A note from Karin & Liya
And breathe… With a ceasefire reached, the region finally got a moment to pause and regain its balance. In Dubai, life has largely returned to normal, cafés are buzzing, meetings are back, and the rhythm of the city is starting to feel familiar again. But the fashion industry has been quiet this month. In many ways, it felt like a reset. A moment to process, recalibrate, and reflect on how quickly conditions can shift, both operationally and culturally. What stood out to us this month is not just resilience, but adaptability, across brands, founders, and the broader ecosystem.
And from what we are seeing already, May will be a return to momentum. To quote Anne Hathaway in a recent interview: “Inshallah, I hope so”.
Shopify Launched AI Toolkit
Shopify launched its AI Toolkit and expanded integrations with ChatGPT, effectively making Shopify-powered brands “agent-ready”. While framed as a product update, this is a significant shift in the commerce stack. The toolkit connects AI agents directly to a merchant’s store via structured APIs and permission layers, removing the need to navigate dashboards or rely on manual execution. Tasks that once required multiple tools and developers can now be handled through conversational commands, from analysing conversion funnels to updating merchandising and optimising checkout flows. Commerce is moving from clicking to commanding, from interfaces to dialogue.
For the GCC, where digital commerce is scaling rapidly, this will introduce a new layer of operational speed. Brands can move faster, personalise more effectively, and optimise performance in real time, while retaining full control over data and checkout.
Saudi Capital Expands into Fashion
Saudi-based Maison Safqa raised a $620,000 pre-seed round, backed by 500 Global fund and regional investors, bringing a flash-sale / off-price model into a market where this format is still underdeveloped. At the same time, Aya closed a $7M Series A, building a demand-driven fashion model that tests and produces based on real-time customer signals, reducing inventory risk and aligning production more closely with demand.
Alongside startups, capital is also formalising at the ecosystem level. ZYA Fund launched as Saudi Arabia’s first dedicated fashion-focused investment vehicle, signalling a narrative shift toward fashion as an investable vertical rather than just a cultural industry. Taken together, these are not isolated announcements. They point to a broader evolution in the region, where new business models, funding structures, and infrastructure are emerging in parallel.
Logistics in Focus: Webinar Recap
Earlier this month, we hosted a webinar on the topic of GCC logistics disruption with Rebecca Griffiths, CEO and co-founder of Primis.CX. We discussed how the current environment is reshaping fashion operations across the GCC. With sea routes constrained and air freight costs rising sharply, brands shifted toward land-based routes via Oman and Saudi Arabia, while rethinking how they manage inventory and shipping. The most immediate actions were practical: consolidate shipments to reduce costs, collaborate across the supply chain, and consider onshoring by holding stock in GCC, to gain flexibility on duties and fulfilment. For smaller brands in particular, where volume is a disadvantage, these adjustments are becoming essential.
While consumer demand has been affected, it has also shown resilience. The key takeaway was to stay grounded in your own data rather than reacting to headlines, and to continue operating with transparency and clear customer communication. Even if the situation seems to be stabilising, there are many useful tips in the webinar. Watch the full session for a deeper breakdown.
The Closet Valet was born from a simple problem: running out of space for clothes that matter. Launched in 2023, the company is building a new category in the region, offering a “wardrobe butler” service where garments are individually handled, digitally catalogued, stored in optimal conditions, and delivered back ready to wear. Designed for a market defined by high fashion consumption and climate sensitivity, the model combines convenience with care, while tackling a key behavioural insight: most people only wear around half of what they own. Read the full interview here.
April ✨ Events we attended
Rio Fashion Week
After a ten-year hiatus, Rio Fashion Week returned, and we spent three days on the ground in Rio de Janeiro. We attended business sessions that discussed how AI is becoming embedded in creative processes and the growing influence of the Global South on the industry. The parallels with the Middle East are clear. Both regions are moving from inspiration to influence, building confidence in their own identity while shaping their role in the global fashion system.
Creative Co-Working in Dubai
In April, Buro 247 Middle East, Marie Claire Arabia, and Haya Magazine opened up their office hours to the creative community. We joined a session at Al Safa Art & Design Library, working out of Forma café alongside friends and new faces across fashion and media. No agenda, no panels, just a shared space for ideas and connection.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
The sequel delivered on the nostalgia, the storyline was all shade, and the outfits were 10/10. We were ready to catalogue every wearable tech sighting we could spot... but it turns out the only “tech” in the film were the tech bros. For a film that featured sunglasses that heavily, not including a single pair of Meta Ray-Bans felt like a missed opportunity.
The Fashion Masterclass, 9–10 May
Now in its second year and this time in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), The Fashion Masterclass brings together the region’s fashion ecosystem across business, media, and innovation.
Across two days, the programme will cover:
- 9 May: Fashion and Luxury PR, Media and Digital
- 10 May: Fashion Buying, Merchandising and Brand Building
Expect conversations led by industry leaders from Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, Chalhoub Group, Al Futtaim, Miu Miu, LVMH, Ounass and more.
Liya will be moderating a session with Erin Kiona Thompson on Sunday.
Use the code FASHIONTECH to receive a discount when booking your TICKET
Art Dubai, 15–17 May
Art Dubai continues to position the region at the intersection of art, culture, and technology. Increasingly, it is also where conversations around digital art, AI, and creative economies overlap, making it a key moment for cross-industry insight. Discover more details here.
FashionTech Coffee, 29 May
Our coffee meetups are back. A more informal format designed to bring together founders, operators, and anyone curious about the intersection of fashion and technology.
📍 Lighthouse, Dubai Design District
📅 Friday 29 May, 10 am
Register here
Quiet Tech, Deep Roots: Liya was featured in a piece in Gems of Arabia exploring how the new generation of fashion brands in Saudi Arabia is balancing technology and cultural heritage.
When Culture Becomes Code: Karin wrote a piece exploring how the real challenge for emerging fashion markets like Brazil is not creating culture, but translating its depth into globally scalable formats without reducing its meaning or richness.
YU.SH is hiring a Founder’s Associate in Dubai, working at the intersection of fashion, wellness, and technology. A rare opportunity to join an early-stage company building something genuinely innovative. Apply here.
Lenskart is hiring a Regional Head of Middle East based in Dubai. A senior, builder-style role owning Lenskart’s GCC expansion end-to-end, from P&L and AI-driven growth strategy to omnichannel scaling and market entry across the region. Apply here.
Amouage is hiring a Global Education Manager based in Dubai. The role blends luxury retail expertise with digital learning platforms, KPI-driven performance tracking, and evolving training formats, positioning education as a strategic lever for client experience, brand consistency, and measurable commercial impact. Apply here.
What we are listening to
The Glossy Podcast: The 5 Fashion Rules for Wearable Tech
Wearable tech is gaining renewed momentum, with major players like Meta, Apple, and Google doubling down on smart glasses following early success from Meta’s Ray-Ban collaboration. But despite this push, the category remains difficult to scale for mainstream fashion consumers.
What we are reading
A strong piece by Sujata Assomull from the Financial Times explores how designers across the Middle East are navigating the current conflict, balancing operational disruption with long-term resilience. From logistics challenges to shifting consumer behaviour, it highlights how the crisis is not just impacting the industry but accelerating its evolution toward more localised, resilient, and creative ecosystems.
Closing Thoughts
If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with anyone in your network who might be interested in how technology is reshaping fashion in the Middle East and beyond.
Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram to stay updated… and if you’re building something exciting in FashionTech, we’d love to hear from you.
Until next month,
Karin & Liya
Co-Founders, FashionTech Middle East
