The City Of Gold — Asil Attar

The City of Gold Campaign was a labour of love. For years I have wanted to create a tribute to the region that has supported me and allowed me to gain many firsts. I also wanted to showcase the rich heritage and history of trading from the fisherman to the pearl sea divers who worked relentlessly to build this region and to the women who stood beside their men, supporting them and equally working hard, empowered and strong.

I was driving by the creek with Tavis one day and I saw the most beautiful series of old dhows, in almost every colour of blue and lilac, that were docked and worn down by the waves that battered their structures. In the backdrop lay the old city of Dubai, Bastakiya, with all its amazing houses and to the left the new Dubai.

Wow, I was inspired and said to Tavis “Gosh, imagine if I did a campaign on the Dhow with an incredible empowered woman, in the ocean, working, trading, wearing the most fantastic gown, weathered and torn, a few weeks before, I had gone to Aiisha Ramadans, runway for AW2019 and I fell in love with the most beautiful masterpiece of tulle that she had created and I had to have it, so I purchased it for our Damas offices, I knew I would do something with it. Fast forward, all I could see was this amazon, wearing it, standing on the dhow empowered. I could see the whole thing and the words, BE EMPOWERED, BE DAMAS.

This was it, I knew I had to do this. The theme was focused on Women empowerment and becoming part of the Damas world.

CAMPAIGN SPEECH

I led the entire creative direction of the campaign. I wanted to create the start of a new journey for Damas, sharing our new vision and direction, dedicated to all the women in the world, honouring our heritage, inspiring the imagination and crafting tomorrows dreams. I want them to feel sophisticated and empowered.

For years, I have championed women empowerment, an ambassador for women and for years I have wanted to create a community where women of all ages can come together and share unique experiences, a place to belong, hence our taglines “BeEmpowered, BeDamas.”

It’s all very well having a vision, but implementing it is the most challenging part, I orchestrated a dream team to deliver the campaign alongside my inhouse marketing and PR teams, tying up with some of Bollywood’s most admired Directors and producers, Raaj Menon known, Film Director, for over 17 years, Priya Seth, one of the few female underwater cinematographers and Rahul Raj, who has written over a 100 music scores.

The stress and pressure this campaign put us under, the 24 hour days, sleeping in the office, the shouting matches and endless junk food enabled us to deliver one of the most beautiful campaigns globally.

CITY OF GOLD CAMPAIGN - DUBAI - SEPTEMBER 2019

The most fascinating thing for me, was after we aired the campaign. I had almost ever single man come up to me and congratulate me, they were emotional, they were moved, they couldn’t describe how they felt, they understood this was for them as much as it was for women. Men are our support, they are part of our lives and enrich everything we do. I am not a feminist, I do not drive a message that women do not need men, or that they do not need to be rescued by prince charming, I represent a message where empowered women stand alongside men, where my intelligence, confidence and merit represent me and where I do want to be with my prince charming, every girl does.