High designs

Khalid Al Shamsi, managing director, Designers Hub, Dubai

Even as a child, I had a passion for art and design. Design was an integral part of growing up, whether it was furniture, watches, cars or clothing.

I started collecting limited edition watches when I was 18 and 10 years on I have more than 100 pieces in my collection. My collection of watches is close to my heart. I also buy cars and exotic limited edition furniture.

Although my formal education was in business and finance, I always wanted to pursue my passion for design and that's how Designers Hub was conceived. Keeping my passion for design in mind, I chose to create a line that is unique and exclusive.

At the end of the day I feel you should be passionate about what you do to give it your best. When you love something, you enjoy doing it and do it with your heart and soul.

My father, Mohammad Al Shamsi, and uncles have been in real estate, banking and finance. I was groomed to join the family business (the Al Shamsi Group) right from the beginning.

I did my bachelors degree at the Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai and went on to do an MBA majoring in business and finance at the American University of Sharjah. My formal education grounded me well for working in this business.

I grew up in Dubai but was very fortunate ...
... to travel regularly to Europe, especially the UK. London is like a second home to me; it's where our family would spend most of our vacations. Even now I love going to London. It is my base from where I travel to elsewhere in Europe when time permits.

Travelling exposes you to a whole new world and I feel my eye for design and keen interest in the field can be attributed in part to my travelling.

I respect and love design and am fascinated by the journey of an idea that takes root in someone's brain and evolves to take tangible shape.

The idea of Designers Hub ...
... had been doing the rounds between my older brother Tariq and I for quite some time before we decided to go ahead and give it shape.

We often discussed how Dubai needed a place with the best designer furniture brands. We wanted our company to be a beacon of inspiration and place all these brands under one roof and also educate people about the concept of design.

We established Designers Hub in 2004 and three years down the line, we have come a long way ... we would like to see it acquire an iconic stature in the near future.

Our company boasts an impressive portfolio of world-renowned designers. These are reputed companies with years of expertise behind them. We have a constant dialogue with our designers. They visit us and we visit them on a regular basis to maintain continuity in work.

We perceive our business ties as extended family ties and personally keep in touch with all the designers. They are often invited to address forums and participate in exhibitions and Designers Hub also has representation in international exhibitions.

I would like to see my company become an international brand in the coming years.

I am the managing director of Designers Hub and my brother Tariq is the chairman. When it comes to delivering the goods, I am both a leader and a team player and am always willing to adopt either role, depending on the circumstances. I am always there for my team. My motto is to make things work.

When selecting people to work with, I interview the core staff and look for passion and commitment towards work and, more importantly, towards design. The main criterion is a person's ambition and drive and what motivates him or her to work. I want my staff to be passionate about what they do.

Building a brand is not enough, you have to constantly improve it and I want this feeling to percolate to every level of the company.

I love what I do, so I suppose I never tire of it. I never feel stressed out, even though my mind is working all the time. Every day isn't a smooth day, but I believe in making things work - and that is what drives me on.

I am glad that my family has always been extremely supportive of my ideas and my business. My brother is a big help. He always offers ideas and tips to improve our business and is always there for me.

I also plan to take some design courses, short ones, just to get familiar with what it takes to be a designer and who knows? Maybe design something of my own.

Liking a design depends on individual taste.

Personally, I prefer contemporary, modern and innovative designs. For me the concept of a design, the designer's inspiration and the story behind a piece matters the most. At times, when you look at the creation it strikes a chord in you and you like it instantaneously.

The Barcelona chair by modernist furniture designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, for example, is one such object. I would rate it as a timeless classic. It was designed in the 1920s but is still popular.

The design was ahead of its time and has inspired numerous variations. I have a white Barcelona chair in my personal collection. Its unusual, innovative design sets it apart from others.

Then, of course, there's the limited edition chair designed by Campana brothers. I have a chair that was personally signed by the masters of design and I admire it for its breathtaking looks and ultimate functionality. It's a design masterpiece fit to be in a museum.

Anything natural and free of tempering fascinates me. My favourite material is suede but considering the weather here, it's not very practical to use in Dubai as it has a warm feel to it. I also like soft calf leather and Venge wood.

Someone I greatly admire is ...
... His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. I see him as a role model for the youth of this country. He is a great leader and a visionary.

The International Design Forum in Madinat Jumeirah is testimony to his commitment to bringing the best of everything to Dubai.

More than 500 design experts, business leaders and patrons of architecture, urban planning and industrial design from 50 countries converged on Dubai for the three-day forum in May this year.