What not to miss on the final weekend of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair
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The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Looking for a wardrobe refresh? Start with these regional designers on the rise
Rest and rejuvenation aside, the long, lazy summer months are the perfect time to refresh your wardrobe with new pieces for well-earned getaways. Alongside global heavyweights, the region is rich with smaller, emerging brands championing local voices. Thoughtfully designed and often crafted with indigenous knowledge and techniques, these rising labels deserve closer attention. From sleek bags and colourful jewellery to embroidered trainers, these homegrown talents can bring individuality to your wardrobe while supporting the next generation of creatives. Backing talent early helps secure its future – and with so much of it on our doorstep, it's a win-win. After all, who wants to dress like everyone else? Here are 10 brands to know. Odeem Based in the UAE, this contemporary bag label is all about refined simplicity, beautifully executed. Its signature Duffle comes in unexpected materials such as satin and canvas trimmed with leather, while the Bucket bag offers a clean silhouette with canvas options too. A recent collaboration with Emirati jewellery designer Alia bin Omair brings a bold twist: mini leather bucket bags with jewellery-inspired cuffs woven into their braided straps – merging sculptural adornment with streamlined design. Andrea Wazen Having trained under Christian Louboutin and Rupert Sanderson, Lebanese designer Andrea Wazen has mastered the art of the feminine shoe. Best known for deeply delicate, flirty shoes, such as the Franca Sparkle, with its sheer polka dots and delicate straps, abd the lacy kitten heel of the Katy mule, Wazen is a rising star in the shoe world. She even offers a bespoke customisation service on certain styles, allowing buyers to choose the colour, and between gold, silver or crystal buckles. Conveniently, payments can be split via Tabby. Okhtein Founded by sisters Aya and Mounaz Abdel Raouf in Egypt, Okhtein draws inspiration from Cairo's rich tradition of metalwork. Designed in Egypt and crafted in Italy, the brand embraces the decadence of metallics seen across embossed purses, woven gold leather clutches, coiled gold and gemstone rings and even sunglasses. Okhtein has evolved into a genuine success story, finding its place on the world stage. Maveroc Dubai-born jewellery brand Maveroc has made waves for its bold, geometric designs – recently being featured in the Mirbad pop-up in Manarat Al Saadiyat. Founded in 2022 by ex-Goldman Sachs banker Ibrahim Lamrini and tech executive turned gemmologist Rita Chraibi, the label is uncompromising in both quality and attitude. Pieces such as the Whatever rings stack 18k gold with diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and coloured enamel in vibrant, luxe combinations. With standout collaborations with Fozaza, Wdeema and Dana Malhas, Maveroc is a rising star with serious edge. Kismet by Milka This Turkish brand has been crafting fine jewellery and luxury piercing pieces since 2009, with a strong foundation of expertise. Its collections span earrings, ear cuffs, bracelets and necklaces in white gold and its signature hue, Roslow – a warm, coppery-gold tone unique to the brand. Adorned with diamonds and rubies, the bold designs draw on eclectic inspirations, from architectural forms to the buckle of a seatbelt, resulting in statement pieces with attitude. Folklore Founded in 2014 by Central Saint Martins graduate Haya Al Abdulkareem, this Kuwaiti bag brand has carved out a distinct niche. Favouring drops rather than trend-led collections, Folklore offers pieces that feel refreshingly modern. The Cella tote is woven in rattan; Buksha is a triangle of glossy satin knotted shut; and the Money bag features a single knotted strap. The brand also partners with Kuwait's Sadu House, integrating endangered traditional weaving into its Kyklos bag, with all proceeds supporting the heritage craft. Made in small batches in Spain, Folklore's pieces consistently sell out. Al Abdulkareem was also nominated for the Fashion Trust Arabia Awards in 2021. KML This Saudi brand – pronounced kamal – by siblings Ahmad and Razan Hassan offers a bold, dazzling take on classic menswear. Think high-waisted trousers with cummerbund-style wraps and kanduras with built-in scarves. Already drawing international attention, KML won the Saudi Fashion Awards this year and was shortlisted for the LVMH Prize. Celebrity stylist Law Roach also wore the brand on a visit to the kingdom. Nafsika Skourti The brainchild of Palestinian-Jordanian designer Nafsika Skourti – a Central Saint Martins alum who trained with Marchesa in New York and Ecole Lesage in Paris – and her sister Stephanie, this womenswear label champions what it calls 'everyday glamour'. That ethos shines through in its wildly popular dropped-waist dresses, including the full-skirted Organza Bomb Bell, the Sequin Emmy and the Cloud Nine. The brand also launched Our Collective Future, a programme that supports Syrian refugees by employing vulnerable women to embellish pieces with traditional handwork. Noora Shawqi Inspired by the Dubai-based founder's wanderlust, this eponymous jewellery brand features collections titled Morocco, Love in Tokyo, Ceylon and The Maldives – each brimming with joyful colour. The Ceylon line sparkles with garnets, peridots, citrines, emeralds and tourmalines, while Morocco blends gold with vibrant enamel. To spotlight the travel narrative behind each piece, the brand also released a coffee-table book titled Travel Through Jewellery. Gully Labs From slightly farther afield and one for sneakerheads, Gully Labs is an Indian trainer brand known for largely handmade limited-edition shoes. Blending modern design with traditional craft, the Gully 001 is detailed with kantha stitching, while Gully 002 features Phulkari-inspired embroidery. The Baaz Indrani edition even adds ghungroo (ankle bells) draped around the heel. For the bold, there are playful shaggy faux-fur trainers and slip-ons, created in collaboration with Lead-A's creative director Sagal Singh.
