Dubai Design and Fashion Council announces Dubai Design Week

The second edition of the Dubai Design and Fashion Council’s (DDFC) Urban Majlis welcomed the region’s design and fashion industry experts to announce their upcoming collaboration with the inaugural edition of Dubai Design Week. Set to take place from October 26-31 under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice chairman, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, Dubai Design Week will be an annual citywide event, which will place Dubai on the map as the emerging design capital of the world.

“The establishment of Dubai Design Week represents a key milestone in the Emirate’s journey towards achieving global recognition as a leading design hub. DDFC is proud to be working closely with a team of renowned design visionaries to deliver this landmark event. Dubai Design Week will be an important platform for our design communities, providing an intelligently curated and inspirational environment where creative minds can come together to learn, collaborate and innovate,” says Amina Al Rustamani, DDFC chairperson.

“The inaugural edition of Dubai Design Week is a tangible step towards our commitment to raising the profile of Dubai as the emerging capital of design. This initiative marks a pivotal point in establishing a world-class design community in Dubai and being the catalyst that elevates the emirate’s design industry to the international stage. We look forward to creating a key gateway that brings together regional designers with creative thinkers from around the globe, right here in Dubai,” adds DDFC CEO Nez Gebreel.

“Dubai has already started building its reputation as a global hub for design through the success of events such as Design Days Dubai, Downtown Design. Now is the time to build on that success and introduce Dubai Design Week; an opportunity for the creative industries to engage with regional and international audiences,” states Cyril Zammit, fair director, Design Days Dubai.

Established by Art Dubai Group (ADG), in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), Dubai Design Week will coincide with Downtown Design, the region’s leading quality-driven design trade fair. Dubai Design Week will encompass culture, education and entertainment, with key initiatives spanning multiple disciplines of design, from graphic and product design to architecture and industrial design.

Dubai Design Week’s Global Innovation Design exhibition, to be held at d3, will feature some of the most innovative projects coming from postgraduates of the world’s leading design universities. Dubai Design Week will also see the launch of Destination Dubai, a unique alliance with six international design weeks whereby emerging brands from the participating countries will be given exposure at Downtown Design. In 2015, Dubai Design Week will welcome San Francisco Design Week, Abierto Mexicano de Diseño (Mexico City), Helsinki Design Week, Istanbul Design Week, Beijing Design Week and Melbourne Design Week.

Dubai Design Week’s first edition will also mark the launch of the ‘Abwab’ initiative, as part of which emerging and established talent from participating countries will have their work showcased in individual pavilions designed by Loci Architecture and Design, a UAE-based architecture firm. Made from locally sourced materials, the pavilions will be integrated into the walkways and open spaces of d3. A unifying concept will generate the design theme each year, with 2015’s theme being ‘Games: The Element of Play in Culture.’ This year’s showcase will be dedicated to designers from Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the UAE.

Dubai Design Week will offer a programme of educational talks, lectures and workshops covering an extensive range of topics related to design that will educate, support and promote local talent to an international audience. From panel discussions on supporting design in Dubai to workshops that will explore the fundamentals of different design disciplines, the extensive programme will encourage a greater interest in the regions design activity.

Placed in landmark locations across the city, a series of world premiere installations by renowned international, regional and local designers will transform Dubai throughout the Design Week. The installations will challenge convention and explore innovation, illustrating Dubai’s creative diversity, attracting the broader community these installations will engage and inspire visitors.