Rakaia Apartment Block
Residential
Riyadh
Oct 2024
The Hour Dress Dubai: Design & Build Project
Dubai , Retail
Background & Project Brief
The Hour Dress is a well-established fashion rental business with an existing store in Beirut and an ecommerce presence. The business specialises in selling and renting elegant designer women’s dresses and accessories for evening and bridal wear.
The founder, Olivia Mezher, had defined her objective of expanding and opening a new store in Dubai, but this process would involve navigating several challenges. As part of this, Oliva also outlined her intention to add an in-store bridal experience to the Dubai location, along with creating a dedicated area for in-house seamstresses to work.
Some of the main challenges that the project needed to address included:
Outdated look: The brand wanted to refresh its overall look and feel to align with a more modern and sophisticated aesthetic.
Limited workspace for seamstresses: Since each rented dress is tailored to fit the clients’ exact measurements, the store needed a larger and more efficient workspace for their seamstresses. The challenge was to expand this working area without compromising the front-end sales space.
Changing room facilities: The store needed more, larger fitting rooms, and a dedicated bridal fitting area; creating some privacy for brides and their families away from the main sales floor, making this experience more personalised and memorable.
What we did
When Olivia appointed RVA to help turn her Dubai expansion plans into reality, the first step that we took was to explore the project in the context of our design and build service. With this kind of specialist support, Olivia’s objectives could be met by a turn-key solution; wherein our team would account for all aspects of the work – from creating architectural drawings, to instructing a team of contractors, and finalising an interior design approach for the new space. Overall our role was to guide The Hour Dress through the entire design process, from assessing possible options to delivering the final design.
Through detailed floor plans, we created a completely bespoke space in the City Walk premises, and it was informed by everything that Olivia told us during an initial design consultation. As part of this, we laid out a plan for building a dedicated area for the in-person bridal shopping experience, as well as a practical area to accommodate the seamstresses. We provided 3D models and visuals for approval before commencing the work, and Olivia was extremely happy with the way that we had met everything that she wanted to address in her new Dubai store.
Some of the key stages of our first ever Dubai design and build have been detailed below, giving you a clearer idea of the project and its timeline.
Expanded, efficient workspace
We designed a larger, more efficient working space in the back of the store, creating more room for the seamstresses. We were also able to maintain the integrity of the front-end sales area, using considerate interior design choices to distinguish both spaces.
Enhanced changing rooms
We created larger changing rooms and added strategic features to accommodate clients of the store better. We used a similar approach in the way we designed a separate, private bridal fitting area, ensuring a comfortable and exclusive experience for brides and their families.
Architectural divider
To create the necessary privacy for the bridal fitting area while maintaining an open and inviting sales floor, we introduced a curved panel with a custom-shaped shelf, putting our bespoke joinery expertise into practice. This divider, illuminated by LED lighting and finished with lime wash plaster, serves both as an elegant architectural feature and a functional space divider.
The outcome
The project was completed over a two month period, and the final outcome was an entirely custom-built space. Our team was able to capture the ‘look and feel’ that The Hour Dress was aiming to achieve with the aesthetics and overall design choices, and every aspect of the space was considered with impressive attention to detail. While our design and build service offers a full, end-to-end solution, it still involves prioritising the intricate details and decisions that distinguish a space.
In this way, RVA can work with retailers to create concept-led commercial spaces that elevate both customer experience and brand perception. Our Dubai design and build service is perfect if you’re looking for a way to make a lasting impression on your clientele; and our free design consultation is an ideal starting point for this process. Alternatively, if you have a project in mind, simply contact us and a member of our team will be in touch. In the meantime, take a look at some more commercial design and build projects online.
