Best of British

A showcase of British design highlighted the high end of the industry.

The UK boasts a design culture that is diverse, wide-ranging, innovative - and very often overlooked. "Britain has a record of ingenuity and creativity," said Jeff Wilson, deputy consul general and head of the trade and investment section of the British Embassy in Dubai.

According to Wilson, British design is characterised by flexibility, openness and expertise, which makes it synonymous with innovation and enables it to guide and shape consumer trends. But, characteristically unassuming, it could be accused of failing to draw attention to its standing at the forefront of the industry.

"The British design industry is large and diverse, spanning disciplines from branding and graphics, packaging and commercial interiors, to product design, fashion, architecture, multimedia and crafts," he said.

"Its diversity of talent and expertise, and its willingness to adopt new ideas ensure that it will always have a leading role to play in guiding consumer tastes, as well as predicting and reflecting consumer trends," he added.

And as design becomes a key differentiator in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, the UK is well positioned to further strengthen its standing, he continued.

"Using design helps businesses compete on value rather than price - and helps them set the pace in crowded markets. British designers are renowned throughout the world for their ability to deliver effective design solutions. They also have a unique ability to produce design for the international marketplace," he said.

In an attempt to further highlight this international appeal, the British Embassy in Dubai organised an exclusive showcase of British design in November, giving a select group of high-end, highly specialised designers the opportunity to make initial moves into the UAE market.

"British designers are showing a continued and unrelenting interest in the UAE and Middle East market in general," said Pat Steel, senior international trade advisor, who was leading the UK contingent.

"British companies appreciate that the UAE market is looking for high quality, design-led products with the ‘wow' factor, at a fair price. This fact is upheld by trade statistics, which show that imports into the UAE of UK interior lifestyle product increased by 52% from 2006 to 2007," she noted.

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