f rsi T Group TheaTre aT
MadinaT Thea Tre
Map p218 (www.madinattheatre.com; Souq Madi-
nat Jumeirah, al-Sufouh rd, umm Suqueim 3) An
eclectic program of crowd-pleasing enter-
tainment ranging from the Sound of Music
to Russian ballet and comedy shows feeds
the cravings of Dubai’s culture-starved
residents. Performances take place in a gor-
geous 442-seat theatre.
7 Shopping
o de ’ rose h n aDiCraFTS
Map p218 (www.o-derose.com; 999 al-Wasl rd,
umm Suqueim 2) The antithesis of the cookie-
cutter malls, this delightful boutique is
set in a homey residential villa. Run by
Lebanese-born fashion designer Mimi Sha-
khashir, O’ de Rose sells all sorts of ethno-
chic creations, ranging from hand-painted
ceramics to hand-blown Syrian vases. Cus-
tomers are greeted with a glass of refresh-
ing O’ de Rose (roseflower drink); set aside
plenty of time to browse.
if Fa ionSh
Map p218 (umm al Sheif St, umm Suqeim 1) Al-
ready a smash hit in Beirut and New York,
this boutique is a fashion pioneer selling re-
freshing lesser-known designer labels such
as Johnny Farah and Marc Le Bihan that
combine avant-garde haute couture with
classic lines and fantastic accessories.
s uce* Fa ionSh
Map p218 (Village Mall, Jumeirah rd, Jumeirah
1; h10am-9pm Sat-Thu, 4.30-10pm Fri) This
is the original store of women-owned
S*uce (pronounced ‘sauce’), a pioneer on
Dubai’s growing indie fashion boutique
scene. Join the style brigade searching for
top-tier denim, flirty frocks, sassy acces-
sories, sexy sandals and deluxe tees. Look
for such key contemporary designers as
Karta, Tsumori Chisato, Vanessa Bruno,
Isabella Cappeto, Alice McCall and Philip
Lim, as well as local labels such as Essa,
Bil Arabi and Sugar Vintage. There’s an-
other branch in Dubai Mall.s uce * liGhT Fa ionSh
Map p218 (1st fl, Jumeirah Centre, Jumeirah rd,
Jumeirah 1; h10am-9pm Sat-Thu, 4.30-10pm Fri)
Not flush enough to drop Dh1500 for a pair
of jeans at S*uce? Just pop across the street
to its outlet, where a limited selection and a
less-glam ambience translate into items at
50% to 70% off.y saMine Fa ionSh
(Map p218; Souq Madinat Jumeirah, al-Sufouh rd,
al-Sufouh 2) This house of ladies’ jalabiyas
(traditional garment native to the Gulf) in-
cludes some exquisite handwoven designs
made from fine woven pashmina or cash-
mere. If you find the jalabiyas a tad too
dressy for wafting around the house, then
go for one of the equally decorative scarves
or shawls.y s aMine behnaM: fashion innoVaTorYasmine Behnam is Managing Partner of a utique bo society (www.facebook.com/
aboutiquesociety), a pop-up store that takes places for three days in varying venues
and showcases emerging brands and labels that cannot be found elsewhere in the
Middle East�
Where do you like to shop for fashion in dubai? Aside from my own pop-up
store, I really enjoy If, a gorgeous boutique in a villa in the umm Suqeim area which
sells fantastic conceptual Japanese/Belgian type of brands such as Comme Des
Garcons, Rick Owens and Haider Ackermann� I also like shopping for vintage, second-
hand designer wear at Garderobe on the Jumeirah Beach Rd�
What do you like to do on your day off? I try and avoid beaches, pools or any-
where with crowds� I prefer to take a boat ride on the Marina or head out to the Bab
al-Shams Desert Resort & Spa (p144) to enjoy a mint tea or mezze meal on the roof
terrace� It is particularly magical at sunset�
y ur secret place in o dubai? I love poking around for Middle Eastern inspiration at
O’ de Rose (p99), which is in a homey villa and sells crafts, clothing, art and acces-
sories by local artisans�JumeirahShoppinG