If there’s one thing many of us love doing it’s shopping. Arguably one of the city’s favourite pastimes, we’ve scoured the capital to find some essential purchases.
There’s no shortage of outstanding malls, precincts and high-end boutiques in Abu Dhabi but there’s also a wealth of hidden gems for those who like to stray from the beaten path now and again. We hit the streets to find the best buys out there. So keep your credit card handy when you’ve finished reading this. You might be needing it…
Best boutiques
Maison Sez
A very rare diamond in the capital, Maison Sez is housed in a three-level boutique and is owned by Madonna Morgan who was born and bred in Abu Dhabi and felt there was something missing from the city’s shopping scene. The store offers brands such as Rebecca Taylor, Vivienne Westwood, Robert Rodriguez, Nicole Miller and Ambre & Babzoe.
Must-have item: Anything from Vivienne Westwood.
Marina Office Park Villa A28, next to Marina Mall (02 639 6900).
Jolie Boutique
This lovely shop for the ladies is tucked away in the Marks & Spencer building. Stocking brands such as Elisa Cavaletti, Isabel De Pedro, Versace 19.69 and stunning gowns from Sana Sabini, you are sure to find something that will suit a casual or a more dressy occasion.
Must-have item: Check out the funky range of sandals from Bonbon.
Marks & Spencer building (02 681 1130).
S*uce
This fun and modern boutique stocks everything from ladies’ wear to accessories plus clothes for kids. Carrying items from Ground Zero, Lu Flux, Antoni & Alison, Sugar Vintage and Essa this is a must visit for any fashionista.
Must-have item: We’re big fans of the bejeweled necklaces from Sharouk.
Marina Mall (02 681 8650).
Rodeo Drive
Brands include Tom Ford, Givenchy, Versace, Polo Ralph Lauren and many more so the fashion-conscious chap is sure to leave with many on-trend purchases.
Must-have item: Bag yourself a pair of Lanvin sunglasses to look cool in the summer.
Khalifa Street (02 681 4994).
Avenue at Etihad Towers
Located at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers hotel, stores include Hermes, Burberry, Canali, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Versace, Bally and the ever popular Manolo Blahnik.
Must-have item: A pair of Manolos for the girls and a watch from Cartier for the gents should do the trick.
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers (02 811 5555).
Fun fabrics
Cairo Fabrics
Cairo Fabrics is probably the most well-known fabric shop in the capital. They stock satin, linen, silk, jersey, wool and much, much more.
Must-have item: Choose a brightly-coloured cotton and have a maxi dress whipped up.
Opposite Mashreq Bank, Khalifa Street (02 629 9455).
Regal Fabrics
This huge textile store also offers up a wealth of silks, chiffons, lace, material for sarees plus a huge range of material for men’s and women’s shirts and suiting. They also have large sales throughout the year.
Must-have item: Try the tweed for a great looking men’s jacket.
Down from the Muhairy Centre, corner of 7th and 12th Streets, Khalidiyah (02 634 3844).
Al Wifaq Textiles at Madinat Zayed
This huge store with walls of fabric in Madinat Zayed is probably more suited to people looking for textiles or avid sewers buying fabric wholesale.
Must-have item: We loved the soft cashmere-like fabric. Perfect for a lovely pashmina.
Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre (02 634 1775).
Noor Al Balooshi
Ideal if you are a bit creative, Noor Al Balooshi stocks a large range of decorative items for hats or embellishments for outfits such as diamantes, sequins, buttons and ribbons. The staff are also very friendly and very accommodating.
Must-have item: We loved the endless range of coloured ribbons on offer.
Hamdan Street, next to Masala Magic Restaurant & Sweets.
Sports kit
Go Sport
This store sells a great range of bikes and accessories for all levels including helmets, riding gloves and clothing. They sell kids bikes, mountain bikes and professional bikes for serious cyclists. Staff are very knowledgeable so they will happily offer you any advice that you need. Of course, being a sports store they sell all sorts of sporting and gym equipment too but we reckon their bikes are their best asset.
Must-have item: Either a BMX or top-of-the-range mountain bike.
Bawabat Al Sharq Mall (02 586 8240).
Sun & Sand Sports
This store pretty much has you covered in terms of sporting equipment, gym gear and clothing. They stock brands such as Nike, Timberland, Columbia, Arena, Vans, Dunlop, Kettler, Icon and The North Face.
Must-have item: They sell a great range of yoga equipment.
Hamdan Street (02 674 6299).
Beyond the Beach
An enormous selection of board shorts and swimming costumes for adults and children plus they sell everything from boogie boards to kayaks.
Must-have item: We love the swimwear range from Seafolly.
