The first MENA Design Outlook report, released by the Dubai Design & Fashion Council, painted a positive picture of the design market in the Middle East over the coming years. It also highlighted some of the obstacles that remain to be conquered, especially those of perception and intellectual-property protection.
The report offers a comprehensive view on the design industries in the region, showing it is gradually transitioning from importer and consumer of design to a creator and exporter of design-driven products and services, explained Emmanuel Durou, partner at consultancy firm Monitor Deloitte, which authored the report.
According to the report, the design sector in the MENA region grew at more than double the pace of the global industry over the last four years, surpassing $100 billion in combined revenues, with the UAE taking the largest 27 percent share. The report predicted that the MENA design industry will grow at an average 6.5 percent per year to reach $147.5 billion by 2019, contributing by then 5.2 percent of the global design market compared with the current 4.4 percent.
“MENA is a sizeable market and we believe there is tremendous opportunity for growth,” said Durou, adding however that there are limitations in the market that require more government support, “Beyond incubations and funding, there is a need for enforcement of IP protection regimes. Most of the IP laws exist in the region, with very decent protection frameworks, but it’s more about the enforcement. The second key gaps are on talent and education.”
Dubai has announced plans to become a global design and fashion hub by 2020. Earlier this year, it launched the first phase of its new Dubai Design District comprising 11 buildings to house 10,000 professionals. The second page is expected to be completed by 2018, with a final phase due in 2019.
This week, the Dubai Design District is hosting the first Dubai Design Week, a large umbrella event that incorporates the Downtown Design fair, a curated exhibition of small national pavilions highlighting design talent in the region, and 12 large scale art and design installations peppered across the city, amongst others.
