It's a brand brand world out there.

In 1998, when I went to school in Sharjah, it was not only about the education. Society pressured me to look a certain way to fit in with my peers. A jean cloth backpack with numerous pockets with atleast a dozen funky keychains hanging from the zips. Didn’t matter how my hair was done but yes the only accessory we doted on were our Baby- G Casio watches and our version of Monolo's were the Doc Martin boots.

So when I had my lunch date with myself at one of the finest cafe's in the Jumeirah beach area, I was ready with all the "by yourself" meal weapons. I carried my laptop,a book and had the numbers handy of those people whom I had to "catch up" with. But surprisingly I didn't need to use my weapons of mass dining. I had other things which regaled me.

Dubai is well-known for it's beautiful cosmopolitan women. Here, everyone just has the famous "America's next top model" makeover everyday. Women ARE conscious about the way they look and aren't afraid to show it or shall I say spend it. So when I noticed the table next to me occupied by a bunch of 17 year olds it was then I realised how they started young to keep up the reputation and how it had jumped 10 steps ahead.

There they were. Each part of their body was reeking of a brand. Louis Vuitton bags were resting on the chairs safely,Gucci watches were telling the time, Aldo and some of them even Jimmy Choos' resided south of their ankles, IPhones displayed in a line on the table, Prada sunglasses stylishly perched on their heads, couture which represented half the clothing line from the fall collection in the Milan Fashion Week, french manicures flaunted by the gestures they made and the MAC gloss was reuniting with the lips every 15 minutes.

What happened? Were we the last generation who actually saved up our allowance to get our favourite pairs of pants from "Splash"? Did we actually consider getting our eyebrows done a breakthrough makeover?
These and many other questions cropped up in my head and I could come up with just no reason why had the scenario changed drastically. I was glad I couldn't. I liked it this way.

Fashion brands are,definately, the new Martians who’ve taken over our planet and the new generation of the most hip city in the Middle East, Dubai, proves it.