Al Wahda Mall (02 0443 4201).
Opty Sport
Catering to athletes as well as people who spend a lot of time outdoors, they offer sport-specific sunglasses and prescription lenses.
Must-have item: Try the sunglasses with a headstrap. Ideal for water sports.
Mushrif Mall (02 690 4422).
Sports Direct
This giant sporting goods store has an extensive range of anything to do with exercise and the outdoors, from walking boots to tennis rackets.
Must-have item: The go-to place for top brand football boots.
Khalidiyah Mall (02 635 9888).
Head to the high street
H&M
The store is always jam-packed with skirts, dresses, accessories and lingerie for women plus sneakers, dress shirts and jeans for men.
Must-have item: Check out their up-to-the-minute footwear at bargain prices.
Various locations including Marina Mall (02 681 8300).
Zara
Zara is like an old friend who can be continually relied upon. Every season they serve up a great range of anything from casual tees to beautiful dresses and slick suits for men. We also love their bags, jewellery and huge range of shoes.
Must-have item: Ladies, try the new organic cotton range including tees from Dhs45. Gents, pick from their cool range of pocket handkerchiefs from Dhs75 and up.
Various locations including Abu Dhabi Mall (02 645 4858).
Massimo Dutti
This slick store is perfect for classy, tailored clothing for both men and women. They do great shoes and accessories, too.
Must-have item: We love their beautiful leather overnight bags.
Abu Dhabi Mall (02 645 4858).
Forever 21 Accessories
If you are ever in need of an accessory then this is the place. Forever 21 is full of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, shoes, bags and belts for any occasion.
Must-have item: Try one of their colourful bejeweled necklaces for summer.
Marina Mall (02 681 8300).
Marks & Spencer
This well known British store sells everything from fashion, underwear, make-up, body care, kidswear and food. The fashion range at M&S has had a bit of a makeover during the past couple of years.
Must-have item: They sell great underwear at excellent prices.
Marina Mall (02 681 8300).
The very best online stores
Aura-B
This Dubai-based online boutique is now super easy to navigate, thanks to a recent upgrade to its website. Head here for brilliant Arabic-inspired one-off buys, such as the locally designed Wasta T-shirts.
Must-have item: We love their Apple ‘I heart New York’ clutches.
www.aura-b.com.
Pink Fudge
This soon-to-be launched Dubai-based portal will offer iconic vintage accessories that you won’t find anywhere else. Think the most popular ‘it’ bags on the market and vintage Chanel accessories delivered to your doorstep within just two days.
Must-have item: It will be your go-to site for anything couture.
www.pink-fudge.com.
Maya’s Closet
Maya’s Closet is not only a fun fashion website but it’s home to a huge range of designers from across the Middle East region, stocking brands like Dash and Cash.
Must-have item: We love the dresses from Dash and Cash with Arabic calligraphy.
www.mayas-closet.com.
Souq.com
This website offers an enormous range of products including perfume, cameras, sunglasses, jewellery, laptops, cameras, books, mobile phones and much more. They have special offers each day which can include discounts on certain items up to as much as 70 percent and items will be delivered all of over the UAE.
Must-have item: They have a large range of tablets and iPads on offer.
www.uae.souq.com.
My Wardrobe
Although not a UAE-based website this UK site delivers to Abu Dhabi within three-seven working days. They also have decent sales.
Must-have item: Try the swimwear and Kaftans from Zimmerman for summer.
www.my-wardrobe.com.
Gourmet Food
Jones the Grocer
Not only is this one of the most popular cafés in the city but it also stocks a sublime range of gourmet food for you to purchase and take home or to give as a gift.
Must-have item: Pick up some of their delicious blueberry cordial.
Al Mamoura (02 443 8762).
Fauchon le Café
Don’t leave without picking up a box of Madeleines, éclairs, macarons, tea or coffee, packaged up in a Fauchon gift box.
Must-have item: So many to choose from but go with the macarons. The pistachio flavour are a particular TOAD favourite.
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers (02 667 2690).
Api Cae Gourmet
After you’ve tried the pizza and coffee don’t forget to pick up some of Api Cae’s bread that is baked fresh daily on the premises.
Must-have item: The classic cannoli with orange zest is always a winner.
Khalidiyah Tower A, Khalidiyah (02 666 8909).
Gluten Free Supermarket
If you suffer from gluten intolerance this online supermarket is the place to find produce for you. They’ve got everything from baking ingredients, bread, pasta, pizza bases, cereals and more.
Must-have item: Gluten free nuts and trail mixes for a healthy snack.
www.glutenfree-supermarket.ae.
