Sales shopping is absolutely on trend this season. Not only does the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) mascot Modesh dress exclusively in this season’s hottest hue, yellow, but years of price increases at luxury brands have started to result in consumers laying down their credit cards and refusing to kowtow to escalating price tags.
Last month, Chanel announced a 4.3 per cent fall in sales, its first decline since 2020, a period that also the saw the price of its iconic Classic Flap Bag almost double in price. A Medium Chanel Classic Flap Bag now costs approximately Dh42,720, up from around Dhs18,000 in 2016. Similar revenue declines have been seen across legacy luxury brands, with Louis Vuitton and Dior owner LVMH reporting a five per cent drop in sales of fashion and leather goods in the first quarter of 2025.
Admittedly, Dubai and the wider GCC are bucking this trend. Chalhoub Group reported luxury fashion sales across the region have increased 11 per cent in the first three months of 2025, far outpacing global performance.
But in a region where shopping is a national sport, particularly in the summer months when airconditioned malls offer welcome respite from the heat, we are wired to hunt down the best bargains, not at any cost, but at the chicest cost. However, with discounts of up to 90 per cent promised across DSS, which kicks off next weekend on June 27, it can be tempting to snap up ill-considered styles, just because the price drop is so steep. So, because girl math can quickly spiral when faced with a slashed-to-the-navel price tag, here are my rules for a successful DSS shopping spree.
PREP YOUR WISH LIST
If you wouldn’t pay full price, it’s not a bargain. Create wish lists in your favourite stores’ websites throughout the season, adding only pieces you would pay full price for (were it not for school fees, rent, kids’ activities etc devouring your budget). Then, when discounts are applied, you can easily identify the styles that deserve a share of your wallet. You’ll also be alerted if a sold-out piece in your size comes back into stock. It might be 80 per cent off. Likewise, become WhatsApp friends with shop floor sales associates. Dubai’s high-end stores offer exemplary customer service and staff will often be happy to send you a message when items you love go on sale.
BUY BETTER…
Buy less, buy better is a mantra often repeated, yet hard to stick to in the proliferation of disposable fast fashion, tempting social media ads, and price polarisation as the cheap gets cheaper — even in the face of tariffs — and the expensive gets even more out of reach (to wit, the Chanel Flap Bag mentioned above). Don’t use sale periods as your chance to stock up on arm loads of already cheap clothes that won’t bring you lasting joy. Instead, one or two incredible, well-made, thoughtful pieces that you’ll wear, love and feel special in, from brands you wouldn’t normally be able to afford, is the goal. No Labubu required.
… AND BUTTER (YELLOW)
One trend I will be buying into on sale is a fashion secret long known by the face of DSS. Yellow. Modesh has been wearing it since 1997. Notoriously tricky to get right, leave acid brights to cartoon characters such as Modesh, his sidekick Dana, SpongeBob et al. A soft, creamy butter shade that recalls dappled sunlight offers a contemporary take on summer pastels. If you are drawn to a bright yellow, I like it for an unexpected twist on formalwear, such as the Roksanda taffeta dress.
DRESS FOR THE EVENT
Like a magpie, I am without fail drawn to the glamorous allure of evening wear, and because of its higher starting price tag, DSS discounts appear even more tempting. Ironically, I also resent leaving the house after 7pm. A dichotomy that leaves me with a wardrobe full of (heavily discounted) gowns and little opportunity to wear them. If you too are tempted by evening wear, look for timeless silhouettes with a contemporary twist and a classic palette that will be relevant five, 10 years from now. Try Turkish brand The New Arrivals by İlkyaz Özel, and Lebanese brand Monot. And if you’d rather spend your evenings with Netflix and Deliveroo, invest in a pair of luxe Eberjey PJs instead.
GOOD JEANS
Denim is the trend that never dies. Pre-sale, identify your dream denim brand, fit and finish and strike when the price gets reduced. Department stores such as Harvey Nichols, Bloomingdale’s and That Concept Store offer a broad range of brands under one roof to compare and contrast. Area’s party jeans — with crystal-trimmed cut-outs — are brilliant, but expensive. For everyday denim, I rate Agolde and L’Agence for classic straight-leg fits, and Citizens of Humanity for a more directional horseshoe leg. A touch of stretch and a lightweight fabric is far more suited to a UAE summer than rigid, heavyweight denim. Finally, the reason celebs look so good in their jeans? Tailoring. A department store will do this for you or you can visit your local tailor. Most of my purchases are finessed by Hazel and her team at Thread Up on Wasl Road.
WHAT WOULD J-LO DO?
As a woman in my mid-40s I see a big divide among women my age as we approach middle age. Like our mums before us, we inexorably revert to high street heavyweights, such as Marks and Spencer and Next, with their elastic waistbands, crease-free fabrics and stain-concealing prints. I have nothing against M&S and Next, per se (the sheets and underwear are really good), but we have so much more choice than our mothers. My yardstick is 55-year-old Jennifer Lopez; if I can’t imagine her wearing it, I’ll pass. In the UK, disruptor brands such as Me + Em and Holland Cooper have quietly moved the dial around how women over 40 ‘should’ dress, combining the practicality of an M&S staple with sleek styling that feels elegant and expensive. I also rate Next-owned Reiss’s Atelier line, which launched two years ago and bridges high street and designer. The fabrics are unparalleled, and come with a price-tag to match. I’ll be stocking up when they go on sale this summer. Race you to the ‘Alex’ utility jacket.
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