ABOUT US
Background
Bourne in 2005, Desert Fish Photography Studio has produced the highest quality advertising, fashion and commercial photography images for international and national clients.

In 2006, the studio created Desert Fish Magazine as the UAE’s first and only conceptual fashion magazine up to date. Today it has founded the creative-fashion movement putting UAE on the international map of contemporary publishing. Focussed on creating narrative fashion photography with sublime artistic methods, its graphic design and empowering visuals are given the same attention as a cover page for each of its 150 page content circulating in 48 countries.

With inevitable parallelism on the magazines positioning, The cARTel’s retail concept in the same domain grants ample appeal to like minded customers. In other words, the audience who appreciate Desert Fish are the one the new shopping concept is for.
Vision

The cARTel is under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza’ Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the UAE Royal Family and an avid artist and supporter of the arts and culture. Her highness’s vision is to support the arts scene and provide a platform for emerging talents in arts and fashion. The cARTel is a gallery of wearable art, introducing a unique concept of retail based on curating selected fashion designers under the same roof. As a concept showroom located in the heart of the booming art scene in Dubai, we provide different sized displays for different brands and only charge a flat rental fee with no commission on your sales traffic.

The cARTel is introducing a unique concept of retail based on curating selected fashion designers under the same roof. As a concept showroom located in the heart of the booming art scene in Dubai, we provide different sized displays for different brands and only charge a flat rental fee with no commission on your sales traffic.
 

 

 


Who we are
 
Shub Qureshi - Founder

Born and raise in London. Her vocational path changed as she embarked on a media and fashion path to a producer for fashion photography. During 8 years in Dubai, Shub has worked fluidly in the creative industries, from Media, Publishing, Advertising and Production.  Having single handedly launched the first monthly movie guide for the UAE with Gulf Film   having also worked on the founding editorial team for UAE's first daily newspaper filling the entertainment pages with Dubai's rich calender of events.

In 2006, Shub co founded Desert Fish Magazine a purely conceptual and creative publication which diversified the Pan Arab publishing segment.   The launch of this creative movement in the UAE also generated Ambassador roles from fashionable, creative and iconic brands such as Adidas and Puma.
Shub's role in the cARTel focusses on marketing and resourcing new designers through international exhibitions, trade shows and cross collaborations to further The cARTel designers exposure.
Peter Richweisz - Founder

After finishing his philosophy studies at ELTE University in Budapest (Hungary), Peter moved to London in 1997 to start a successful career in fashion photography creating and launching images for fashion designers. Over time, his signature style evolved into the commercial field of advertising and fashion. After having spent 7 years in London he moved to Dubai in 2003. The next year he set up Desert Fish Photography, a boutique production studio specializing in a full turnkey approach to visual branding. In 2006, Desert Fish Magazine was founded, a cutting edge creative magazine hailing from UAE fashion and seen in 48 countries.  With a keen interest in film, Peter has also produced and directed short videos, music videos with his latest fashion film "ALCHEMY" officially selected at La Jolla Fashion Film Festival, San Diego California.

Peter's benevolence towards young fashion designers as the vision behind The cARTel. Peter Richweisz's creative eye and vision is the backbone to the cARTel's unique design and aesthetic. Peter's involvement in the curating of designers is foremost, in addition to the spirit of nurturing a community of young designers through visual shoots and   support in Desert Fish Magazine and international partners.

 
May Barber - Managing Partner

A UAE-born architect from Syria, May graduated from the American University in Sharjah with a Bachelors Degree in Architecture and is the winner of distinguished local and international awards in design, architecture and literature including the Cityscape Young Architect of the year award-2008 and the BP Innovative Design Award. Her portfolio includes commissions of outstanding design projects in the region including a unique contemporary labour housing prototype and a winning design of a luxurious mansion in Abu Dhabi. She also received her Protocol training from the prestigious Protocol School of Washington in 2012.
 
Her career undertook several tracks including academia, architectural design and writing about art where she has contributed to several written and online media. Merging art with fashion, she undertook fashion design workshops in 2009 and Writing about Art with Dubai Culture/Bidoun Projects in 2010. Working closely with a renowned local artist, her experience also involves curating art exhibitions and co-designing workshops with international artists and photographers on gallery management and fine art photography.
 
May’s strategic contribution to the cARTel helped realizing the concept of the cARTel. Her roles involve curatorial decisions of designers, supervising operations and administrative planning of the cARTel’s strategic growth.
Melisa Le Rue

Melisa born in the UK, studied Sociology at the LSE (London School of Economics). During and after school years, she spent 4 years as a booking manager in a London based fashion photography studio. Her positive and passionate personality find the two best ways for self expression; music & fashion. She moved to Dubai in 2008 and at first worked as an artist booking manager for 3 years. During this years she started her jazz singer career in Dubai too.

Now, Melisa is a fashionable musician who works for The cARTel as a buyer. Exploring new talents of the fashion scene, from all around the world, and bringing their best pieces to Dubai’s first wearable art gallery.