Dubai Design District: Building a sustainable economy through design

The best economic climates often become that way because they started out with solid fundamentals, such as stable banks, sustainable businesses and reliable infrastructure. But they often stay that way because they foster and encourage creativity.

The Dubai Design District, which was announced on Saturday and aims to develop the emirate’s fashion, design and luxury sectors, could go a long way towards building that type of environment. Not only would it allow those who find more fulfilment in art and beauty than in banking and retail to develop a career, but also provide something equally beneficial to the UAE: a greater sense of identity.

Fashion stores in the country would no longer be just filled with the latest styles from Milan or Paris or electronics gadgets designed in Silicon Valley. Retailers could stock locally or regionally designed products, giving both Emiratis and expats a greater sense of home and feelings of accomplishment, two things critical to sustaining a secure society.