Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2015

With the eighth annual Luxury Lifestyle Awards coming to Dubai on May 21, we sat down with Alexander Chetchikov, Owner and Founder of the awards, to found out what we can expect from this years event…

When are the Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2015 and where will they be held?
The eighth annual Luxury Lifestyle Awards Middle East will be held for the first time in Dubai, U.A.E on May 21st at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel and we anticipate 300 guests.

Tell us about the concept behind the Awards…
The Luxury Lifestyle Awards are international awards presented to companies in the luxury sector, for their initiatives and outstanding achievements. The awards are given following an impartial, independent and large-scale evaluation of companies. Participants are evaluated by an expert jury, which includes the first persons of international companies in the luxury sector, independent experts and business analysts, as well as chief editors of targeted mass media. We believe that receiving an award will boost a company’s profile in the eyes of the professional community.

This will be the first time that the Awards are held in Dubai. What makes the UAE the best place to hold such an event?
The Middle East market is one of the fastest growing and most promising markets in the world of luxury. Dubai is the most expensive city in the Middle East – making it the gem of the Middle East, combining luxury, opulence and lavishness with a high regard for leisure and business-related extravagance. We are pleased to hold the awards in Dubai and we hope that our project will help luxury brands, represented here, to become famous globally.

What makes brands eligible to enter?
All brands and companies who are doing business in the luxury sphere and are either globally recognised, new and local, or want to enter another market, can register for participation. After receiving their registration, our analytical department will vet them according to the criteria of the category they have registered for. If they match said criteria, we will invite them to participate in the Luxury Lifestyle Awards.

Can you give us some details about the awards/categories themselves?
Companies and luxury brands from across the Middle East region were invited to register and participate for various categories: residential real estate, luxury restaurants, luxury hotels, boutique hotels, national brands, luxury spas and wellness centers, luxury jewelry brands, luxury design studios, fashion designers and private banks. Participants were selected in the following categories according to an evaluation criteria, and each category has its own, unique criteria.

Who judges the entries for the Luxury Lifestyle Awards?
The Honoured Jury of the Luxury Lifestyle Awards is a professional honourary committee comprised of leaders who have a wealth of knowledge on the luxury market, and deliver unparalleled service and passion to each of the particular branches of the industry they work for. Each member is selected for his/her global expert opinion, valuable practical experience on their local and international luxury market. The Honored Jury consists of three jury sets: International (professionals from worldwide), Middle East (professionals from Middle East countries) and Main Jury (owners and CEO of the nominated companies).

 What has been your advertising strategy for the UAE?
In a rapidly growing global luxury market, we understand that we should put digital at the centre of our advertising strategy in order to attract new clients and retain existing ones. Our focus is on online promotion by building conversations with clients and engaging them. We are present on different social media networks – LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube – and for each of them we generate unique content relevant to that media channel.

How do you think the Luxury Lifestyle Awards will develop in the future?
Future upcoming events will be in Dubai and the Luxury Lifestyle Awards Europe 2015 will be held in Milan, Italy, at the end of September 2015. In the next year we want to enter into the US and Asian markets, by engaging all spheres of the luxury sector.