The best fashion and gift stores United Arab Emirates

Also known as the Central Souk or the Old Souk, the Al-Ain Souk is a delightful place to discover all the scents of Arabia. It's so much fun to wander through the messy and lavishly colored stalls! You can even find female date palm flowers that they sell between April and May to allow pollination in the surrounding oases. They also sell local or Yemeni honey. Not forgetting accessories for camels like beautiful blankets, muzzles, etc.

This modern souk is a long strip of convenient stores, with international names like Choithram, Shoe Mart and The Body Shop. There are also tasty bakeries, a baby store, a butcher shop and several toy and children's clothing stores; even more outlets can be found across the road with many handmade items. Remember that you are in the Middle East and bargaining is a local sport. By taking your time, you can get significant discounts.

Originally, in the 1980s, Jimi Mall was home to the meat and vegetable market. After undergoing extensive renovations, the mall reopened in 2002 and was expanded in 2007. Since then, it offers 760,000 square meters of shopping space, with a Carrefour hypermarket as the main attraction, and a movie theater complex. Less sprawling than the Bawad, it is a pleasant shopping stop. There are many options to eat there, such as Starbucks for iced coffee. It is however a bit far from the tourist sites.

A traditional shopping centre with its clothing and shoe stores.

Opened in 2001, this modern, luxurious and huge shopping mall is one of the most pleasant in the Emirates, as it is largely lit by daylight thanks to large glass roofs. On site, you will find more than 350 stores: clothes, cosmetics, jewelry, chocolates, souvenirs and a French brand supermarket! A bowling alley, an ice rink, a cinema complex, a place to play billiards, a drop-in center and a food court with fast-food restaurants offering all kinds of cuisine. The prices are particularly attractive.

The first Hindi boutique in Dubai created in reaction to the rampant standardization of fashion and clothing tastes, this brand, which the founders insist on writing with a star (S*uce), has paved the way for many others today. Like Colette in Paris, the store is multi-brand, presenting the creations of the regional hype-generation alongside a few pieces taken from Europe: Tata Naka, Ashish, Studd, Dice Kayek, Vanessa Bruno, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, See by Chloe. The website is great for online shopping.

Wahda Mall is located in the center of the capital. It is a large shopping mall and in fact the largest on Abu Dhabi Island and probably the most pleasant to walk around. In addition to the string of international brands, there is Magrudy, which has been in business for over 35 years, a nice bookstore and Lulu supermarket, an institution in the UAE. There, you will be able to find some of the country's specialties such as dates, a blend of ready-to-use Arabian coffee, camel milk, an abaya... at very competitive prices

If there is one jewelry shop in Dubai that is not to be missed, it is Koraba, famous for its amber. The Emiratis love it! With a first boutique opened in 2006 and a name that is still original, the brand now offers a wide range of elegant and refined jewellery, for young and old alike. Indeed, amber, which takes its name from the Arabic word anbar, is known to reduce teething in infants. The result of exceptional craftsmanship, Koraba jewellery is well worth a visit to one of the shops.

The Qasr al Watan shop is inside the palace, near the exit before getting back on the bus. Several jewels, beautiful books, camel milk chocolates, some reproductions, souvenir magnets for the refrigerators. But what really gets us excited in this souvenir shop are the postcards which are, without any doubt, the most beautiful we have seen in the Emirates: desert landscapes, monuments, traditional boats.

The gallery bears the name of its founder: Salwa Zeidan. Lebanese artist, sculptor, self-taught painter, she became interested in the history of art by visiting museums, by reading a lot and by a great personal research. Now, as a curator, she has been running this art gallery specializing in contemporary art since 1995. The artists present are of very diverse origins. A quick look at the website will give you an idea of the activity of this much appreciated gallery. It is one of the first to have offered online exhibitions since 2013.

