Fashion-focused TV channel FashionTV (FTV) and real estate business Danube Properties may sound like an unlikely pairing, especially if that partnership is based around creating homes. But that’s exactly what the duo will be doing with their Fashionz residential tower in Dubai.
Unveiled over a star-studded couple of days, the tower – due to open at the end of 2026 – will have 62 floors and more than 40 amenities for property owners to take advantage of. But how did the odd couple end up getting into business together?
“FashionTV was actively looking to be part of the Dubai skyline. We have been very fortunate to find Danube Properties and to have a visionary founder in this company who understands the potential for us,” says Maximilian Dennis Edelweiss, CEO of FashionTV, speaking during an exclusive interview at the Palazzo Versace Hotel in Dubai.
“We decided to go with Danube Properties for many reasons. One being that we could bank on the history of the company. We know that they could deliver on the vision of the first residential FTV tower in Dubai. They have the expertise and, through the other businesses that they own, the potential to do it so that we, as a brand, can be comfortable that the vision will be delivered.”
Branded interiors – the future of living?
The Fashionz building is the second such project Danube has debuted with a famous brand. Earlier this year, the real estate company launched its first Aston Martin interior-furnished apartments. And it was the attention that building got, that convinced Danube it was time to go into business with another brand.
“That was picked up by investors very quickly, because they saw a brand behind it,” says Rizwan Sajan, Founder and Chairman of Danube Group, speaking during the same interview. “We decided now is the time to capitalise, because there are a lot of investors coming from all over the world who really to want to invest in Dubai. They are looking for something different. So, we decided we are going to launch Fashionz, because FashionTV is very famous in places like Europe and India.”
The locations where FTV is popular is very important because, though the building is will be located in Dubai’s Jumeirah Village Triangle, the target market for the tower is the expats who decide they want to live in the fast-growing Emirati city.
As such, the ad campaign will be delivered on placements at airports around the world, with an eye on attracting those who are heading to live in the city, but only currently have rental options there. The cost of the apartments is set to start as low as £150,000, with a 20% downpayment required, followed by payments of 1% each month until the property is entirely owned by the resident.
“We figured out that we should basically target the expats who are living in UAE, and the other GCC countries. I would say 80 to 85% of the expats still live in rented apartments, although they want to live here in Dubai,” Sajan adds. “It’s such an addiction that, once you have stayed here for one or two years, you would want to stay longer for various reasons.”
A tower of fun
While the properties may be affordable, there was no expense spared during the unveiling of the building – which coincided with FTV’s 26th birthday. Bollywood stars such as Sanjay Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Sunny Leone and some of the region’s most popular fashion influencers… all graced a gala event of more than 2,000 people, who were also treated to fashion show from designer to the stars, Michael Cinco.
This will also be reflected in the residential tower itself, which will “host many FashionTV-branded amenities”, according to Edelweiss.
“There will be the FashionTV gym, the FashionTV rooftop bar with swimming pool, which will be amazing,” continues Edelweiss. “We will have a cigar lounge and sports activities around Fashionz. People who live in the tower will not only own a beautiful apartment, but they will have access to all of these amenities and this will make the life and the lifestyle of FashionTV that we want to see for our clients.”
The tower will have 10 to 15,000 square feet of retail space in and around it, but the focus will be on “mostly residential”, according to Sajan.
However, one thing we can expect to see plenty of, when the tower officially becomes home for hundreds of people, is content from FTV.
The channel will use some of the amenities – one of which just so happens to be a fashion ramp – to hold events and produce content for its TV and OTT properties, but FTV promises to keep the disturbances to a minimum.
“We will do a lot of events around the tower, with respect for the property owners at the building. It’s not a venue place in itself, but it will definitely be one hotspot for FashionTV happenings in Dubai, especially around the rooftop bar and swimming pool area. You will see a lot of content from FashionTV from the Fashionz tower in Dubai. But, as it is a residential tower, we will do that with the highest respect to the owners and to not disturb them,” concludes Edelweiss.
