for western. That said, you can look up the directory in the Emporium Lahore or Centarus Islamabad if you want to compare international brands. Most people go for Pakistani designers there FWIW. But I will admit that in my personal experience between Pakistan and Iran's local brands, Iran's are significantly better.

SCQ83 wrote:

Whatever... but you say you are Pakistani.

Tell me which international brands are in Karachi or Lahore and take a look at the store directory in the Mall of Avenues in Kuwait or any other major mall in Kuwait, Jeddah or Riyadh

Have you ever been to a shopping mall in Tehran? Clearly not! We have brands such as; Liu Jo, Versace, Gucci, Armani, Prada, Swarovski, Roberto Cavalli, Nike, Adidas, Super Dry, NYX, and the list goes on for both clothing, make-up and perfume labels.

Tehran and other major cities are packed with luxury boutiques - on a side note, western is not equal to quality or superiority.

persiangulf93 wrote:

Have you ever been to a shopping mall in Tehran? Clearly not! We have brands such as; Liu Jo, Versace, Gucci, Armani, Prada, Swarovski, Roberto Cavalli, Nike, Adidas, Super Dry, NYX, and the list goes on for both clothing, make-up and perfume labels.

Tehran and other major cities are packed with luxury boutiques - on a side note, western is not equal to quality or superiority.

I was curious and out of those brands I have found in Google in Tehran:

- Gucci
- Emporio Armani
- Roberto Cavalli
- Swarovski and Superdry have several stores (clearly franchisees)
- Nike/Adidas through some multi brand

I am sure there are plenty of multi-brand stores. Still it has a long way to catch up with Dubai or Riyadh.

For instance Saudi Arabia with almost 3 times less population than Iran has this:

- Gucci: 7 stores: 3 Jeddah, 3 Riyadh, 1 AlKhobar
- Armani: 8 stores: 4 Jeddah, 3 Riyadh, 1 AlKhobar

Swarovski... dozens (it is a mass-market brand, not luxury). The store locator shows me 11 in Jeddah alone.

Not to mention groups like Inditex, Uniqlo, GAP or H&M have no presence in Iran or any of those countries like Pakistan. Or major food outlets like Starbucks or Five Guys which are pure Instagram material for middle upper classes from emerging economies and have presence in Dubai, Kuwait or Saudi.

sonicruiser wrote:

SCQ83 wrote:

Shopping in Dubai is not targeted to Europeans or other "wealthy" Arabs (like Saudis; in Saudi there is a mall in every corner with all the major Western brands) but for wrecked countries where you don't have Zara, H&M, GAP, Western icons like Starbucks or luxury boutiques. So that it is:

- Iran
- Iraq
- Pakistan
- Afghanistan
- Western African countries like Somalia
- Central Asia -stans (except Kazakhstan that already has most of those brands and Western malls)
- India to some extent, as the country has already Western-class malls and Indians can also reach Bangkok, Hong Kong or Singapore easily.

Ironically it is actually exactly the opposite of what you said. Dubai is definitely targeted more toward other Arabs like Saudis, Qataris, and Kuwaitis. It is rarely true for Pakistan or Iran in particular. I am quite familiar with these two countries. There are plenty of Pakistanis and Iranians that visit Dubai but it's rarely for shopping because there is no shortage of shopping on the higher end of the spectrum within those countries. Western brands are not ubiquitous in the region but Iranian and Pakistani design houses have always been way more popular for people from those countries and have been for decades now. The quality of fabric in Iran and Pakistan is significantly better than anything you can find in Dubai for an equivalent price and any Pakistani or Iranian worth their salt will tell you in no uncertain terms that you are the biggest fool if you pay the Dubai markup on something that is the same quality and a better price in Iran or Pakistan. Since most of us know this, I can assure you that few Pakistanis or Iranians would prefer to shop for western brands vs homegrown brands in their own countries since they're probably transiting through to Pakistan or Iran anyway where they plan on doing the majority of their clothes shopping. I am speaking from firsthand experience on this.

I am Pakistani and haven't bought any clothes from Dubai. However, I have bought many clothes from Iran in particular, their design houses are actually quite impressive and I would argue are actually as good or better than anything I have seen in Dubai. No idea how it became so good but it probably has something to do with their incredible film industry. A lot of the best designs can be seen at the Fajr Film Festival in February. Some Iranian designers below:

https://www.instagram.com/raadfashionhouse/

https://www.instagram.com/bazzelli/

https://www.instagram.com/sajad.ahmadimajd/

https://www.instagram.com/shahab.asadi/

https://www.instagram.com/maryamrazavii/

For the other countries on that list, I have no clue on them so I will leave it to someone else.

Does the Nakheel Mall target the same audiences as the other malls in Dubai.

SCQ83 wrote:

persiangulf93 wrote:

Have you ever been to a shopping mall in Tehran? Clearly not! We have brands such as; Liu Jo, Versace, Gucci, Armani, Prada, Swarovski, Roberto Cavalli, Nike, Adidas, Super Dry, NYX, and the list goes on for both clothing, make-up and perfume labels.

Tehran and other major cities are packed with luxury boutiques - on a side note, western is not equal to quality or superiority.

I was curious and out of those brands I have found in Google in Tehran:

- Gucci
- Emporio Armani
- Roberto Cavalli
- Swarovski and Superdry have several stores (clearly franchisees)
- Nike/Adidas through some multi brand

I am sure there are plenty of multi-brand stores. Still it has a long way to catch up with Dubai or Riyadh.

For instance Saudi Arabia with almost 3 times less population than Iran has this:

- Gucci: 7 stores: 3 Jeddah, 3 Riyadh, 1 AlKhobar
- Armani: 8 stores: 4 Jeddah, 3 Riyadh, 1 AlKhobar

Swarovski... dozens (it is a mass-market brand, not luxury). The store locator shows me 11 in Jeddah alone.

Not to mention groups like Inditex, Uniqlo, GAP or H&M have no presence in Iran or any of those countries like Pakistan. Or major food outlets like Starbucks or Five Guys which are pure Instagram material for middle upper classes from emerging economies and have presence in Dubai, Kuwait or Saudi.

Brands like Starbucks are American and you won't find them in Iran because of politics, that's all. Iran is cut off from the world banking system and that's why we haven't as much western brands in the country as let's say Dubai, Doha or Riyadh. If Iran wasn't cut off you would see all of these brands rushing one by one to have a market share inside Iran.