Dubai is increasingly positioning itself as a significant player in the global fashion industry, a development underscored at the recent Vogue Business Fashion Futures event held in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3). The gathering brought together over 150 attendees, including leaders from the fashion industry, entrepreneurs, and advocates for sustainability, to discuss themes surrounding innovation, legacy, and resilience in an uncertain global market.
The event took place at Thea, a French Mediterranean restaurant located within d3, Dubai’s prominent creative and design hub developed by TECOM Group. The timing coincided with Dubai Fashion Week, amplifying the city’s growing influence in the fashion sector.
Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of Dubai Design District, opened the event by emphasizing Dubai’s expanding status as a creative capital. She also announced the addition of the Italian fashion label Golden Goose to the d3 community and welcomed CEO Silvio Campara as the keynote speaker for one of the sessions.
Campara, who has led Golden Goose since 2013, described the brand’s evolution from a family-run label into a globally recognized company with strong cultural and commercial value. Founded by Alessandro Gallo and Francesca Rinaldo in 2000, Golden Goose is renowned for its signature star motif sneakers. Under Campara’s stewardship, the brand attracted a majority investment from private equity firm HSG in late 2025, at a valuation exceeding €2.5 billion.
He reflected on the brand’s philosophy, which emphasizes the value of products aging naturally, gaining character over time. This approach has helped Golden Goose achieve a customer retention rate of 60%. Campara advised entrepreneurs to prioritize their brand’s core philosophy and maintain consistency to foster long-term success.
In the first panel, “Discovering the Brands of the Future,” industry voices discussed how brands are being built to withstand global uncertainties with a particular focus on the Middle East’s cultural and commercial landscape. Grace Khoury, SVP of Fashion at Chalhoub Group; Camille Perry, co-founder of the London-based womenswear brand Tove; and Khairunnisa Suhail, creative director of UAE athleisure label The Giving Movement, emphasized the importance of centering brand development on customer needs rather than solely on products.
Khoury noted the significance of cultural intelligence, citing the example of Ramadan marketing that requires extensive planning. Suhail highlighted the necessity of building brands with the Middle East rather than for it, ensuring alignment with local tastes and lifestyles. Perry shared experiences of navigating varying global challenges, including Brexit and U.S. tariffs, with Tove’s globally inclusive philosophy.
The second panel, moderated by Vogue Business Middle East correspondent Sujata Assomull, focused on the value of long-term partnerships in fashion’s success. Participants included Aida Al Busaidy, associate VP at Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM); Yasmeen Sami, director of brand strategy and partnerships at d3; and Mette Degn-Christensen, director of the Downtown Design fair.
Al Busaidy cited the example of Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra, who opened a store in Jumeirah nearly 20 years ago, demonstrating foresight that helped shape Dubai’s fashion scene. She also discussed how government support has aided in cultivating cultural narratives and attracting global talent.
Degn-Christensen traced the growth of Downtown Design over its 12 editions, underscoring the importance of enduring collaborations during challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. She highlighted the development of local talent, including Dubai-born designer Omar Al Gurg, who transitioned to a mentorship role.
Sami explained d3’s strategy in nurturing partnerships to provide global platforms for regional creatives, describing partnership sustainability as a core focus. Events like Sole DXB, a long-standing cultural festival hosted permanently at d3 since 2015, illustrate such collaborative efforts.
The event concluded with affirmation that Dubai has successfully built an ecosystem blending infrastructure, talent, and opportunity, increasingly establishing itself as a vital locus for fashion innovation and growth.
