AED183.4m Worth of Luxury Products Brought to DTWC for Vibrant Trade Event

Dubai, UAE, Sunday 7 November: The Dubai World Trade Centre and the organizers of the INDEX Design Show 2010 dmg :: events gathered today to celebrate 20 successful years as the region's leading design event - as top international designers and 1000 exhibitors, including a large range of famous luxury brands, descend on Dubai from November 8-11.

More than $50 million dollars (AED183.4m) worth of luxury-brand furniture, home, commercial, retail, décor, fixtures, art and textiles are today being set up at the Dubai World Trade Centre in readiness for tomorrow's opening of the 20th Anniversary INDEX Design Show 2010. The event has been held annually since 1990 and has evolved in to a world-class focal point for the design industry development to profit from sourcing and networking opportunities.

In the presence of Mr. Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO Dubai World Trade Centre and INDEX founder and dmg :: events senior business advisor Bernard Walsh at a special preview event today, the INDEX Design Show Vice President Lu Buchanan said: "We have had huge interest in this year's trade show as it is increasingly viewed as a critical platform for exhibitors to sell to the lucrative MENA region. This year's event will feature 1000 exhibitors from an even-wider range of countries including Russia, Japan, Sweden and Turkey, as well as 23 national pavilions from around the world bringing under one roof more high-end products and international diversity than ever before. We are incredibly excited about this year's show which is certainly shaping up to the best yet."

DWTC CEO Mr. Helal Saeed Almarri said: "The 20th anniversary of the INDEX Design Show marks a milestone for the entire design industry and DWTC is proud to host this innovative show year-on-year.  We have witnessed the evolution and growth of INDEX over the years, which has helped shape the regional industry by providing the latest in global design trends while establishing itself as one of the most sought after design exhibitions in the region".  

INDEX founder Mr Walsh added: "INDEX has been an event that has grown with the region, and if you look around at the showrooms and industry names in the Gulf today, many of them certainly benefited or even owed their start in the region due to the introductions made as a part of INDEX."

Mr Walsh thanked the local and global industry for its support, highlighting that the UK pavilion (which will this year feature 28 top designers, manufacturers and suppliers) as well as Oman's Poly Products have been a regular part of the show since its inception two decades ago.

British Contract Furnishing Association Project Manager, Sue Graves, says "The UAE remains a firm favourite for British design and interiors companies which continue to report excellent business stemming from contacts made in the UAE. British quality and design is highly respected in the Middle East and many UK companies have opened showrooms or appointed distributors or agents throughout the region. Once again we are delighted to have so many exciting high-end companies within our group, some of whom are first-timers to the market."

The Gulf design market

"The Middle East design market is again booming with a focus on luxury and quality," Lu Buchanan added.  "As construction projects slow down in the past two years and the recession forced people to re-evaluate budgets and project quality, developers and residents have turned in 2010 to demanding top-quality products to present a competitive edge and reflect long-term quality. Demand for interior design services (in the UAE) is expected to surge with an anticipated Dhs53.8bn ($14.6bn) in interior design contracts and fitouts to be spent in the Emirates within this year (2010). Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other GCC countries also remain important growth areas because of the steady increase in development activities within these markets."

Key features of this year's show include:

  • 20th Anniversary Innovation Lineup - INDEX has hand-picked a wow-factor range of 20 showcase design pieces which are sure to excite the  industry and range from breathtaking to thought-provoking furniture and fittings from a range of the world's most cutting-edge designers.

  • Design Talk series - The hottest topics in the world of design will come to light as INDEX attracts an impressive line-up of top-name industry professionals as speakers for its Design Talks series and panel sessions. Speakers include Victoria Redshaw, founder and CEO of international trend forecasters Scarlet Opus, Lea Badro from Greenline Yacht Interiors, Daniel G. During from Thomas Klein International, Alison Laws of Jawad Business Group (Lakeland), Richard Nicoll of Saatchi & Saatchi X and The American Hardwood Export Council's Roderick Wiles.

  • Student Zone challenges - Creative young designers will be put to the test with two key challenges in a special Student Zone - the Al Habtoor & ISG Design Challenge and the Fekra Design Competition.

  • Contemporary Majlis Competition - four UAE-based designers compete to design their own contemporary take on a traditional feature of an Arabic home - the majlis.

-Ends-

About The INDEX Design Show
INDEX Design Show 2010 is the region's premier design event. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010 as the longest serving and leading design event in the region, INDEX has worked closely with the design industry to continue to develop and provide a strong design event for both trade and consumers.

Leading brands at this year's show include Poggenpohl, Armourcoat, Robert Allen ME, Hansgrohe, Nordic Homeworx, Brasslight International, Jordi Mila, Grassoler, Simexa, Informit Italian, HD Interiors, Scavolini, Rezvani Carpets, Arte di Murano, Deniz Tunç Design and Sealy Mattress to name just a few.

INDEX features the latest products and services across all sectors of interior design including:-

• Art and accessories

• Indoor and outdoor furniture for contract, residential and commercial projects

• Flooring and wall coverings

• Kitchens and bathrooms

• Interior design and contracting services

• Textiles and upholstery fabrics

• Decorative and contract lighting

About dmg :: events
An international exhibition and publishing company, dmg :: events produces market-leading trade exhibitions, consumer shows and conferences each year and publishes more than 40 related magazines, newspapers, directories and market reports. dmg :: events employs 300 people and maintains a worldwide presence through more than 30 offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, the United Arab Emirates, China, Australia and New Zealand. dmg :: events is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT), one of the largest and most successful media companies in the United Kingdom. Additional information on dmg :: events can be found at www.dmgevents.com.

Media Contact:
Camellia Bojtor
Fifth Ring Integrated Corporate Communications
Camellia@fifthring.com
+971 4 372 0153
+971 50 115 7726

© Press Release 2010