Everything electrical
Jumbo Electronics
This huge store on Hamdan Street has one of the biggest ranges of brands in Abu Dhabi. They stocks the likes of Sony, Casio, Nokia, Apple and that’s just the start.
Must-have items: Head here for all of your Apple products such as iPads.
Hamdan Street (02 679 0298).
Plug-Ins
This mammoth store near Carrefour in Marina Mall is full of widescreen TVs, computers, laptops, mobile phones and more. It’s loud and busy but it’s well worth a look because they have a huge selection and all
at pretty competitive prices.
Must-have item: Check out their vast range of SLR cameras.
Marina Mall (02 681 5509).
Emax
They have a massive range of equipment for the kitchen including coffee makers, blenders, toasters and kettles plus accessories such as shavers, hairdryers, curling irons and straighteners amongst others.
Must-have item: We love the Bose sound dock. Great for parties.
Hamdan Street (02 674 4937).
Sharaf DG
This UAE-based electronics store also stocks Apple products along with Blackberry, Canon, LG, HP, Samsung, Sony and more.
Must-have item: A great place to buy home audio equipment and speakers.
Abu Dhabi Mall (02 645 4858).
Hot homewares
The One
We love this store for its dramatic and trendy furniture, fun homewares and gargantuan range of tabletop items.
Must-have item: Try their great range of candles, including some from famous designer Christian Lacroix.
Abu Dhabi Mall (02 645 4858).
Marina Home
This stunning store sells what we think is the nicest furniture in the capital.
Must-have items: Their great range of dining tables and chairs.
Abu Dhabi Mall (02 645 4858).
Dwell
Dwell stocks everything you need for bedding and linen along with bathroom items such as towels.
Must-have items: They sell great accessories for your bathroom.
Marina Mall (02 681 5509).
@home
This store sells items mainly for the kitchen including a huge range of glassware, plates, utensils and much more. They also sell nice lamps and bar stools as well as cushions, towels and vases.
Must-have items: They stock and an excellent range of Kitchen Aid products.
Al Wahda Mall (02 0443 4201).
Zara Home
Just like Zara, this store can always be relied on for something trendy for your home. They sell frames, glassware, cushions and much more along with sleepwear and a gorgeous range of clothes and homewares
for kids and babies.
Must-have item: Go for their fabulous range of funky frames.
Marina Mall (02 681 5509).
Home Centre
From outdoor tables and chairs to sofas and bedside tables, you’ll find it at Home Centre.
Must-have item: Have a look at their outdoor furniture with umbrellas.
Marina Mall (02 681 5509).
Terrific tailors
Allure Fine tailoring and Fabrics
Allure Fine tailoring and Fabrics used to be a hole-in-the-wall store cramped with textiles and rulers, but the great quality, fast turnover and friendly service meant people kept coming back for more.
delight@allure-tailoring.com (055 377 2050)
Kent Tailoring and Textiles Shop
Though it may seem like all men’s dress shirts are created equal, those tiny variations can make the difference between a much loved shirt and one that never gets worn.
Just behind the Al Noor Hospital on 3rd/Khalifa Street.
Joury Tailors
The owner of Joury Tailors, Farouk, is more than happy to talk you through the process of having a garment made and can offer advice on which materials will work best and how many yards you should buy.
Joury Tailors, behind Al Muhairy Centre, opposite Souk, Khalidiyah (02 631 7323).
Belle Veste
While some of its copies are simply divine the quality of the work and the price you pay depends on which of the tailors you get.
Where Khalifa Street ends near Al Noor Hospital (02 622 3737).
Orchid Tailor and Textiles
This gifted tailor is so good he’s always swamped with work.
Down the side street opposite Cairo Fabrics on 3rd/Khalifa Street (02 627 2215).
Souks and downtown bargains
Reshie Handicrafts
This place carries pashminas, handmade tablecloths and plenty of other carefully crafted pieces.
Must-have item: The colourful and soft pashminas.
Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre (02 621 0737).
Surprise Bags
Located upstairs in the shabby looking Hamdan Centre, Surprise Bags really lives up to its name. It mainly stocks cheap but fashionable bags and there is a huge range to choose from.
Must-have item: Great for cosmetic bags and chic sports bags.
Hamdan Centre (02 632 8555).
Al Jaber Gallery
Located at the Souk Central Market, Al Jaber sells everything from clothes to home décor.
Must-have item: The carefully crafted bowls are also not to be missed and come in lots of different shapes.
Souk Central Market (02 628 0456).
Kani
Looking for a beautiful kaftan to channel your inner Arabian Princess? While the prices for these items are more around the Dhs700-Dhs1,200 mark, they really are the cream of the crop.
Must-have: Anything long and embellished in a bright colour.
