An Edinburgh entrepreneur and his Scottish business partner have continued to make waves in the Middle East by featuring in a prestigious magazine whilst dressing various celebrities.
Calvin Smith, 30, from Clermiston and Ryan Smith, 29, from Saltcoats, have been making a splash out in Dubai with their business Suited & Booted.
The company that was founded by Ryan over five years ago was given a prominent space in the infamous ‘What's On magazine’ in their ‘UAE Famous feature.’
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Not only that but the dynamic duo were also judges and sponsors of the iconic race meet, the Dubai World Cup, following in the footsteps of giants like TopShop and Jaguar.
Suited & Booted featured in an Edinburgh Live article last summer and the business has gone from strength to strength with their suits being sought after by Rangers royalty in John Lundstram and Alan McGregor, as well as Youtube sensation Abdu Rozik and actor Tamer Hassan.
On their meteoric rise over the last year, Ryan said: “It was amazing to be recognised in the region by such an established publication, What’s On.
“They have featured some other big names in Dubai business so to be profiled by this article gave the company a new reach to the wider Dubai community.
“To be referred to as ‘UAE Famous’ speaks volumes for how far we have come.
“We recently fitted John Lundstram and Alan Mcgregor for a suit, which was an incredible opportunity for us to meet some of the biggest names in Scottish football.
“We also fitted ex England manager, Sam Allardyce, actor, Tamer Hassan and YouTube sensation, Abdu Rozik, just to name a few!
“We are being visited by clients from around the world whilst they are in Dubai which shows us that our brand is getting global recognition, an amazing feeling.
“We have been told on multiple occasions by clients that they have travelled to Dubai specifically to visit us for the Suited & Booted experience.”
A real highlight for the pair was being able to judge as well as sponsor for the Style Stakes at Dubai World Cup 2022 which was held at the world renowned Meydan Racecourse.
On this, Calvin said: “It was a huge honour for us to follow in the footsteps of world-wide brands such as Jaguar and Topshop.
“We are one of the first home-grown brands to ever take over this prestigious fashion event and we were proud to be part of driving a new generation of race-goers to the event.
“The day itself will not be one we will easily forget!
“We participated as judges to award the best dressed throughout the day, being identified as experts alongside other major industry players, which was a huge privilege.
“It was incredible to see our branding throughout the venue on such an iconic day.
“The coordinators have already discussed 2023 opportunities with us which must mean we did a good job!”
Suited & Booted had an amazing year - selling more suits in the first quarter of 2022 than they had in their first 18 months of business.
The company has also doubled in size whilst employing new master tailors and main style consultants.
The lads say that they are loving life in the Middle East and say that the entrepreneurial spirit of Dubai is something that keeps them motivated.
Ryan said: “We love the people that we are surrounded by, our network is full of driven and positive individuals, both clients and friends.
“The UAE is such an exciting place to live with so much to offer.
“Our biggest challenge can sometimes be the mental tug of war between enjoying the social scene and having a sensible night in.”
Calvin added: “We would encourage anyone to take the risk or start a business if it is a product or concept they 100% believe in.
“If you love something you are driven to do it, even during the tough times.
“Working for yourself can be the most rewarding experience but also the most challenging.
“When you love doing something you can overcome anything that comes your way during the journey.”
You can visit the Suited & Booted website by clicking here.
And you can view their celebrity filled Instagram here.
