The 2016 edition of Market Outside the Box kicks off

It’s the third edition of Market Outside the Box (MOTB), an endeavour started in 2014 by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment – an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and the organiser of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).

Every year the quirky outdoor market, where retailers operate out of colourful sustainable containers, runs towards the last week of DSF. This year it starts from today going on until January 30.

Located in the heart of downtown, this unique, vibrant and creative retail environment offers a great platform for young and talented entrepreneurs to showcase their brands. Alongside shopping the atmosphere is further enlivened by the food trucks offering gastronomic delight, music, yoga and fitness, drama, dance and poetry sessions to entertain the whole family.

There is a chill out zone too where visitors can read the newest novels in Park Central. Not to forget the pop-up open air cinema overlooking Dubai’s tallest and iconic building, the Burj Khalifa.

This year more than 80 exhibitors are participating at MOTB. And a lot of them are returning exhibitors to this fun-filled outdoor market.

Nisha Varman Shetty, founder of sustainable home furniture and furnishing concept The Urban Yogi, exhibiting at MOTB for the second year says, “It’s a very creative and innovative concept that seeks to promote young talent. It’s quite well-organised, which is why so many exhibitors like us return to this market year after year.”

“Moreover, MOTB understands the value of sustainable concepts and gives us a great opportunity to showcase our wares and connect with like-minded audience,” she adds.

Another returning exhibitor is Aimee Changco, co-founder of BaemBu – the first apparel concept in the UAE made of 70% bamboo and 30% organic cotton. “Being a brand with a strong ethical and ecological theme, we partake only in a few handpicked markets every year. And we love being part of MOTB, which offers a great environment and encouraging audience. People who visit MOTB understand what our brand stands for, and they connect with us,” she shares.

“The market opened at 4pm today and it’s already very busy and buzzing with excitement,” states Changco.

There are first-timers too. An example would be Yoko Shimada, founder of maternity wear concept Mitera – which means ‘mother’ in Greek. “This is our first year at MOTB. A friend highly recommended this market to me as a great platform to meet with people face-to-face, introducing them to our brand that operates online,” says Shimada.

“We launched Mitera in the US in March 2015. Today our high quality dresses made of Japanese fabric for modern mothers – pregnant, nursing and beyond – are shipped worldwide,” she elaborates.

Several other concepts exhibiting at MOTB include Vikki Shop, StashA, Little Majlis, Boom & Mellow, Studio Manhattan, The Gipsy Kids, The Hipster, Neon Edge, Y Apparel, My Mocho, West LA, Drawdeck, The Nail Pavillion and Hotbox, among others.