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
What Justin Timberlake got wrong about touring in 2025
Justin Timberlake 's Forget Tomorrow World Tour ends today in Istanbul but, judging by the backlash, it couldn't have come to a close soon enough. What was billed as an anticipated comeback instead exposed how six years away from the road seems to have left the Cry Me a River singer out of touch with what's expected from a modern touring artist. The old assumptions – that sheer star power, a dependable setlist of hits and audiences primed to lap up whatever's presented on stage would suffice- are gone. For Timberlake, the fall was more than cancelled shows or the occasional bum note. It was about violating what has become an unspoken yet cardinal rule of live music: concerts are no longer solo performances but communal experiences, and it's the crowd that determines if a show succeeds. The Istanbul outing comes on the back of a growing catalogue of widely shared social media clips, from Dublin, Bucharest and London, showing disgruntled fans accusing Timberlake of delivering half-hearted performances. In one viral video that has received more than 460,000 likes, a Romanian fan lamented that she paid 'a lot of money' to see him, only to feel 'disrespected' by a show where he appeared to skulk around the stage in a low-brimmed hat, barely engaging with the crowd. While Timberlake isn't the first artist accused of phoning it in, the emotional, almost visceral response reveals a new faultline in the touring industry. In a concert economy where fans are spending hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars for tickets, merchandise and premium meet-and-greet packages, the expectation is no longer just a solid setlist. It's that the artist will show up emotionally and meet the crowd in that shared space. Timberlake didn't just deliver a lacklustre show. He did something worse: he disengaged. A glance at today's most successful tours reveals artists who understand that concerts are no longer just musical events, but shared platforms. Taylor Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour, now officially the biggest and most commercially successful concert tour of all time with over $2 billion in revenue, is a case in point. More than a three-and-a-half-hour showcase of Swift's catalogue, each show was a colourful world-building exercise. Fans arrived in co-ordinated outfits, exchanged official friendship bracelets and chanted lyrics at predesignated cues. The ecstatic crowd left not as audience members, but as active participants. That same mastery of crowd choreography was on full display during Coldplay's four sold-out shows at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City Stadium. As The National 's review noted of a detail as simple but powerful as the LED wristbands: 'The Xylobands, shifting from cherry red to soft tea green, created a cascading effect as the crowd waved their arms, making it seem as though singer Chris Martin was strolling through a dark, enchanted forest.' The change in expectations also requires, at times, a counterintuitive approach from artists. Where before the ultimate aim was to deliver the best vocal performance, now making the occasional slip-up is not meant to be hidden, but to be part of the show. Singer Olivia Rodrigo, whose songs are defined by their adolescent vulnerability, leans into that communal intimacy. Her vocal stumbles, also relentlessly documented by fans online during her well-received tour, become shared moments of recognition by fans who praise her in these videos for being real. 'You feel like she's your friend, not a pop star,' one fan posted recently under a social media video of Rodrigo's Glastonbury festival performance in June. And when Oasis reunited this July after 16 years, the press and the crowd didn't care about how polished they sounded or even so much the fact that Noel and Liam Gallagher were back on stage again, but about how their presence and songs made the stadium feel. This shift in audience expectation is partly driven by economics. The fact is, we are paying more than ever for concert tickets. In North America, ticket prices soared by more than 41 per cent since 2019, according to trade publication Pollstar. While there is no regional data, The National 's coverage of UAE concerts dating back to 2013 showed a general admission to see Black Sabbath at Etihad Park starting from Dh295, while tickets to see British singer David Gray at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena in October and Rod Stewart at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena are both Dh395. And yet, people are still buying while jettisoning the now outdated idea of 'fear of missing out' for 'you had to be there'. It is about the event being larger than the music itself, a catalyst for community, making friends, expressing yourself with handmade memorabilia, and sharing a memory that is resonant because it felt real and made for the occasion. That is the emotional return on investment fans are seeking. And that is what Timberlake, by all visible accounts, failed