Get funky for the party season with designer snapback-style caps at Captiv8, a new shop in The Dubai Mall that is dedicated solely to headgear.
Located in the mall’s metro link, the boutique stocks a range of international labels – including California’s Neff which has collaborated with rapper Snoop Dogg, Canadian performer Deadmau5 and actress Scarlett Johansson.
Launched by Dubai Desert Extreme, the store expects to draw streetwear enthusiasts in droves – snapback caps are enjoying a resurgence in fashion as a hot, mainstream accessory.
The team behind Captiv8 believe that headgear can be the focal point of an outfit, and should not be an afterthought or considered a mere accessory. Hence the wide range of prices, which begin at less than Dh100 and soar to more than Dh4,000.
“We wanted to provide something for everybody, so we have caps starting from Dh85 and the main range we sell is from Dh100 to Dh175,” says DDE chief executive Shahriar Khodsjasteh.
For some people, branded headgear can be just as exciting a splurge purchase as a designer bag or shoes.
“The idea of selling and promoting quality headgear started with us about 10 years ago,” says Khodsjasteh.
“We brought in a brand in the market that was fully dedicated to headgear and it took us a long time to make people understand that premium-quality headgear does cost more than the average brands. So it took a while for the concept to sink in but we established it.”
One of the most expensive caps by Melin costs Dh4,995 and has a diamond-encrusted emblem on its peak. The brand’s other designs feature genuine leather accents and gold-plated elements.
Other brands include Mitchell & Ness, the official headgear brand for the National Basketball Association in North America; Starter, a colourful label that is popular among college students who are into hip-hop culture; and Volcom and Etnies, which are favourites with those in the skateboarding scene.
For those who want their caps more fashionable than sporty, check out the peppy graphic designs by Cayler & Sons or the range by Neff, a popular US label.
Khodsjasteh says one of the most popular brands stocked by Captive 8 is 47, a brand launched by two brothers in 1947.
“It has global rights for Major League Baseball, so the New York Yankees and the LA Dodgers caps are hot sellers,” he says.
The Dodgers caps on sale cost Dh145 and include one featuring a marble-like print, combined with a python-patterned rim and the team’s LA emblem in thick, white embroidery.
Customers also have the option to personalise their purchase at an in-store embroidery machine, at a cost of Dh50 per word.
Captiv8 currently does not stock local or regional brands, but it hopes to maintain a strong presence in the region’s lifestyle market.
“We plan to do a lot more things that are regionally focused, such as collaborating with local artists, musicians and celebrities,” says Khodsjasteh.
He also emphasises the important role that social media plays in building hype about new product drops.
“Today, we are dealing with consumers who are all on social-media platforms – everything is instant.”
• Captiv8 is located within The Dubai Mall’s metro link. Call 04 380 8861 for inquiries (there’s an app coming soon)
hlodi@thenational.ae
