Luxury retail events and collection launches in Dubai

Press previews and collection launches

For a house that shows ready-to-wear in Paris, Milan or New York, the Dubai launch is where a new collection meets the region’s press, stylists and clients. It usually follows the runway by some weeks and is timed with the delivery in store, so the guests who come can see, try and order the pieces.

Eva plans each launch around what the collection has to say: the setting, the guest list, the press materials and photographs editors will use, and the client appointments booked for the days after. The calendar repeats every year, so each season can build on the last:

• Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter. The main ready-to-wear collections, with a press preview and a client launch.
• Resort and Pre-Fall. Smaller deliveries that suit appointment days and intimate client evenings.
• Capsules, collaborations and campaigns. A regional moment for a global story, such as a new campaign or a limited collection.

At Chalhoub Group she ran press days, pop-ups and collection launches across the GCC for houses including Loewe, Kenzo, Longchamp and Paul Smith. Highlights included the regional launch of Longchamp’s campaign with Kendall Jenner and a Paule Ka press event at the Burj Al Arab with the house’s artistic director. Earlier, for Tory Burch, she managed events across Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, among them the regional book launch and a private dinner.

Clienteling events, from the boutique to the seasonal event

An in-store evening for twelve clients and an annual event for three hundred have the same job: give a house’s clients a reason to come, and its client advisors a reason to call afterwards. Eva plans both from the client list outwards.

• In-store evenings and appointment days. A first look at the new delivery, a styling session or a trunk show, with each client adviser hosting their own guests.
• Seasonal and annual events. The occasion a house’s best clients expect each season or year, held in a luxury setting such as a hotel, a gallery or a private residence.
• Dinners with a partner. Hosted with a hotel, a jeweller or another brand when both have a real reason to be there. See luxury brand partnerships.
• Follow-up. Who calls whom, and how quickly. The guide to what to do after a private client event covers it.

At Al Tayer Group Eva hosted the International Group of Department Stores’ VIP dinner at the Museum of the Future, and at Mandarin Oriental Dubai she opened Casa Amor with an evening for 300 VIP guests.

Exclusive experiences for a house’s top clients

Some invitations go to very few people: a private concert in the desert, a dinner on top of a skyscraper, an evening with a designer. A house might hold one a year for its most important clients.

These events depend on details guests never see: permits and transport for a remote site or a rooftop, a plan for the weather, security, the timing of every car, and a guest list that stays private. Eva plans them with the same discretion as the rest of her work, and with a clear idea of what the house will say to each guest afterwards.

VIC shopping and sourcing

Events open the door; personal shopping keeps the relationship going. Eva also arranges VIC shopping appointments around a client’s sizes, taste and calendar, and sourcing for the piece that has sold out or never reached the region. Read more about VIC shopping and sourcing.

Common questions

When should a Dubai collection launch happen?

Usually when the collection is in store, so guests can try and order on the night or in the days after. A press preview can come earlier if the images are cleared for use.

How big should a client event be?

As big as the client list it serves. A dinner for ten chosen guests often does more for a boutique than a party for two hundred.

What does an exclusive private event need first?

A guest list and a date. The setting, the performer and the logistics follow from who is invited and what the house wants them to remember.

Is Eva open to in-house roles?

Yes. Eva is open to senior in-house roles in luxury retail marketing, events and PR in Dubai and the GCC, and to selected event projects. Get in touch.