Italian Lifestyle in Dubai exhibition from today

dubai — In a bid to expand the reach of Italian small and medium businesses to Dubai and beyond, the Italian Industry and Commerce Office in the UAE (IICUAE) is launching an Italian Lifestyle in Dubai exhibition this month.

More than 120 small and medium-sized companies from Italy are taking part in the event and bringing the best of fashion, clothing, beauty and accessories to the UAE. Most of the participating brands are new to the region and will bring an element of exclusivity to the event. The participants also include some high-end names in fashion such as Carrera Jeans, Byblos, Versace Jeans, Cavalli Class and more.

“It is not easy to establish a business in Dubai, but Italians reign supreme in the fashion industry, and Italy is known as the fashion capital of the world. We know Dubai wants to establish itself as a fashion destination of the world. Therefore, we think we can support Dubai in its endeavour by supplying top quality, Made-in-Italy fashion-related products,” Benedetta Bottoli, assistant project manager, Italian Industry and Commerce Office in the UAE (IICUAE), told Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the launch event.

The maiden exhibition will take place from October 26 to 28 at the Dubai World Trade Centre Hall 1. The organisers are aiming to make this an annual event and increase the participation of companies in coming years. For now, the event has generated good interest and attracted buyers from a number of countries including

120 small, medium-sized companies from Italy taking part in event

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Singapore, South Korea, Iran and India.

The IICUAE has facilitated more than 250 business-to-business (B2B) meetings prior to the event and will dedicate additional time for exclusive interactions on the first two days of the exhibition.

Events such as these are instrumental in giving impetus to the growing trade relations between the two countries. Bilateral trade between the UAE and Italy has been growing and inched closer to Dh30 billion last year. The UAE is among the most important markets for Italian exports in the Mena region and receives 1.5 per cent of Italy’s exports.

More than 11,000 Italians live and work in the UAE.