Dubai: Fur coats – including one for Dh10,000 – are keeping out the winter chill in style this Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) at the Pakistan pavilion at Global Village in Dubai.
The pavilion boasts dozens of fur and leather stalls selling jackets, coats, handbags and accessories at reasonable prices.
However, not all fur coats are created equal — some will set you back thousands of dirhams.
An incredibly soft overcoat made of fur from a mixed breed of platinum foxes costs Dh10,000. “Just put it on and you’ll see why it’s so special,” Ahmad Khokhar, the seller, said.
Snuggling into the long coat, with the collar brushing the face, was like sliding into a cosy bed under layers of warm silk.
Khokhar, a young man from Pakistan, offered to demonstrate its authenticity by burning a tuft of fur with a lighter.
“Real fur gives off the organic smell of burnt hair and turns powdery. If it’s fake, it’ll have a chemical, burnt plastic-like smell and become sticky.”
And to check if the colour is natural, rather than dyed, you can blow into the fur and see the different colours closer to the roots. To test for strength, try lifting the coat by the scruff and see if it can hold the weight, Khokhar said.
Also, coats made from continuous single large panels of fur instead of smaller ones stitched together are more sought after and expensive, added Khokhar.
However, there are affordable varieties as well, such as Dh200 vests made from rabbit fur.
Leather is another speciality at the pavilion — naturally as Pakistani leather and craftsmanship in leather is renowned. Starting at about Dh200 for sheep leather jackets, the attire also comes with collars and sleeves lined with fox fur, for around Dh500. If you want to really stand out, it will cost you extra, with cow leather overcoats going for some Dh800.
There are also accessories such as belts and wallets for as little as Dh20-Dh50.
Breaking the monotony of dark leather stalls are vividly colourful stalls selling traditional Pakistani fabrics and clothes.
“Even Emirati women love these fabrics because they are colourful, soft and cool. That’s perfect for the hot UAE climate. They make their traditional home-wear out of these textiles too,” said Mohammad Faizan, a salesman.
Indians, especially from south India, also make up a large customer profile as they like the bright colours of the fabrics, he added.
The fabrics — mostly soft lawn cotton or chiffon — are sold by the metre, at about Dh10 per metre. Traditional Indian or Pakistani attire usually requires about 2.5 metres of cloth while Arab dresses typically need four metres. Readymade “party dress” varities cost around Dh250 while homeware costs around Dh50-Dh90.
Haggling for prices is a norm at the pavilion and shoppers can get bargains commensurate with their bargaining skills.
Besides clothes, traditional leather footwear and accessories, there is not much else to shop for at the pavilion. Also, cultural activities or performances are also largely absent compared to earlier Global Village editions.
