Three years ago Ross Mackay booked a one-way flight from his home of Scotland to Dubai. Today, the 23-year-old is the founder/ creative director of one of Dubai’s most interesting new brands. The line is called Kings Ambition, a name that represents “aspiration for successful living,” according to Mackay. Off the heels of launching its first-ever collection, TEMPO caught up with Mackay to talk about the difficulties of manufacturer sourcing, and his plans to transform street culture in the Emirates.
Fashion newcomer Kings Ambition borrows the uniform of classic streetwear staples—think snapback caps and t-shirts—and flips it with Emirati imagery. Our favourite is the “Falcon Wing Neck tee,” an all-black beauty with a geometric version of UAE’s national bird around the collar—all rendered in luxurious, long staple cotton.
“Young people here are all buying and wearing streetwear but it’s not designed in Dubai and it’s not made in Dubai,” Mackay said. Sensing a gap in the market, Mackay looked online for a collaborator to make a logo for the brand he had in his head. He ended up finding Farouq Samnani, a designer/ photographer from Canada. Together, they rendered plans for a brand that drew inspiration equally from graffiti art, street photography, youth culture, and hip-hop music.
Kings Ambition flaunts a tight-knit, mostly monochromatic range of crisp tees, bomber jackets, hoodies, and sweat gear in black, white, and gray. It’s simple, direct, and most importantly, effortlessly stylish.
In a country known for its outsized malls and imported luxury brands, Kings Ambition is refreshingly independent, homegrown, and accessible: “I want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to wear and access my brand,” Mackay said.
As for the future, there’s a fall capsule collection in August and a women’s collection that’s soon-to-come. Above all, Mackay hopes to develop his brand steadily, without the crash-and-burn hype that past sportswear brands have endured. “The typical streetwear brand has a five year lifecycle. I want to build something sustainable.”
You can find Kings Ambition online at kingsambition.com or in-stores at Fashion Vault in Dubai.
By Christopher Joshua Benton | Instagram: @maxfirepower
