Event
Inside Design Week: A Behind-The-Scenes Look at Dubai Design Week 2025
Dubai Design Week continues to establish itself as a global crossroads for design, culture, and material innovation.
This year, MAWD Co-Founder James White and the team spent five days exploring the city’s exhibitions, brand showcases, studios, and private previews.
The week offered the chance to reconnect with long-standing collaborators, discover new suppliers, and observe how the region’s design conversation continues to mature - rooted in craftsmanship, hospitality, and a distinct Middle Eastern sensibility refined through international exchange.
Below is a day-by-day reflection from the MAWD team.
DAY 1 — Monday, 3 November
Celebrating Craft at The Line Concept
We began our week at the 10-year celebration of The Line Concept, one of Dubai’s leading furniture design and fabrication studios. Founded by Dana Almatrook and Newsha Dastaviz, the studio has grown into a collective of over 100 artisans producing refined, handcrafted pieces in Dubai.
The evening brought together designers, makers, and creative peers—an inspiring reminder of the craftsmanship that underpins quality interiors in the region. A warm start, spent among friends old and new.
DAY 2 — Tuesday, 4 November
An Evening with Omar Al Gurg: Kabana Preview
We were invited to the private office of Omar Al Gurg for a preview of Kabana, an immersive installation debuting at Downtown Design. The collaboration brings together:
Stellar Works — Japanese-founded furniture with a global perspective
Calico Wallpaper — New York studio known for artistic, atmospheric wall surfaces
The work explored material nuance, form and cultural narrative—refined, grounded, and quietly expressive. A thoughtful dialogue between global craft and regional identity.
DAY 3 — Wednesday, 5 November
Morning — Dornbracht x Sanipex x Bagnodesign Preview
At the Sanipex and Bagnodesign showroom, presented alongside Dornbracht, we previewed new collections and enjoyed a hands-on candle-making workshop. The experience highlighted a move toward tactile, sensorial luxury across bathroom and kitchen design—material warmth, soft metallics, and subtle texture shifts.
DAY 3 — Wednesday, 5 November
Afternoon — Downtown Design VIP Preview, Dubai Design District (d3)
The official opening of Downtown Design showcased an impressive international roster of furniture, lighting, material, and lifestyle brands. The fair remains the region’s most important meeting point for collaboration and commercial dialogue.
We spent the day meeting suppliers, reconnecting with colleagues, and exploring emerging brands—confirming that the Middle East continues to strengthen its role as a global design connector.
DAY 4 — Thursday, 6 November
Ebony & Co + Desert Evening at Sonara Camp
We visited the newly opened Ebony and Co showroom in City Walk to see their latest luxury timber surfaces—beautiful finishes, strong sourcing narratives, and exceptional detail.
Later, we joined peers for a desert evening at Sonara Camp, a moment to slow down and connect in a more reflective setting.
DAY 5 — Friday, 7 November
Natuzzi VIP Dinner at Cipriani
The week closed with dinner at Cipriani, hosted by Creative Director Pasquale Junior Natuzzi, bringing together designers, architects, and collaborators. A fitting end to a week centred on shared ideas, partnership and community.
Dubai Design Week reinforced the importance of conversation: between disciplines, between cultures, and between the global and the local.
Thank you to all the brands, peers, colleagues, and friends who welcomed us, hosted us, and shared their work. We look forward to continuing the dialogue into 2026.
