After successful presentations in Milan, London, and Paris, the UAE Design Stories exhibition returns home to Dubai with its closing chapter: MXP - LHR - CDG to DXB.

Eight Emirati creative talents will present newly commissioned designs for Dubai Design Week, 2018. Following the format of previous chapters, designers will collectively create new objects inspired by one historical photograph from the UAE visual archive, creating a contemporary design piece that is representative of the UAE creative scene.

‘UAE Design Stories: The Next Generation from The Emirates’ highlights some of the country’s leading talents. Brought to you by Dubai Design District (d3) and supported by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, the eight Emirati creatives have been selected to represent their commissioned design pieces, artworks and projects in a bid to highlight current design practices and materials.

Up until the early ’90s, the subject of “design” in the United Arab Emirates was limited to interior design and decoration with more attention on surfaces, materials and commercial projects rather than aesthetic and function combined. However, with the growth of the real estate market and the introduction of landmark property projects, the design industry has rapidly evolved. With the creation of the Dubai Design District in 2014 as the hub of design for the region, the UAE design industry finally had a pioneering platform with a clear vision and focus on its own creative force. Over the past six years especially, greater attention has been afforded to the many talents across the region through platforms such as Design Days Dubai, Downtown Design and the now globally recognised Dubai Design Week. This increased interest from both those who reside in the region as well as from international markets is significant and is testament to the growing number of designers based in the UAE.