With over 200 public events as well as activities staged by over 100 partner organisations, there’s something for everyone at Dubai Design Week, taking place from November 13-18. The fantastic line-up during the six-day celebration of all things design includes public performances, exciting exhibitions, installations, keynote speeches, panels, competitions, screenings and educational workshops. Coinciding with Downtown Design, the region’s leading, high quality design trade fair, Dubai Design Week also includes a number of unique headline initiatives, such as Abwab, the Global Grad Show, Destination and Iconic City.
This year sees the third edition of Dubai Design Week, the biggest design event in the region, which was established by Art Dubai Group in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3). It is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority. As one of the world’s youngest and most ambitious international design weeks, Dubai Design Week was created to shine a spotlight on Dubai as a leading design hub and share what it has to offer to the world at large.
It’s a great chance to discover design across all disciplines and explore how international and regional designers are pushing the boundaries of form, function and aesthetics. Whether at d3 or Alserkal Avenue, the hub for arts and creativity, visitors can admire graphic and product design, architecture and industrial design and well just about everything from furniture to technology. Essentially, the event showcases how design, creativity and innovation impact our lives in so many ways.
Here are three events that are on our radar at this year’s Dubai Design Week.
ZAYAN THE LABEL X THE ODD PIECE POP-UP
Fashion brand Zayan the Label has collaborated with design concept store The Odd Piece to come up with a pop-up space with an immersive interpretation of muse and fashion icon Marchesa Luisa Casati’s world. Capturing the Italian heiress’s larger-than-life way of being, the space imaginatively showcases statement fashion looks from Zayan the Label’s winter collection, which is inspired by Casati, placed alongside striking mid-century design pieces from The Odd Piece. Bold contemporary paintings and pieces by The Rug Company adorn the interiors, alongside dresses with full-arm slits, silver-sequin skirts and vintage floral embroideries. In all, it’s a universe that’s as captivating as its muse.
Zayan the Label x The Odd Piece is in d3, building 3 for a limited-time period
THE ODD PIECE AND BD BARCELONA DESIGN COLLABORATION
'Cabinet Taslim' by Maysam Al Nasser (Bahrain)
'Tawlah' by Gazzaz Brothers (KSA)
The BD Barcelona Design “PostCraft” collection, which is being shown at The Odd Piece, celebrates creativity from the Arab world and is inspired by the value of local talent and artisanal skills. Designed by four Arab designers and curated by Syrian-Spanish designer Samer Yamani, “PostCraft” brings BD Barcelona Design together with art and design establishments from the Gulf.
'Is-Dher' by Sheikha Hind (UAE)
' Maysam Al Nasser with her cabinet
The collection, which merges design and heritage, as well as innovation and tradition, includes the work of Her Highness Sheikha Hind Majid Al Qassimi from UAE (supported by The Odd Piece) and architect Maysam Al Nasser from Bahrain (supported by Alriwaq Art Space). It also features pieces by interior designer Loula Al Radwan from Kuwait (supported by Contemporary Art Platform) and Jeddah’s Gazzaz Brothers (supported by Athar Gallery). Additionally, there are five remarkable pieces from BD Barcelona Design’s permanent collection of Salvador Dali, Antonio Gaudi and Jaime Hayon.
DESIGN RAS AL KHOR’S ‘INDUSTRY TO LUXURY’
Ammar Al Attar - 'Faded' Ornaments'
Design Ras Al Khor (DRAK 17), a collective initiative established by three UAE-based designers: Khalid Shafar, a product designer, Khulood Thani, a fashion designer and Nadine Kanso, a jewellery designer, returns to Dubai Design Week with ‘Industry to Luxury.’ DRAK 17, which aims to encourage design research, innovation and material exploration, chose ‘Industry To Luxury’ to highlight industrial and mass-produced materials, sourced from the Ras Al Khor area, that have been recreated to produce products for luxury use.
Ayah Al Bitar - 'The Spinning Top'
Omar Nakkash - 'Byobu' design sketches
DRAK 2017 has two dedicated spaces in one location at the Ras Al Khor Industrial 1 Area during the week-long exhibition. The first space, ‘The Gallery,’ displays a special project by Swiss ECAL University, DRAK 2017’s official educational partner. The second space, ‘The Warehouse,’ showcases four main projects by the following emerging designers: Aya Al Bitar, Omar Nakkash, Ammar Al Attar and Farah Nasri. One of two guest designers’ projects is also being exhibited.
Farah Nasri - 'Industrial Talisman'
