{"id":750480,"date":"2025-11-27T12:52:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T09:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=750480"},"modified":"2025-11-27T12:52:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T09:52:08","slug":"what-you-missed-at-the-vogue-business-global-summit-middle-east","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=750480","title":{"rendered":"What You Missed at the Vogue Business Global Summit: Middle East"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Summits<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What You Missed at the Vogue Business<\/em> Global Summit: Middle East<\/h1>\n
By <\/span>Vogue Business in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group, and Chalhoub Group<\/span><\/span><\/span>Photographer <\/span>Hyku Desesto<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

November 27, 2025<\/p>\n

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    Photo: Hyku Desesto<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n
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    It\u2019s a hub of technological innovation, a high-potential region for Western brands and a gateway to the world for labels from the East. So for the second edition of the Vogue Business<\/em> Global Summit, it made sense to turn our sights to Dubai, for a two-day event unpacking luxury\u2019s new era.<\/p>\n

    Where are executives investing when it comes to innovation? Which markets hold the highest potential in today\u2019s macroeconomic environment? How is that environment changing habits among Gen Z consumers? And how are brands using luxury and design hubs like Dubai to scale globally? These were just some of the questions addressed during the two-day event, led by leading executives from d3 and Chalhoub Group, alongside Vogue Business<\/em> editors.<\/p>\n

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    Hosted at the sprawling, Jumeirah beach resort, the Vogue Business<\/em> Global Summit: Middle East Edition took place across several venues, from the opulent ocean-side gala dinner at Riviera Beach, to the rich program of keynotes and panels, held in Mina Ballroom, and lunch on the deck at Pierchic. Speakers included regional and international executives, from Chalhoub Group CEO Michael Chalhoub and creator Karen Wazen to Marni CEO, Maison Margiela chair and OTB scion Stefano Rosso. Meanwhile, panels unpacked the themes key to both our reporting and the region, from Eastern brands Rahul Mishra and Dima Ayad using Dubai as a vehicle for scale, to the Future of Appearance, with leading doctors and dentists, and digital strategies with Meta, Bureau Beatrice and The Luxury Closet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Here\u2019s a rundown of what you missed.<\/p>\n

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    An Executive\u2019s Guide to Innovation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    To open the event, we cast our eyes to the future with Rosso, Marni CEO, Maison Margiela chair and board member of parent group, OTB, for an Executive\u2019s Guide to Innovation. Rosso broke down his work on the Aura Blockchain Consortium, as well as the adoption of digital product passports (DPPs) across OTBs brand stable. While consumer desire for this kind of technology remains low, Rosso sees true value in DPPs to support and track secondhand luxury shopping, while helping brands understand how their products move after that initial purchase. \u201cTechnology is actually opening a big opportunity to have a dialog [with the customer] further down the line,\u201d he said. \u201cUnlike in previous generations, it feels today like we\u2019re talking about a different consumer.\u201d<\/p>\n

    OTB is in a stage of major transition across its brands, with debuts from Glenn Martens at Maison Margiela and Simone Belotti at Jil Sander, as well as the upcoming show of Meryll Rogge at Marni. Rosso underlined that fashion\u2019s creative transition at large is in response to the challenging economic environment, and at OTB, he explained that outgoing creative directors John Galliano and Francesco Risso spent over a decade at Maison Margiela and Marni, respectively, as their contracts naturally came to an end. When it comes to Rogge, Rosso knew he wanted to hire a woman to helm Marni, because he feels women\u2019s ready-to-wear is a major growth avenue for the brand \u2014 and a woman designer is well placed to develop that category. At group level, \u201cthere is much to do\u201d, he shared, notably expansion in territories like the Middle East and LatAm, where OTB continues to open stores.<\/p>\n

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    The Future of Appearance<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    For the second session of the day, we shifted gears to beauty, with a panel inspired by Vogue Business<\/em>\u2019s Future of Appearance series, published in April 2025. We brought together leading plastic surgeon and founder of the Aeon longevity clinic Dr. Jaffer Khan; wellness expert and Cosmic Doctor founder Dr. Lamees Hamdan; and longevity-focused dentist Dr. Mahsa Nejati, to unpack the innovations that are revolutionizing beauty and wellness. Each of the panelists underlined how wealthy consumers are shifting their spend to longevity and biohacking to reverse or slow aging. In response, surgeons, doctors and dentists are shifting focus to preventative wellness, whether that\u2019s reducing inflammation, or improving skin quality to increase the efficiency of aesthetic treatments.<\/p>\n

    Dr. Khan\u2019s Aeon, inside Atlantis the Royal, is a longevity-focused clinic that offers stem cell therapy, from blood-cleaning ozone therapy that removes metals and microplastics, to NAD+ IVs, hyperbaric oxygen chambers and infrared beds. It\u2019s in response to scientific innovations. \u201cAt the human genome project in 2004, we decided the genome is the thing. Now, it\u2019s the human exposome: the pollution around you, your sleep, your stress, your diet, what light sources you take in,\u201d Dr. Khan said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Across dentistry, aesthetic medicine and wellness, stem cells and exosomes will be crucial looking ahead, experts agreed. Undetectability is the key goal, with Dr. Hamdan predicting that some of these buzzy ingredients like exosomes will soon be more widely available in skincare, as well as in aesthetic medicine.<\/p>\n

    The Gulf\u2019s golden gateway<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Traditionally, India has been known as a sourcing market for crafts, textiles and production expertise, while the Middle East has been seen as a market that appreciates luxury and enjoys fashion like no other. Today, however, both markets are gaining recognition for their own creativities and their own fashion labels.<\/p>\n

