THARAWAT MAGAZINE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
100
THE CARTEL
CONNECTING THE DOTS BETWEEN FASHION, ART, AND ARCHITECTURE An interview with May Barber, Founder of The Cartel
A real entrepreneur is defined by his or her ability to push the boundaries, blur the lines, and create uniqueness where others see uniformity. May Barber, founder of the Dubai-based concept store “The Cartel” embodies these characteristics, a fact which is reflected in her business’ success over the past few years. The Cartel is a unique concept showroom and store which aims to fuse art, fashion, and architecture into “wearable art.” Through the Cartel, Barber aims to enable an interactive platform for designers and artists to engage and to www.tharawat-magazine.com @tharawatmag /tharawat.magazine
provide a showcase and expose their products and their creations to the Middle Eastern consumers. Since its establishment, Barber and her team have developed emerging designers who went on to win national and international design awards. Tharawat Magazine had the opportunity to sit down with May in the Cartel’s new showroom in the Dubai Design District to discuss the origins of the concept store, how to build credibility in the fashion industry, and the changing requirements of today’s consumers.