Equity Mag Jan_18 Book Folder

FINANCE
relatively harder. Sedgwick, and by extension Gallery One,
was smart enough to use circumstances to further the
business model. “We were a tad lucky,” he confesses. “We
piggybacked on the exponential rise
in the UAE’s tourism sector. Gallery
One grew along with that trend and
went from one person in a tiny shop
to a staff of about 130 people.”
The art scene in the UAE, Dubai in
particular, is unrecognisable from
where it stood about 10 years ago.
It’s far more vibrant, alternative and
interactive, yet still brimming with
opportunity. Sedgwick claims he’s
at his most creative when he’s in
Dubai. “Dubai has always been an
opportunity,” he says. “It’s not a blank
canvas anymore, but there are still gaps
to be filled. Today, we’re not the only
ones engaging in cultural retail and
despite that, we’re inundated with work. We’re experts at
commercialising culture.”
Products at Gallery One sell from anywhere between
Dhs20 to Dhs15,000. While customers who feel far more
Dubai has always been
an opportunity.
It’s not a blank canvas
anymore, but there are
still gaps to be filled.
Today, we’re not the only
ones engaging in cultural
retail and despite that,
we’re inundated with work
comfortable with purchasing limited-edition pieces remain
the target market, Sedgwick and his team refuse to neglect
customer with lighter wallets. Surprisingly he’s not even put
off with millennials. Sedgwick believes
millennials aren’t dissimilar to other
generations. “They seek products that
are authentic and of limited edition,”
he says. “I think millennials appreciate
those values. Probably more so than
other generations because they’re
looking for that point of difference. In
a mass market, it’s hard to stand out,
by using regional influences, we create
products that do just that.”
The challenge for Gallery One now
though is appealing to those
millennials through their most
preferred channel of consumption:
social media. “Our products tend to
be visual and social media is
imperative to that exposure. Having said that, I’m far more
analogue as you can see,” Sedgwick says running his hand
through his perfectly coiffed salt and pepper hair. “It’s
something we still need to get up to speed with.”
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EQUITY