What to Expect at Downtown Design

Downtown Design, the anchor event of Dubai Design Week, returns to the d3 Waterfront Terrace from 5–9 November 2025. Besides both national and international brands, regional design is making its mark at the fair with participants from India, Pakistan, Turkey, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. 

A global-meets-local showcase

“Visitors can expect a truly global showcase this year.,” shares Mette Degn-Christensen, Director of Downtown Design. “First-time participants like Roche Bobois and Desalto will join the fair, while returning names such as Kartell and Poltrona Frau present new collaborations that show how design continues to reinvent itself. These leading design greats highlight how Downtown Design has become a stage where international brands see real value in presenting themselves within the region. For our audience, it means access to design conversations, craftsmanship and collaborations that might otherwise be out of reach.” Returning leading international design brands include Ethimo, Lasvit, Natuzzi, Venini, Atelier Vierkant, Caspaiou and Serafini. At the centre of the fair, Huda Lighting will stage a lighting exhibition that will unveil the latest pieces of brands and names such as Lee Broom and Tom Dixon. 

Dhow Architectural Solutions will present a multi-brand showcase and collaborative hub, ‘Dhow Design Collective’, featuring iconic design from Vitra, Artemide, Louis Poulsen and USM in a space where local designers and global brands come together to co-create.

The fair also welcomes first-time global brands including Porada and Laufen, as well as prominent names on the international high-end design scene such as Stéphanie Coutas, Foglio d’Oro and Draga & Aurel (presented by The Collectional).

“For Downtown Design 2025, we have pushed further into experiential presentations. Instead of traditional stands, visitors will find environments that immerse them in design. Stellar Works and Calico Wallpaper are creating a conceptual shared space; Nordic Homeworx is collaborating with Dubai’s Styled Habitat on a multisensorial Nordic cabin concept; and Cosentino is collaborating with Etereo Design studio on a speakeasy-inspired piano bar-like hospitality space. These projects transform the fair into a place of stories and atmospheres, inviting visitors to step inside and experience design in new ways,” shares Degn-Christensen. 

Stellar Works makes its Dubai debut in collaboration with Calico Wallpaper, in a space concept conceived by Omar Al Gurg. UAE-founded Fronteriors is showcasing a portfolio of design solutions, including a collection in collaboration with Avenue Design Studio. Other debut highlights include Flou, Giobagnara, Porcelanosa, Sobha Furniture, Serralunga and Lal & Ghosh.

Brands on our radar 

Lasvit

Renowned for its mastery of Bohemian glassmaking, Lasvit continues to push the boundaries of artistry and design through immersive lighting and glass installations. At Downtown Design, the brand will showcase pieces that exemplify its unique ability to merge traditional craftsmanship with bold, contemporary expression. Beyond the fair, Lasvit has also recently unveiled the ‘Bird of Paradise’ installation at the Casamia reception. Crafted exclusively for Casamia by Lasvit, this bespoke work reimagines the Bird of Paradise, Casamia’s emblem of creativity, beauty and expression, resulting in an illuminated sculpture that fuses art, craft and light.

Interiors from Spain

Interiors from Spain will once again showcase collective brands in one exhibit, with a booth designed by Swiss Bureau Interior Design (SBID). Crafted around ‘espejos’ (mirrors), the intention of the booth is to showcase Spain’s innovative spirit. Influences include Gaudi’s work, flamenco and surrealist art. Brands showcased will include Punt Mobles – a leading name in high-end design, where contemporary craftsmanship and a deep-rooted design philosophy shape every piece – and OGO – an innovative furniture brand, rooted in island life, that creates original, minimalist products designed to spark joy and elevate indoor and outdoor experiences. 

Laufen

With Swiss precision and a philosophy of blending functionality with architectural elegance, Laufen brings a carefully curated selection of its most distinguished collections to this year’s edition. Among the highlights are Volta, which offers a striking exploration of geometry and elegance; Alape, a refined expression of purity in both form and function; and The New Classic, the celebrated range by Marcel Wanders that reinterprets timeless silhouettes for a contemporary era. These collections, alongside other featured innovations, reflect Laufen’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, craftsmanship and design leadership.

IF HUB

Set around a beating heart, IF HUB will showcase some of its most intriguing Italian brands. Among these are Myface – an enticing outdoor brand that brings the comfort of indoors, outside. “Design is more than aesthetics; it’s about emotion, purpose and the people it connects. IF HUB is where all of that comes together,” shares the founder of IF HUB, Fady Friberg.

