At just 22 years old, Salama Al Abbar made a bold decision that would shape her future. Instead of sticking to the comfort of a traditional 9-5 job, she chose to venture into entrepreneurship, driven by her own vision and dreams. Five years later, the young businesswoman has already made a mark on the business world, heading three successful companies and managing multinational projects aimed at promoting local talents.
Her journey, however, hasn’t been smooth. Like many entrepreneurs, Salama faced numerous challenges along the way. Yet, she is now recognized as a trailblazer in her field, with her innovative approach and commitment to empowering local fashion designers.
The First Step: A Leap Into the Unknown
Before becoming a well-known entrepreneur, Salama was a financial analyst at Ernst & Young. Although she worked with some of the brightest minds in the industry, it didn’t take long for her to realize that the world of numbers wasn’t where her heart lay. Fashion, she felt, was her true calling.
“Real-life experiences are very different from what you do in books at university. I started my career working as a Financial Analyst for Ernst & Young and quickly realized that this is not what I wanted to do. My heart was set on fashion, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it, I just didn’t know in which way,” Salama says, reflecting on her career shift.
Her father’s influence was crucial in her decision to go after her dreams. He always encouraged her to aim high and never give up, offering the kind of guidance that motivated her to take risks and pursue her passion, no matter the obstacles.
“Definitely and without a doubt, he has always been the one who inspired us to think big and dream big. He’s always been a huge influence, and continuously encourages us to keep going. When we’re feeling like we can’t do it anymore, or even in the moments where we fail, he always tells us to keep that experience and be proud of what we learnt from it,” Salama says with a smile.
Overcoming Failures: The Marami Experience
Every entrepreneur faces failure at some point, and Salama was no exception. Her first venture, a multi-brand accessories boutique called Marami, did not go as planned. Despite her dedication, the business didn’t take off due to a combination of factors, including a niche target market that couldn’t sustain the amount of space and effort she had invested in it.
“Although we ended up closing Marami, it was a good learning curve. Marami was almost my little experiment, and I could do it the way I wanted and learn the ins and outs of sales, hiring, and managing,” she admits.
Rather than being discouraged, Salama used this experience to her advantage. Instead of seeing the closure as a failure, she viewed it as an opportunity to grow and improve, which ultimately set the foundation for her future success.
Symphony: The Turning Point
Salama’s second attempt at entrepreneurship was far more successful. In 2019, she launched Symphony, a multi-brand store located in Dubai Mall. Symphony quickly gained popularity, thanks to Salama’s strategic focus on local clientele.
“I took everything I learned, and tried to perfect it with Symphony. We started with 20 brands, and today we are over 100 brands, which is crazy. It’s been three years and a half now, and it’s the dearest project to me,” she says with pride.
Symphony’s success can be attributed to its unique focus on the local market. Salama realized that many local shoppers, especially GCC nationals, were unable to find clothes that suited their tastes. Symphony was born out of her desire to fill this gap in the market.
“What differentiates Symphony is that we really buy for the local market. I decided to focus on the locals and the GCC nationals because I noticed that every time I went shopping, I couldn’t find things that I could wear. Nothing was really catered for me. So, the whole point of the store was to cater to girls like me,” Salama explains.
Expanding the Reach: BySymphony.com and Buro 24/7
Along with her physical store, Salama has expanded her reach online through BySymphony.com, an e-commerce platform that mirrors her commitment to the local market. She’s also the franchisee for the popular fashion portal Buro 24/7, which is known for offering a curated selection of fashion and lifestyle content.
Both of these platforms are now set to launch Arabic-language websites, catering specifically to the Middle Eastern audience. Salama believes there is a strong demand for luxury Arabic content on the internet, as the region currently lacks quality online content in the fashion industry.
“There is a big lack of luxury Arabic content on the internet. Every time you Google something, you get a forum. That’s all you can find. You find a lot of gossip blogs, but never quality content. There is a demand for quality Arabic content, for sure,” she says.
Promoting Local Talent: A Fashion Vision for Dubai
Salama’s dedication to promoting local talent is at the heart of everything she does. She firmly believes that Dubai has the potential to become a global fashion hub, but she feels that there are several key factors holding back the region’s growth in this area.
“Fashion moves economies. We really believe in supporting young talent and providing them with a platform because we are all young and we should support each other in a way. This is a part of our DNA that will not disappear,” she states passionately.
In line with this vision, Salama recently partnered with Vogue Italia to launch the first-ever “Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience” last October. This event aimed to promote emerging talent on an international stage, and out of more than 40 applicants, only four made it to the final round—a testament to the high level of competition in the industry.
Despite these promising developments, Salama believes that the lack of a comprehensive educational system for fashion in Dubai remains a major obstacle. She argues that more universities focused on fashion and retail are essential for nurturing talent in the region.
“What’s missing in Dubai is more fashion universities, or retail-focused universities. A lot of us got into fashion not knowing exactly what we wanted to do, and some of us got lucky and figured it out. Having the right education would help a lot in guiding us towards our future,” she reflects.
Salama is confident that once the proper education system is in place, Dubai will be able to produce the next generation of designers who can take their local brands to an international level.
“There are so many details that need to be taken into consideration—categories, range planning, costing, pricing, manufacturing. Designers need to know about all these aspects,” she adds.
Salama Al Abbar: An Entrepreneurial Legacy
As of now, Salama Al Abbar’s estimated net worth stands at around $15 million, a testament to her hard work, vision, and dedication to her craft. She continues to lead multiple businesses, expanding her reach within the fashion industry and beyond.
Looking ahead, Salama has no plans of slowing down. She remains committed to empowering local talent, expanding her businesses, and ultimately contributing to Dubai’s goal of becoming a global fashion capital. Through her perseverance, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit, Salama Al Abbar has proven that with the right balance of ambition and strategy, anything is possible.
Her journey from financial analyst to fashion mogul is a perfect example of how following your passion, learning from your failures, and embracing new opportunities can lead to unimaginable success. Do follow him on Instagram.
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