Dubai Shopping

  1. 1847

    Men: if you're olive-complexioned and can grow a good-looking beard, we highly recommend you do so while in Dubai. The Arabs will approve and be ever-so-slightly more accepting of you. (It worked for us.) However many pasty-faced British expats prefer to keep a hairless visage; the dandies among them indulge in an old-fashioned straight-razor shave - complete with hot towels beforehand - at the clubby men-only 'grooming salon' 1847. Ask about packages, including mani-pedis and massages. Good haircuts, too.

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  2. 2000 Horizon Antiques

    These guys offer the best prices in Karama Shopping Centre - and that's before you even start bargaining. The selection may be smaller than most, but you'll still find enough Orientalia to recreate the Arabian look at home. The friendly no-nonsense service is a welcome respite from the irritating spruikers outside.

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  3. Aizone

    Lose yourself for hours in this enormous Lebanese fashion emporium, with hard-to-find labels and snappy drag for twirling on the dance floor. Prices skew high, but wow, what a collection.

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  4. Ajmal at BurJuman Centre

    The most popular maker of heady Arabian attars (perfumes and essential oils) in the region, Ajmal custom-blends its earthy scents. These aren't fancy French colognes - they're woody and pungent perfumes. Look for 'Zikra Al Nawaaem', a spicy sandalwood-based scent in an ornate gold bottle.

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  5. Ajmal at Deira City Centre

    The place for traditional Arabian perfumes, Ajmal caters to well-heeled Emirati women. The fancy jewel-encrusted bottles are as impressive as the scents.

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  7. Al Jaber Gallery

    This is an offshoot of the City Centre store, offering an even wider selection of Oriental and Arabian handicrafts, souvenirs and carpets, from the Middle East and India, from brass coffee pots to Bedouin khanjars .

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  8. Al-Ain Shopping Centre

    Jam-packed with small shops selling every kind of software, hardware and accessory for PCs, this computer and electronics mall also has a good range of digital cameras. There is an internet café and fast-food outlets on the ground floor. Across the street, Al-Khaleej Centre has similar (but fewer) stores.

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  9. Al-Ghurair City

    If seeing all those flowing robes has made you want your own checked keffiyah (or gutra, as they're called in the Gulf), grab yours at Al-Ghurair City, the place to shop for national dress, offering stylish abayas and shaylas, quality leather sandals, and dishdashas in chocolate and slate (popular for winter). Be forewarned: the floorplan is confusing.

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  10. Al-Jaber Gallery

    Look past the tacky souvenirs to find some quality handicrafts, including colourfully embroidered Indian tapestries spangled with beads and cool hand-of-Fatima mirrors. If you're intrigued by the idea of henna tattoos, pick up a starter kit here and design your own.

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  11. Al-Orooba Oriental

    You'll have to decide whether to enjoy the ritual of unfurling fine carpets or combing over the cool collection of Bedouin jewellery, prayer beads, ceramics and khanjars - you won't have time for both: this is high-quality stuff that merits careful attention.

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  13. Allah Din Shoes

    This small outdoor stall near the abra dock was the first to offer fabulous sequinned slippers and gold-thread curly toed Aladdin shoes from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Although everyone's selling them now, it's still the best for quality and variety.

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  14. Aminian Persian Carpets

    This trusted Iranian-carpet specialist has great service and stocks a wide selection of classic Persian carpets and colourful tribal kilims. Plan to linger long: the collection is far bigger than it first appears.

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  15. Amzaan

    Sharjah princess Sheikha Maisa al-Qassimi's funky little boutique specializes in local and out-of-town designers, with an ever-changing line-up of labels. Ones to look for: Manoush, Free for Humanity, and Dubai-based brands you won't find anywhere else.

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  16. Azza Fahmy Jewellery

    Egyptian Azza Fahmy crafts jewellery inlaid with precious gemstones and fine calligraphy of classical Arabic poetry and spiritual sayings that express core values of Islam. Even if you're not a believer, there's no disputing the elegant simplicity and beauty of these unique pieces.

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  17. Bateel

    Old-style traditional Arabian hospitality meant dates and camel milk. Now Emiratis offer their guests Bateel's scrumptious date-chocolates and truffles, made from 120 varieties using European chocolate-making techniques. Try the sparkling date drink and take home some date jam. Other locations: Deira City Centre and Jumeirah Town Centre.

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  19. Bauhaus

    Dubai's hipsters make it a habit to drop into Bauhaus frequently for its edgy fashion - from Evisu jeans to Philipp Plein and Antik Denim - street art, interesting CDs and occasional parties featuring live DJs, catwalk shows and graffiti art.

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  20. Blue Cactus

    The buyer is from Mexico at this upstairs boutique, and boy, does she have an eye for brilliant colour and sexy lines. The va-va-voom fashions are mostly American, and range from sleek long dresses with gorgeous drapings to sassy separates that look hot on a dance floor. NB: the downstairs shop carries cool Mexican silver jewellery.

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  21. Book Corner

    The number of English and Arabic titles is astounding, but the best reason to come is for travel-related and children's products. Look for the 'Quran Challenge Game', a wacky souvenir. NB: if you're buying travel books, check the publication dates (the store stocks out-of-date titles as well as new ones).

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  22. Boulevard At Emirates Towers

    If you feel like you're being watched, you are. Emirates Towers is the location of Sheikh Mohammed's office, and the secret police are everywhere. Dress appropriately and keep your voice down as you window-shop exclusive designer boutiques like Bulgari, Cartier, Zegna, Armani, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Pucci and the fabulous Boutique 1.

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  23. Boutique 1

    Ground zero for prêt-à-porter straight off the runways of Paris and Milan, Boutique 1 is the pinnacle of Dubai's fashion scene with designers like Missoni and Yves St Laurent. If you're a fashionista but don't want to drop Dh10000 on a new outfit, pop in for a preview of next season's new looks, go home and recast them using thrift-shop finds, and you may find yourself featured in the New York Times 'On the Street' fashion page.

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  25. BurJuman Centre

    Dubai's answer to Beverly Hills, BurJuman has one of the highest concentrations of high-end labels and an easy-to-navigate floorplan with wide expanses of shiny marble. Too bad it's freezing inside. Max out your credit card at Saks Fifth Avenue, Dolce and Gabbana, Donna Karan, Kenzo, Calvin Klein, Etro, Christian Lacroix, Cartier and Tiffany.

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  26. Camel Company

    If you can slap a camel on it, Camel Company has it. This hands-down best spot for camel souvenirs carries plush stuffed camels that sing when you squeeze them, camels in Hawaiian shirts, on T-shirts, coffee cups, mouse-pads, notebooks, greeting cards and of course fridge magnets.

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  27. Camper

    The opening of Dubai's first Camper store meant local hipsters no longer had to travel all the way to Barcelona for these funky, functional leather shoes and sneakers - crafted on centuries-old shoe-making techniques - although it was a good excuse while it lasted.

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  28. Carrefour

    This enormous French hypermarket draws big crowds of Emiratis and European expats for its off-the-jet-fresh seafood, foie gras, stinky cheeses, fresh-baked bread and plump Arabian olives. It also stocks an excellent selection of well-priced mobile phones, digital cameras and electronics.

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  29. Charles & Keith

    Just this side of a discount show boutique, Charles & Keith is a refreshing change from ubiquitous Prada. The girly collection of shoes ranges from easy-wear clogs to strappy sandals ideal for Dubai's heat.

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