Downtown Design: the designers

Tunisia - Chacha Atallah, SLOW, Antei. Courtesy: Downtown Design

At the end of this month, Downtown Design will welcome a host of leading designers from across the entire region.

Arwa Hafiz from Saudi Arabia, Nanu Al-Hamad from Kuwait, Nayef Francis from Lebanon, Cherif Morsi from Egypt, Chacha Atallah from Tunisia and Mohammad Hossein Ghaderi from Iran who received the prestigious Red Dot award recognising excellence in design for his carbon sofa will all unveil their latest creations to insiders and trade professionals in the temporary set up called The Venue, set up at the foot of the Burj Khalifa in Emaar’s Downtown Dubai.

Lamia Bousnina Ben Ayed, founder and owner of the Musk and Amber concept store in Tunis, who selected the designers said: “It is important to expose our talented designers and support them as they become known on the international stage. Downtown Design is a perfect place for them to showcase their designs, meet potential buyers and network with global industry leaders. At Musk and Amber, we believe the design industry and these entrepreneurs play a very important role in securing the future of our economies and creating jobs for our talented youth.”

Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (DCAA), and sponsored by Emaar and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), Downtown Design is fast emerging as a catalyst for the design scene in the UAE and the region. The platform is keen to promote regional talent to the world and is partnering with the first ever Harper’s Bazaar Interiors Award (HBI) to provide these designers the opportunity to compete for the Emerging Designer award.

Speaking about his plans for the future, Lebanese designer Francis says: “We are looking forward to participating in Downtown Design, which provides us with a unique opportunity to connect with the most inspiring global design brands as well as have access to the growing regional market.“

Arwa Hafiz representing Saudi Arabia inherited her passion for design from her father. Today she is committed to offering her clients exclusive vintage furniture and home accessories from around the world, which she customizes in her distinct style. “It’s an exciting time to be part of the region’s design industry, which is experiencing massive growth and to be part of Downtown Design which is creating a great platform for us to share our creations with the region and the world,” she says.

Nanu Al-Hamad representing Kuwait adds: “The mission of Downtown Design, to create this hub in Dubai for the region is very much aligned with all regional designers’ goals, to shed light on our original designs and gain access to these markets.”

Cherif Morsi from Egypt says: “I believe that good product design is usually an item that would fit instantly in the interior type it was designed. Downtown Design recognizes the importance of original design and provides us, regional designers, the opportunity to share our creations and vision for the evolution of the sector with like-minded professionals from across the world.”

Chacha Atallah the young architect and designer from Tunisia says: “I am honoured to have this opportunity to showcase my work alongside some of the great designers from the region and alongside design giants. For me, Downtown Design represents the great leaps that the region is taking in recognition of the importance of design.”

Mohammad Hossein Ghaderi from Iran, whose award-winning Carbon sofa got him noticed concludes: “The global recognition of regional designers has been slow in the making, and having platforms like Downtown Design at which we have the opportunity to present our work to is incredibly important to create business opportunities for us to continue to create.”

* Downtown Design runs from October 28-31 at The Venue, Downtown Dubai. For more info visit: www.downtowndesign.com