To her hundreds of thousands of followers, the influencer personifies the hallucinatory extravagance of a luxury Dubai lifestyle. Regularly posting pictures of champagne, couture outfits and private jets, peppered with motivational quotes and the occasional bikini shot, she claims to work in the fashion industry.
But to a businessman who introduced himself as a friend of a friend, her real job seems quite different. “Do you pay for presents? 4000 euros. Yes or no,” she replied almost instantly after he sent her a private message on Instagram. “I had 10,000 last night. Do you think you’re so famous and handsome that you get a discount?”
Drawn by winter sun, non-existent income tax, relatively loose pandemic restrictions and easy-to-obtain visas, thousands of influencers have arrived in the past few years, flooding social media with posts extolling the glamorous possibilities of life in the emirate.
They depict a world in which beach-club visits, Bollinger and oysters by the dozen are weekday fare, and evenings are spent with the world’s ultra-rich, which now includes the thousands of Russians who have poured into the city since the war in Ukraine began. In late 2022, they were joined by football fans from across the world who wanted to stay in Dubai while going to World Cup matches in neighbouring Qatar.
For a gleaming city of glass and steel that 70 years ago did not have electricity or running water, the aspirational imagery is marketing dynamite.
Denne historien er fra February 2023-utgaven av Marie Claire Australia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra February 2023-utgaven av Marie Claire Australia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SHANNEN DOHERTY
The rebellious actor died in July after a nine-year battle with cancer. Zara Wong looks back at the legacy of a woman who always lived on her own terms
IN THE WILDS OF ALASKA
Nature served up a spectacular array of delights, while cruising the majestic waters of the far north.
Back to EARTH
In its earliest days, the farm bred draught horses for export. Now Tasmania's 1840 cottage Leighton House has been restored as a glorious getaway
ODE to LIGHT
Created by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian in 2011, Elie Saab's Le Parfum has since gained a cult following and become an industry icon. Here, Sally Hunwick uncovers the origins of the stunning chypre floral scent
JEN ATKIN
The Ouai beauty guru is regularly called on by the Kardashians and a host of other A-listers. Here, she talks about hair, her beauty cupboard and how she keeps up her energy levels
A NEW DIRECTION
When she was 16, Jordan Lambropoulos told her surgeon she'd rather die than wake up with a colostomy bag. Today - 10 years, countless operations and 14,000 Instagram followers later - she's proof that a colostomy bag is not the end. In fact, it can be the beginning of a whole new life
LADY LUCK
Rosalía takes her accessories as seriously as she takes her art. The Spanish musician spent three years working on her much-lauded album Motomami, finessing the details and perfecting the finishing touches. And when it comes to her outfits, she's no less specific
Wait... superhero movies are cool now?
Who had Emma Corrin and Juno Temple as supervillians on their 2024 bingo card?
CURTAIN CALLING
Brisbane-born star Vidya Makan steps into the shoes of America's founding mother in the long-awaited return of Hamilton
LEIGH-ANNE
The English singer on colourism, freedom and reuniting Little Mix
