In an emirate known for luxury and excess, one start-up is staking its future on making second-hand items stylish. Dubai based E-commerce firm, the Luxury Closet, is emerging as a regional disruptor by offering an outlet for people to buy and sell pre-owned high-end products. That's in the wake of last year's VAT and the United Arab Emirates' rising cost of living. Jacob Greaves has the story. 

Amid Dubai's big spenders, the Luxury Closet is trying to make second-hand vogue. The e-commerce firm now has two pop-up stores in the emirate and has just expanded to nearby Kuwait. But the region provides both customers and stock.

KUNAL KAPOOR, CEO THE LUXURY CLOSET "Its very high per capita spend on luxury, its high end items in their closets, so it's a great market for luxury, for us that means it's a great closet to unlock and the willingness to sell is great because they also want to refresh their closet, so for us we see a fantastic amount of supply, we also see good demand as well, however, we see more supply than demand in the region."

Discounted Designer Handbags are a big hit. But marketing them to Gulf clients takes a unique approach.

JACOB GREAVES PTC "Whilst the concept of pre-owned is fairly established elsewhere in the world, here in the Gulf, it's still relatively new, for companies like this, part of the challenge is changing consumer attitudes to the idea of second-hand products."

Instead of pre-owned, there's terms like preloved.

ELISABETH BOHLER, SELLER DEVELOPMENT THE LUXURY CLOSET "This is why we also open the boutiques and pop-ups in malls to bring this awareness as well and to show that the pre-owned is not only about used and whatever you don't wear anymore but can be rare pieces, whatever you find on these displays, these exotic skins, items that are very rare."

The Luxury Closet isn't the only Dubai fashion disruptor taking advantage of the digital space. Others appeal to more environmentally conscious younger generations keen to recycle. And different economic conditions might also be weaving new trends. Gulf countries are no longer enjoying unfettered oil fuelled growth. Add to that the recent introduction of VAT. Jacob Abrian, founder of the Arab Fashion Council, which helped bring a fashion week to the region, says social media and spending power is changing consumer behavior.

JACOB ABRIAN, FOUNDER ARAB FASHION COUNCIL "The consumer is becoming more westernized, in terms of what is the trend is in Europe and America is also the trend here, they start to become very conscious when it comes to spending, not only because of the decline of the budget in terms of spending on one item. Every influencer look perfect on social media, they feel they have the perfect life, and people they want to be the same, so if they can't afford being the same as influencers, they are looking at other methods how to be the same, the preloved items, the vintage market which has always been there in Europe, everyone used to wear vintage. Now people start to explore more and to browse more into this vintage markets."

As for the Luxury Closet, it already has a global client base. But is now eying Asia via a collaboration with a Hong Kong e-commerce site. Dubai's fashion footprint might be taking on a new look.