Exclusive: Paraiso Miami Swim Week to hold first Dubai event in 2026

Paraiso, an organiser behind the annual Miami Swim Week, is preparing to venture into a new region. The platform has announced the debut of an United Arab Emirates (UAE) edition of its event dubbed Paraiso Dubai, set to take place October 2026.

In a bid to build a “commercial bridge” between Miami and Dubai, Paraiso is looking to leverage attributes shared by the two cities in the way of luxury and resort, and thus create a “two-way gateway” between the markets.

From the perspective of Paraiso co-founder Natalija Dedic-Stojanovic, hosting an event in Dubai allows global brands to access “one of the world’s fastest-growing luxury markets, while simultaneously elevating Middle Eastern talent to international runways”.

The inaugural edition of Paraiso Dubai, showcasing spring/summer 2027 collections, will span four days, October 8 to 11, over which runways, curated pop-ups and various beauty and fashion activations will be held.

An additional collaboration with Middle Eastern resortwear and swimwear trade show organiser Sand intends to further boost the schedule. With this, Paraiso will bring buyers together with regional and international brands represented by Sand, such as Lisa Marie Fernandez, Oceanus the label and Charo Ruiz.

For Sand co-founder, Karim Hatab, the partnership marks a “landmark moment” for the firm, combining “regional expertise and network with the reputation and reach of the world’s leading swimwear and resortwear platform”.

“Sand has always been rooted in trade, in connecting brands and buyers, but with Paraiso’s runway and lifestyle programming, we can now offer a full 360 degree experience, where the industry's business and its culture meet in one space," Hatab added.

Leveraging UAE’s fast-growing, yet untapped luxury market

Through the event’s launch, Paraiso is looking to build on its already solid foundations in Miami. Here, the platform has been operating for over 20 years, during which time it has established a leading presence in the swim and resort industry through its Paraiso Miami Swim Week brand.

Now, by dipping its toes into the UAE market, Paraiso hopes to “cement its role as the definitive global voice of the swimwear and resortwear industry”, taking on a region that has emerged as a solid destination for luxury.

Opportunities for this sector within the Middle East have become more and more evident in recent years, despite an overall slowdown seen across the global luxury market. Altagamma Consumer previously projected the Middle Eastern personal luxury market to grow from a valuation of 15 billion dollars in 2023, to reach between 30 and 35 billion dollars by 2030.

UAE was cited among the main regions driving growth, offering untapped opportunities due to increased domestic demand, a growth in high-end tourism and local development fuelled by the region’s Vision 2030 strategy.

Such potential was highlighted by Paraiso’s Stojanovic, who said: “Dubai is already one of the key markets for resortwear brands. We envision Paraiso Dubai becoming a mainstay of the city’s culture, connecting global designers to the vibrant MENA consumer base."