Mr Draper, the UAE’s bespoke outfitting service for men, has joined forces with Vida Hotel in Downtown Dubai, to launch a unique styling and retail experience from the luxurious confines of one of the property’s suites.
“Rescuing men from the perils of the mall,” is how Mr Draper is positioning the service, which enables Vida’s guests to register with the personal shopper facility when making an online booking. “For the first time,” says Vida’s general manager, Daniel Kingston, “hotel guests do not need to worry about packing and can now have their holiday outfits ready at the hotel prior to their arrival. It’s perfect for guests who don’t want to carry luggage, have forgotten to pack an outfit or just in the mood to get styled.”
As with the local Mr Draper business model, guests will have five days to decide whether they want to keep anything, with unwanted items left for collection without charge. You only pay for what you want and anything you do purchase will be priced exactly the same as it would be at the relevant mall stores. The personal styling and delivery services don’t cost a single dirham.
Mahmoud Gao, founder and CEO of Mr Draper, says: "Men hate to shop, they tell us time-and-time again. It's why our business exists. This is us taking one more step to making the shopping experience as frictionless as possible, whilst adding one more dose of luxury and convenience."
To mark the launch of this partnership, an "exclusive Mr. Draper showroom" will be set up in one of the Vida's suites for the first 20 days in August, during which anyone can book a complimentary appointment with an expert stylist. The hand-picked items they will then receive can be tried on at leisure for the prescribed five days – to book an appointment go to: mrdraper.com/bookvida or call 056 442 6542.
If you'd still prefer to visit a physical store to choose a new outfit, other personal shopping services have proved to be extremely popular in the UAE. Style Factor in Dubai, for instance (style-factor.com), will visit your home, literally sort out your wardrobe and guide you round the shops if you feel you would benefit from some expert advice.
Some luxury department stores, such as Bloomingdales and Harvey Nichols, offer free personal shopping services, as well as in-house tailors, while Abu Dhabi's By Appointment (byappointmentme.com) caters for the shopping needs of the ultra-wealthy, sourcing anything from wardrobe essentials to timepieces and custom-built automobiles.
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Read more:
Tips for men on how to dress based on their body shape
Inside the world of personal shopping for the UAE’s VIPs
A man's guide: how to brighten up your wardrobe with a splash of colour
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