to deliver. His tour featured none of the crowd participation cues that audiences have come to view as signs of care. There was also reportedly no off-the-cuff banter, rather the shows were viewed as lacking authentic moments and spontaneity. Perhaps this would have been OK if the music critic's pen still carried weight in shaping public perception, but that mantle has now moved to social media platforms. Fan reactions, often posted while the show is running, are now the ultimate definer of whether a performance is a hit or a dud. If Rodrigo's voice cracks mid-set, it's viewed as a loving reminder of her authenticity. If Timberlake delivers a smooth yet emotionally detached version of Suit & Tie, it becomes an unflattering meme. The new, unwritten contract understandably demands much from the artist – each show needs to feel like it was made for the moment while being cognisant that it could be recorded for posterity. It's a new form of the purity test, where an artist must now be many things on stage: performer, therapist, community builder and content generator. They must be professional yet not too polished, emotionally present but always ready to strike the right pose for crowds looking for social media content. It is no wonder Timberlake has reportedly been unhappy on the road. The game has changed, but he has yet to.
Web Release
a day ago
- Web Release
10th Liwa Ajman Dates and Honey Festival to kick off tomorrow featuring diverse competitions and performances
The 10th Liwa Ajman Dates and Honey Festival, held annually by the Ajman Department of Tourism Development (ADTD) at Emirates Hospitality Center, is set to kick off tomorrow on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. The event will celebrate palm trees and other agricultural produce, while promoting regional agriculture, supporting the local community and stimulating sustainable tourism. The festival's upcoming edition is poised to attract widespread participation from across the nation, as well as KSA, Oman, Jordan, and Egypt, through its unique contests featuring diverse categories like 'Emirate of Ajman', 'North Emirates', 'Other Emirates', and 'Citrus & Fruits'. The dates contest will highlight well-known varieties such as Khalas, Berhi, Lulu, Khenaizy, and Ajman Palms. Similarly, honey contests will feature varieties like Sumar, Crystallised, Sidr, Beeswax, and many others. Moreover, fruit contests will showcase lemon, mango, almond, figs, and citrus fruit varieties. Several SMEs will also take part in the event as exhibitors. H.E. Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director General of the Ajman Department of Tourism Development (ADTD), said: 'The Liwa Ajman Dates and Honey Festival serves as an ideal platform to highlight the critical role of palm trees and dates in the Emirati society as symbols of the nation's unique identity and heritage. We, at ADTD, believe that dates and honey represent our proud history and legacy. In line with this, the festival will showcase key agricultural products and support their regional cultivation, reflecting national goals and our wise leadership's noble vision to achieve environmental and economic sustainability in this vital sector.' A diverse range of competitions will be organised at the 10th Liwa Ajman Dates and Honey Festival, with many more categories and age groups than its previous edition. The event will also feature art performances such as Al Ayyala and police music bands at the main theatre, as well as a photography contest, which will be announced during the festival. Furthermore, diverse educational sessions will be conducted on palm cultivation and beekeeping methods, along with a series of workshops on palm trunk drawing, weaving techniques for medal making, diamond colouring, Suroud decoration, and Al Jafeer decoration, among others. Daily auctions will be held for dates and honey, of which, part of the proceeds will be allocated to charity. Moreover, the festival will feature traditional fests highlighting the Emirati culture, as well as a dedicated children's corner for hosting artistic events, interactive competitions, and educational activities on several topics, such as palm, its components, and benefits. The festival attracts wide participation each year, led by seamless coordination among public-private entities and traditional bands sponsored by Abu Dhabi Police, among others. This underscores ADTD's efforts to provide a comprehensive cultural experience, reinforcing the Emirate's pioneering position and promoting sustainable economic development. ADTD has raised the value of this year's festival awards to further encourage farmers, beekeepers, and artisans. The scope of the festival has also been enhanced to include 61 exhibition booths, given that the previous edition, held from July 24 to 28, 2024, included 56 booths, featuring fruit, honey, and unique handicraft souvenirs that reflect Ajman's distinct cultural heritage. Those interested can visit ADTD's official website or social media accounts to learn more about the festival dates and other information, which will be published shortly.