OBEGI Home

OBEGI Home is back with a multi-brand showcase that sheds light on contemporary luxury living, as well as a solo exhibit of the Porada brand, marking its debut at the fair this year. This year, the iconic Reflex bathtub will be one of the highlights of OBEGI Home’s Downtown Design showcase in a dedicated bathroom space – part of a carefully orchestrated exhibition of indoor and outdoor living spaces that reflects the most in-demand trends and a selection of design pieces from its vast portfolio of brands.

The Reflex bathtub by antoniolupi exemplifies the brand’s mastery of sculptural elegance and modern bathroom design. Crafted in Cristalmood, antoniolupi’s patented signature material, Reflex offers a silky-smooth finish, exceptional durability and a luminous, almost ethereal quality that elevates the bathing experience. Its fluid, organic curves transform the bath into a centrepiece both of relaxation and visual impact.

A showcase in regional talent

Highlights include Pakistani designer Yousaf Shahbaz (Strata), whose three collections bridge heritage and contemporary design. Designed in Saudi, a strategic initiative led by the Architecture and Design Commission that aims to develop the industrial design sector in Saudi Arabia, returns for the third consecutive year. BEIT Collective will showcase their wide range of tableware and decorative objects, conceived by way of collaboration between Lebanese artisans and international designers. Hands Carpets is launching a collaboration with female design duo Doodle and the Gang (Egyptian sisters who debuted at Downtown Editions three years ago), featuring eclectic, contemporised oriental rugs, following the brand’s first international design collaboration last year with Nika Zupanc. Jagdish Sutar will present a new furniture collection that reimagines traditional Indian techniques, alongside a striking new lighting series shaped in pure metal, each piece reflecting a deep respect for heritage, precision and contemporary form.

“One of the defining features of this year’s edition is how the spotlight on UAE talent is expanding beyond Dubai to the other emirates,” states Degn-Christensen. “Tashkeel is continuing to grow its Tanween programme, unveiled each November at Downtown Design, and we have Sharjah-based 1971 Design Space presenting material innovation from Lina Ghalib and Nuhayr Zein, while MAKE’s Athath Fellowship from Abu Dhabi is joining for the first time this year. Alongside large-scale regional exhibitors like Designed in Saudi, the fair is creating a fuller picture of design across the Middle East and beyond, with a regional scope that now also looks toward Southeast Asia and North Africa.”

The UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture, evolves this year to emphasise expanding mentorship and international visibility for Emirati creatives. This will include a programme of expert guidance, enhanced visibility and tailored support for participants. Nada Debs will spearhead the exhibition this year as lead mentor, with a focus on providing insights and direct mentorship during, in the lead-up to and afterwards, while an array of other global experts in their respective fields will offer first-hand feedback and solution-based advice to the participants.

What’s awaiting at The Forum

The week’s flagship talks programme will welcome global and regional thought leaders for keynote presentations, panel discussions and masterclasses. Tom Dixon, one of the most influential voices in contemporary design, makes his Dubai debut with a keynote on material innovation and the evolution of global design narratives. He will appear alongside other globally-acclaimed voices, including leading British designer Lee Broom and French architect and interior designer Isabelle Stanislas. This year’s The Forum space, conceived by Lebanese architect and designer Roula Salamoun, reflects her tactile, intuitive approach to combining material experimentation with the exploration of organic forms, often inspired by landscapes and natural morphologies.

Editions gets bigger and better

Editions, the art and design fair, also returns with a vibrant line-up of international and regional design studios and galleries presenting limited-edition prints, photography, ceramics, works on paper, artist multiples and contemporary design. 

Highlights include: the global launch of Bureau of Innovation, presenting works by leading designers such as Tom Fereday, Kym Ellery and Jorge Kilzi; Galerie Geek Art’s first regional presentation of Japanese art; and Dubai-based Ila Colombo’s AI-driven practice. Wadi Finan Art Gallery will bridge heritage with contemporary practice, presenting works on paper by a selection of regional artists.Returning exhibitors include: Rarares Gallery, spotlighting Dubai’s emerging artists; Leila Heller Gallery with prints by Keith Haring; Rooster Gallery with a new collection by Sandra Strēle; as well as Zawyeh Gallery, bringing perspectives from the Levant and Palestine.

Immersive pop-up concepts

Downtown Design 2025 is also moving further into experiential territory. Maison Buccellati unveils a high-jewellery and silverware pop-up created with renowned design studio david/nicolas, while Venini presents ‘Amber Mirage’, a poetic glass installation. Dubai-based interior design studio Styled Habitat’s Nordic Cabin concept for Nordic Homeworx reinterprets Swedish forests through a UAE lens, and Cosentino collaborates with Etereo Design on a speakeasy-inspired hospitality lounge. Veuve Clicquot’s Solaire Lounge, designed in collaboration with Studio Marcel Poulain, offers an elegant social space for networking and relaxation.