Downtown Design will anchor Dubai Design Week at Dubai Design District

Returning to the Waterfront Terrace at Dubai Design District (d3), Downtown Design, the anchor fair of Dubai Design Week, will run from November 5 - 9. The fair unites a selection of international design brands and regional design studios, from emerging talent to established names, reinforcing its position as the Middle East’s leading platform for high-quality contemporary design. Held in strategic partnership with d3, a member of TECOM Group PJSC, and supported by Dubai Culture, Downtown Design serves as the region’s most important meeting point for the design industry, fostering collaboration and commercial opportunity.

This year’s edition spans furniture, lighting, surfaces, textiles, home accessories and limited-edition design from around the world. Alongside the fair’s programme of talks, keynotes and creative pop-ups, visitors can look forward to the return of Editions Art & Design. “The world of design is evolving rapidly, and Dubai is playing an ever-greater role in shaping a more collaborative, innovative, and inclusive future for all,” said Khadija Al Bastaki, d3 Senior Vice President.

“Through dedicated platforms like Downtown Design and Dubai Design Week, we nurture a rich and distinctly native design narrative that reflects the city’s ambitions.” Mette Degn-Christensen, Director of Downtown Design, said: “This year’s programme tells the story of an industry that is maturing with purpose and ambition. I am excited to see how that evolution feels tangible in this year’s fair ... reflecting the strength and high-quality of the region’s design market and celebrating the diversity and spirit that has come to define Dubai’s design scene.”

Design collections on view.

Returning international heavyweights include Kartell, presenting their signature industrial design furniture, and Poltrona Frau, unveiling a series of new collaborations. Obegi Home will stage an immersive, multi-brand showcase of contemporary luxury living, while Huda Lighting returns with a large-scale lighting exhibition and Venini brings a bespoke amber glass installation. The fair also welcomes first-time international participants, among them Roche Bobois, Draga & Aurel, Desalto, Ceramicah, Flou and Porada.

UAE-based talent takes centre stage, with MAKE making its Downtown Design debut, showcasing the latest cohort of its Athath Fellowship, the Abu Dhabi-based platform empowering emerging designers to explore furniture design and entrepreneurship. The annual Tanween Design Programme by Tashkeel, which champions sustainable design in the UAE, returns with a new group of nine designers for its 2025 edition, and Sharjah’s 1971 Design Space spotlights material innovation through works by Egyptian designers, Lina Ghalib and Nuhayr Zein.

The limelight also extends to the wider region. Highlights include Strata, the debut collection by Pakistan’s mother-son duo Saira Ahsan and Yousaf Shahbaz; the collection launch of Egyptian sister-design duo Doodle & The Gang’s designs for Hands Carpets; and the Designed in Saudi showcase, a strategic initiative led by the Architecture and Design Commission of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, dedicated to advancing the Kingdom’s industrial design sector.

A wavy sculpture.

BEIT Collective will present collaborations between Lebanese artisans and international designers, while independent studios such as Jagdish Sutar and Dubai-based Studio Obliq, will present contemporary furniture creations, among other regional highlights. Stellar Works makes its Dubai debut presenting alongside with Calico Wallpaper in a space designed by Emirati architect and designer Omar Al Gurg, even as Nordic Homeworx unveils an immersive pop-up conceived by Dubai-based design studio Styled Habitat, spearheaded by Rabah Saied, while Cosentino introduces a contemporary lounge experience titled 1930, inspired by the charm of Art Deco speakeasies, designed by Etereo. Dhow Architectural Solutions will showcase a multi-functional space headlined by Vitra and featuring Artemide, and Louis Poulsen.

Other highlights include a concept designed by Dubai-based Marco Maximus for Kohler, an immersive hospitality concept brought by Porcelanosa and conceptualised by VELA Design, Interiors from Spain’s collaboration with Swiss Bureau Interior Design and the Italian Trade Agency showcase of over 20 Made-in-Italy participants. UAE-based female duo Fronteriors make their fair debut at Downtown Design, while Casa Milano returns with the third season of its design challenge, Talking Walls.

A highlight of the fair, Editions Art & Design, will again showcase limited-edition art and design from regional and international creators, spanning photography, ceramics, prints and editions, works on paper, contemporary design, and artist multiples. In digital creation, Ila Colombo explores AI through digital and print works while in craft and material innovation, Antilla Di Lauro presents a new collection of ceramics and tapestries made from recycled materials.

Downtown Design entrance.

Now in its sixth edition, the UAE Designer Exhibition returns with an expanded curatorial scope to bolster mentorship opportunities and visibility for emerging UAE-based designers. Supported by Dubai Culture, this year’s edition features celebrated designer Nada Debs as the headline mentor, offering direct guidance and insights to early-career participants alongside other experts in the fields of product design, craft and manufacturing, as well as materiality.

The Forum at Downtown Design, the week’s flagship talks programme, will once again convene leading global and regional voices through a series of keynote presentations, panel discussions and masterclasses. This year’s edition welcomes Marcel Wanders, the internationally acclaimed designer celebrated for his human-centred design philosophy. Tom Dixon, one of the most influential figures in contemporary design, also makes his Dubai debut. He will be joined by other globally-acclaimed voices including Lee Broom, Stephanie Coutas and David Hicks, alongside prominent regional designers like Rabah Saeid, Pallavi Dean, Abdalla Almulla and Mohammed Al Suwaidi, joining a line-up of design directors of studios such as Bone, SAY Studio and 1508 London. The Forum space this year was conceived by Lebanese architect and designer Roula Salamoun.