It is in the district of the jewelers in one of the most commercial streets of the city that we discover this very sympathetic store. Vast choice of precious stones and gold jewelry. You can have your wedding rings engraved, or have a model copied. At Carcassonne, despite appearances, they don't speak French, but the staff is charming and very attentive to the needs of their French-speaking clientele and above all they are very honest. Negotiation possible

Welcome to Mr. Farouk! Based in Abu Dhabi for over 25 years, this designer and his team are all Indian. This is an address that expatriates like to pass on to each other. If you dream of copying magazine dresses or remaking an outfit in a different colour at very reasonable prices, don't hesitate. You can buy your fabric at the Madinat Zayed souk and bring either an outfit or a magazine photo. They will take your measurements, calculate the estimate and call you a few days later for the first try on.

Amin is the place to go in Abu Dhabi to get a bespoke suit or to copy trousers and blouses in a different colour. It's also the go-to tailoring house for the military and government officials. While they make a lot of kanduras, they are also very good for European tastes. As they sell fabric as well, all you have to do is bring your model or a small photo. They will take all the measurements on the spot. Another advantage is that they accept credit cards. They usually take about 10 days.

In an area where dressmakers abound, this is the one that is a bit of a favorite. Located in a very local area, it also sells furnishing fabrics by the meter and offers the possibility to make sheets, tablecloths, towels and dresses. It is therefore very popular with expatriates who redo all their linens at very competitive prices for a quality well above what can be found in the well-known international brands.

A human-sized shopping mall that allows you to park in front of the front door of each store: a Carrefour Express, a toy store, a chocolate shop, a pharmacy, Al Rifai to buy the best dried fruits in town, the Brioche for a salad, Starbucks for iced coffee, but also a currency exchange office with very good rates, a beauty salon and even a barber to name a few. And even a small open-air market with crafts and souvenir gifts. On their social networks, up-to-date tips.

In the land of shopping malls, it is not easy to compare them. If some are referred to as villages, Yas Mall would be described as a city with 10,000 parking spaces, more than 400 stores, 80 restaurants, 20 movie theaters, direct access to Ferrari World and Clymb, monthly events and miles of walkways that allow residents to stretch their legs when the temperature is near 45 degrees. Weekdays are a great time to visit. On the other hand, the mall is always busy when it opens, from Friday to Saturday inclusive.

In the land of children and the enchanted merry-go-round, this gallery invites you to plunge into a theatrical and luxurious decor on two floors, where brands such as Moulin Roty, Bensimon, Comme des Garçons, Lili Gaufrette, Zadig et Voltaire, Vilac and many others invite you to travel all the way to mainland France. Every weekend, free activities are offered to children, while others are subject to a charge. On the first floor, there are some great ideas for chic and expensive gifts, with exclusives such as the famous Sarah's Bag, made by women held in Lebanese prisons.

Nazzy Belgari is Iranian and has a twenty-year career in journalism behind her. An artist and fashion designer, this is one of the best kept addresses in Abu Dhabi. Her fairy fingers run over the fabrics she hunts down during her trips to the ends of the earth to imagine unique models: coats, abayas, skirts and dresses. A wonderful personality behind a woman of great talent. A pleasure for the eyes, unique clothes sometimes inspired by Arabic calligraphy make wonderful gifts to bring back.

At the age of 17, while studying in Pakistan, Aroosi Iqbal launched her first collection for women. Today, she has two boutiques in Abu Dhabi and counts members of the royal family among her customers. Her designs are always inspired by the region's dress codes, ranging from shalwar kameez, kaftans and jalabiyas, to modern dresses, all with a couture feel. For those who wish, the brand also offers custom-made dresses, made by hand. A very nice gift to bring back home

The only mall worthy of the name in the emirate, the City Center has delighted more than one during its recent opening. This shopping mall of more than 35,000 square meters is composed of 105 shops and is becoming "the place to be" for all families in Fujairah, especially during the hot weather. Note the Carrefour hypermarket to buy some food before leaving for a picnic or some business for those who decide to go trekking at the last minute. As for entertainment, there are 11 Vox and Magic Planet cinemas for children.

It's almost like "Au bonheur des Dames". It's a veritable two-storey cave, selling every conceivable type of fabric for clothing: printed, plain, in every color and price range. Don't hesitate to call the mobile number if you have a pattern to copy. The store manager will direct you to a dressmaker who can reproduce your design. The whole area is full of fabric merchants, and you shouldn't hesitate to push open the doors to discover real treasures.