Souk Central Market (02 628 0456).
Exquisite Antiques Gallery
This store sells upmarket textiles such as scarves and tablecloths.
Must-have item: The beaded jewellery is worth a look.
Souk Qaryat Al Beri (02 558 1670).
Kings Recording
On the lookout for a rare album? This shop is literally bursting at the seams with music cassettes, CDs and LPs.
Must-have item: You’ll find pretty much any DVD you can think of in here.
Hamdan Centre (02 632 8555).
Mentino for Men
They sell polos, tees and lots of others men’s clothing at bargain basement prices.
Must-have item: A great place to visit if you’re after a pair of shorts, too.
Hamdan Centre (02 632 8555).
Carcassonne Gold and Diamond
They offer a great range of gemstones that come both set and loose should you wish to design your own piece.
Must-have item: Their pearl rings.
Hamdan Centre (02 632 8555).
All about Kids
Mothercare
Somewhat an institution for parents, this store sells everything from clothes, bottles, sterilisers, bath toys, prams and loads more.
Must-have item: The car seats are great and have a high safety rating.
Abu Dhabi Mall (02 645 4894).
Chateau de Sable
Recently opened in Al Wahda Mall, this gorgeous boutique has divine clothing for both kids and babies.
Must-have item: The tiny booties for babies are too cute to resist.
Al Wahda Mall (02 0443 4201).
Pottery Barn Kids
After having to travel to Dubai to visit this great store for many years it has finally opened in the capital. Offering everything you could possible need in terms of kids furniture, Pottery Barn sells fun, modern designs and products.
Must-have item: Their cushions for both girls’ and boys’ rooms are popular.
Al Wahda Mall (02 0443 4201).
Cotton On Kids
Perfect for great on-trend clothes for little ones at affordable prices.
Must-have item: We love the tutus for girls and leather jackets for boys.
Marina Mall (02 645 4894).
Katakeet
This stunning store stocks high-end brands for kids such as Fendi, Polo Ralph Lauren and even Baby Dior. You may not shop in here every day for your child but it’s the perfect store to buy a gift or for a very special occasion.
Must-have item: Colourful polos for boys and pretty outfits for girls.
Abu Dhabi Mall (02 645 4894).
Abu Dhabi designers
Grafika
This very bright and colourful store owned by Sumayyah Al Suwaidi, has become well known in Abu Dhabi for its on-trend clothing and fun accessories. Sumayyah is also the creative director of her own range of abayas, Seen.
Must-have item: Check out their amazing jewellery and crocodile and snakeskin clutches by Rida.
Delma Street, behind Trans AD. www.grafikauae.com (02 441 0511).
Vivienne Morgan Millinery
This Abu Dhabi-based milliner now sends her creations made to order all over the world. Sourcing materials from across the globe including outlet shops in London, silks from India, Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre in Abu Dhabi and great haberdashery shops behind Electra Street and veiling from Paris.
Must-have item: We love the designs with marbled feathers and pearls.
www.etsy.com/shop/VivienneMMillinery or email vmmillinery@yahoo.co.uk.
Aveen Jewellery
The latest collection incorporates unique gemstones set in natural leather to create striking cocktail rings and statement necklaces. Aveen’s inspiration stems from her experiences in all the fantastic places she has lived, including the Middle East, Russia, Hong Kong and Asia.
Must-have item: Try her beautiful large, funky, statement rings.
www.aveen.co.uk
Where you’ll shop next year
With more outlets such as Yas Mall and The Reem Mall yet to open, Abu Dhabi is set to almost double its retail space in the next two years. We take a quick look at a few more shopping locations that will open soon
Yas Mall
Although the original design of the shopping centre was cut from 300,000sqm to 250,000sqm, more than 50 percent of retail space has now been leased at Yas Mall. Scheduled to open in early 2014, it will boast 700 retail and food outlets, including four major department stores and will have 10,000 covered car parking spaces. It is set to be built on Yas Island and will be connected to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the Yas Waterworld waterpark and the Yas Marina Circuit.
The Reem Mall
Due to open on Reem Island in late 2014 The Reem Mall will boast a total floor area of 360,000sqm, combining a mix of retail, entertainment facilities and a range of high quality food and beverage outlets. This will make The Reem Mall one of the largest malls in Abu Dhabi with 550 stores and a nine-screen cinema.
The Collection at Saadiyat
The Collection will be the retail area within The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, which will cater mainly to residents of the St. Regis villas and apartments as well as residents of Abu Dhabi. Located on Saadiyat Island, The Collection aims to be the ultimate recreational destination, featuring a variety of high-end retail shops and dining outlets which will open in late 2014.
