The Dhamani 1969 boutique, which opened in the Dubai Mall in June 2104, offers an entirely new level of glamour and luxury to showcase the brand’s precious gems and one-of-a-kind jewelry. The 3500 square foot boutique, designed by Callison, features sumptuous materials and an exacting attention to detail—silk-padded wall panels, creamy marble flooring, handmade wall coverings and a grand floral screen.

The Dhamani 1969 boutique—the showroom entry, center salon, rear showroom and two private V.I.P. rooms—allows for both casual browsing as well personalized, one-on-one attention and assistance. Rose gold-colored accents and bronze-hued finishes, the Dhamani brand colors, are subtly applied throughout the space.

The Dhamani 1969 Floral Screen
An intricate bronze-finished screen with the Dhamani brand floral pattern, reminiscent of a traditional pottery motif from Jaipur, India, is placed at the center of the boutique’s entry. Jaipur has particular significance to the Dhamani family who own and run the business—it is where they grew up and where their business began.

The Dhamani 1969 screen creates a grand backdrop and anchors the front salon with an iconic brand statement. The screen was custom designed by the Dhamani graphic design team and is laser cut from five millimeter thick metal. It was then cut into individual sections and hand-assembled with 7000 individual welds. Each leaf and every branch were individually hand-ground to create a smooth, seamless effect. The finished screen was then hand-rubbed in bronze finish for a singular, monumental presence. All told, the screen required more than a month’s time to fabricate.

Bespoke floral pattern wallcoverings, prominent in the center showroom, are made from multiple translucent layers of hand-dyed paper. The botanical shapes are cut and layered, then sealed and waxed –entirely by hand. A very detailed lighting program was implemented to highlight Dhamani’s bejeweled creations. Designers spent days experimenting with lighting types and positions, color and color temperature for showcase and vitrine lighting before developing their plan.

Even the storefront required special attention. The main storefront frames on either side of the door were fabricated as a whole due to their intricate metalwork. A team of 50 men were needed to carry and install the oversized frames and to prevent the unit from flexing and the metal joints from separating.

About
Founded in 1975, Callison is a global architecture firm specializing in the retail, mixed-use, corporate, hospitality, healthcare and mission critical markets worldwide. With more than 1000 employees and eleven offices on three continents—Beijing, Dallas, Dubai, Guangzhou, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, Scottsdale, Seattle and Shanghai—Callison is one of the largest design firms based in the United States. In 2014 the company was ranked #1 in retail design by Building Design + Construction and #15 out of 300 firms by Architectural Record. Callison offers “Matrix by Callison,” a comprehensive sustainable design tool for retail and commercial projects, which is free to the public on the firm’s website. For more information, visit www.callison.com.