Simply Abu Dhabi XXX

2 2 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I L uxurious living is something that has become synonymous with the UAE. The affluent nation, full of high-net-worth individuals with disposable incomes and a penchant for the finer things in life has nurtured the growth of sumptuous spas, distinguished dining establishments and beautiful boutiques. The sky-scraping landmarks of Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s F1 Yas Marina Circuit have helped firmly put the region on the map in terms of attracting the world’s elite, but one thing it hasn’t become renowned for, as yet, are the luxury brands themselves. The Middle East and Africa’s luxury goods market is expected to post the fastest growth worldwide between 2014-2019, but while both the UAE and Saudi Arabia show exponential growth within the luxury goods sector, a report by Euromonitor released in February 2018 shows the region remains dominated by international brands. Enter Feathers UAE. Feathers is cited as the world's first Emirati luxury goods brand. Founded by entrepreneur and budding designer Khalid Basaeed, the brand combines national pride, a passion for regional rawmaterials and Basaeed’s keen eye for detail, all packaged up in the elegant form of a global fashion brand. Comprising sunglasses, scarves, handbags, shoes and accessories, the Feathers collection stands apart for being high quality yet affordable, featuring unique Arabic and Emirati touches. The Alsalam handbag (one of Feathers’ most popular items) is inspired by the 700-year-old purse from Iraq, which was discovered in 2014 and dating back to 1,300 AD. And the black stainless steel Zayed watch (the brand’s best-selling timepiece) was created to commemorate the late President Sheikh Zayed. Featuring the engraved silhouette of Zayed’s face upon its dial, it boasts an unusual dodecagonal shape (each of the 12 sides representing an hour) and is accompanied by a camel-leather strap.