In the heart of the artisans' house, you will find this wonderful shop selling souvenirs made by Emiratis. Pouches, bookmarks, wallets woven according to the traditional sadu method, but also basketry made from palm leaves, not forgetting the teli, woven gold and silver threads. Everything is made locally, even the souvenir bags. We like everything all the more because it is rare, if not impossible, to find this kind of shop in the capital. The fruit of the sales goes to the women who have formed a cooperative.

The old souk finds its natural place on the banks of the Creek, at the heart of the maritime trade, where local merchants would display their products to exporters in a row. Built in length and surmounted by a high openwork wooden arch frame, it protects from direct sunlight, but allows daylight to filter through, giving it a subdued atmosphere conducive to strolling. One should not hesitate to go also behind the Dubai Museum opposite the souk, in the more modern alleys to find a large number of cloth merchants.

The capital of the province wanted its mall, here it is! A glass bunker that meets the globalized needs of this century. An Almaya supermarket where you can find for very affordable prices exotic products, dates and some local products, but also some small stalls with some sellers of 24 carat gold jewelry. You can also find fabrics to make an abaya or a kandura for example with the dressmaker nearby. Chocolate stopover with the good Lebanese house Patchi, billiards and bowling.

It all started with a second-hand vintage store in the Jumeirah district. Maha Rasheed, of Egyptian origin, passionate about the style of the 50s, was a great success. She has since set up her own store in City Walk, which is a hit. Bambah, whose name means "rose" in Arabic, is inspired by the actresses of the Egyptian cinema of the 50s and offers a collection where polka dots, floral patterns, long sleeves and a fitted waist are in the spotlight. Popular with customers in the Gulf, Bambah combines modernity and vintage.

Here is a shopping mall made up entirely of jewelry stores, but don't expect a traditional souk. Gold is sold by the gram at the day's price, with a margin for negotiation. The Gold Centre occupies the right wing of the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre, a retro mall frequented by Indian communities and the less affluent Emiratis. It's also a fabric paradise if you prefer to have a dress made. Around the mall, it is the temple of haberdashery.

Outside of China, it is almost the largest place where you can find, grouped together in the same space, so many products from the Middle Kingdom! One would think that Dubai, like many other cities, needed its Chinatown. And there are chinese shops: textiles, decoration, household appliances, handicrafts, costume jewellery, household linen and all kinds of gadgets and you can bargain. It will take you more than a day to see everything over several thousand square kilometres. You can find everything in this huge dragon-shaped mall !

In the superb house of this former pearl merchant, called Bait Al Mazroi, and composed of 17 rooms around a central patio, there is a very pretty shop. This handicraft centre offers first of all a visit to discover the different techniques and hosts workshops throughout the year. A small souvenir shop allows you to buy some objects from this often unknown but ancestral craft still perpetuated.

In the land of black gold, here is the Emirati version of Chinatown: a Chinese souk version XXL. 1,600 shops, 860 companies, 80% of which are run by Chinese, and no way to find your way through this labyrinth! Here it is the temple of electronic accessories, cheap furniture, colourful textiles, household linen, stalls of lights or plastic toys and even fishing articles. In short, you can find everything in China Mall and you can bargain without scruples and you can also find many counterfeits.

Located a few meters from the Ajman Museum, it is worth a visit for its unique architecture and enchanting atmosphere. Recently renovated, it is part of the city's cultural heritage and its traditional architecture with its moucharabiehs is magnificent. This small souk is above all a textile one: colourful fabrics from India, Pashminas from Pakistan or Afghanistan and dressmakers follow one another in this gallery. A nice walk with very nice pictures to take in the late afternoon if you want to find them open.

It is in a villa in the Jumeirah district that this concept store is installed, which is also a space for exhibitions and a café where many people who telework come. In a heterogeneous decor, composed of superimposed wallpapers and paintings from every corner of the globe, one finds a multitude of decorative objects and crafts mainly from Morocco. The café serves dishes largely inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. An address mostly frequented by expatriates in the neighbourhood.