    Vogue Business<\/em> contributing editor Sujata Assomull invited Indian independent designer Rahul Mishra and Dubai-based designer Dima Ayad, to unpack why Dubai is a powerful vehicle for brands seeking global scale. Ayad, who recently opened a Dubai showroom in Dubai Design District (d3) explained how the city is full of possibilities for independent talent. Both referenced their collaborations \u2014 Ayad with Marina Rinaldi, Mishra with Tod\u2019s \u2014 as learning experiences that helped them to build international resonance.<\/p>\n

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    Dubai is the \u201ccity of hope\u201d, Mishra said. \u201cWhen you open a store in Dubai, it\u2019s going to be your best store in the world in terms of numbers.\u201d Couture is growing in parallel with hospitality right now, as consumers are increasingly seeking experiences, which both categories provide.<\/p>\n

    Gen Z Broke the Marketing Funnel<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Following its release the week of the event, Vogue Business<\/em> head of advisory Anusha Couttigane interviewed senior trends editor Lucy Maguire about Gen Z Broke the Marketing Funnel, What Now? produced in collaboration with youth culture agency Archrival. In this short download of the findings, Lucy unpacked how in the infinite loop of inspiration, exploration, community and loyalty, and in a world of hyper-convenient social commerce, Gen Z now finds shopping mindless. Their constant scrolling, coupled with today\u2019s challenging socioeconomic backdrop, is changing their perceptions of social media, luxury and creators. At the same time, however, Gen Zs are increasingly turning to new platforms like Reddit and ChatGPT, to find personalized, anonymous fashion and beauty advice. And instead of finding inspiration from traditional social media feeds, they\u2019re looking to the comment section, the search bar and more private channels to find information on products and brands.<\/p>\n

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    Luxury\u2019s digital frontiers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Then, Anusha hosted a panel on luxury\u2019s digital frontiers, exploring how AI, social trends and authentication are driving innovation in the market. Anusha was joined by Moon Baz, director of global partnerships for the Middle East, Africa and T\u00fcrkiye at Meta; Jon S Maloy, co-founder and chief creative officer of Bureau Beatrice; and Nicola Ghin, director of authentication at The Luxury Closet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Baz spoke about the trust consumers have in different Meta environments, especially across Whatsapp, which is the most widely used instant messaging service in the UAE, making it a key tool for brands to build direct relationships with valuable customers. She also spoke about the innovative solutions Meta continues to add to its platforms, including AI integrations that help brands make more informed decisions and create more accurate engagement strategies.<\/p>\n

    Maloy echoed the need for seamlessness, emphasizing that, in spite of digital advancements, AI will never be a replacement for human creativity. He described examples from campaigns that Bureau Beatrice had developed for Chaumet, arguing that digital experiences are best used as a partner to \u2014 or enhancement of \u2014 the physical brand world.<\/p>\n

    Meanwhile, Ghin explained that reluctance to engage with pre-loved luxury products has now translated to popular appreciation. Authentication practices at The Luxury Closet, he said, are still highly manual, which is part of the proposition that cultivates trust for its shoppers. But, Ghin added, new AI tools are helping them to assess the condition of products faster and more efficiently.<\/p>\n

    Sitting down with Michael Chalhoub<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    To round off the day, Sujata sat down with Michael Chalhoub, CEO of Chalhoub Group, the engine behind eight luxury brands, including Christofle and Level Shoes, as well as over 300 international brand businesses in the Middle East, from Louis Vuitton to Dior. Michael succeeded his father Patrick just over a year ago, with this session outlining the key strategies he\u2019s put in place during his first year at the helm.<\/p>\n

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    The aim is investing in the future, he shared. This includes Chalhoub\u2019s movement into AI, focused on Layla AI, the region\u2019s first large-scale generative AI beauty coach, which is already doubling conversion rates at the group\u2019s beauty concept stores, Faces, with most users interacting in Arabic. It also includes the group\u2019s investment in new markets, particularly in LatAm, \u201ca high-potential market\u201d, India and Africa. Then, Chalhoub Group is investing in local and international luxury via its brand incubator, which has raised brand revenues fivefold over the last year. As it casts its eyes beyond the Middle East, Michael reminded us that Chalhoub\u00a0has had to move headquarters from Damascus, to Kuwait, to Beirut over its 70-year history, and understands the need to be agile.<\/p>\n

    So far, the CEO is happy that Chalhoub Group \u2014 which celebrated its 70th anniversary two weeks ago \u2014 reached 8% revenue growth in 2025, an achievement he is \u201cvery proud of\u201d, in spite of the global geopolitical landscape. \u201cWe were all very happy about that, and we are happy the transition has gone as planned,\u201d the executive said. While Michael understands he has \u201cbig shoes to fill\u201d, he is confident in his vision \u201cfor the next 70 years\u201d.<\/p>\n

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    Source URL: http:\/\/vogue.com\/article\/what-you-missed-at-the-vogue-business-global-summit-middle-east<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Summits What You Missed at the Vogue Business Global Summit: Middle East By Vogue Business in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), part of TECOM Group, and Chalhoub GroupPhotographer Hyku Desesto November 27, 2025 Photo: Hyku Desesto It\u2019s a hub of technological innovation, a high-potential region for Western brands and a gateway to the world […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":750481,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-750480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-vogue-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/750480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=750480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/750480\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/750481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=750480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=750480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=750480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}