From international and regional design showcases to cutting-edge installations, Dubai Design Week 2024 (DDW) offered an array of programming. Including almost 1,000 designers, architects and brands from more than fifty countries, the event successfully illuminated Dubai’s central role as a hub for design and culture. Aisha Zaman reports.
DDW offered a striking exploration of the dynamic and evolving realm of contemporary textile art. From intricate hand-knotted designs to bold, sculptural pieces, the showcase captured the multifaceted ways in which textiles and rugs continue to captivate and inspire artistic innovation today. By highlighting the intersection of materiality, technique and conceptual depth, DDW underscored how textiles and rugs—historically relegated to functional or decorative roles—have been catapulted into the contemporary art and design world, reflecting global shifts in culture and identity. Here are some of COVER’s hand-knotted highlights from this year’s event.
Palestine Carpet by FBMI
Palestine Carpet was a significant piece by renowned Emirati artist Dr Najat Makki, created in collaboration with the Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This creation drew inspiration from traditional Palestinian patterns, symbolising cultural identity and resilience. Through Palestine Carpet, Makki not only expressed her artistic vision but also contributed to a vital dialogue on cultural preservation and humanitarian aid.
The region’s leading handmade carpet house, Iwan Maktabi, unveiled a limited-edition collection of hand-knotted carpets by acclaimed Emirati artist Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim within the Editions section at the fair. The collection was a creative re-interpretation of Ibrahim’s iconic paintings and drawings as artistic carpet collectibles, and is the artist’s first collaboration of its kind in his career spanning almost forty years. The brand changed its booth positioning from Downtown Design to Editions to launch ‘Iwan Maktabi: Artist Edition’, presenting the brand’s special carpet collaborations with artists.
Criss Cross by cc-tapis
Coinciding with Dubai Design Week 2024, Iwan Maktabi also opened its new flagship showroom in Dubai’s Jumeirah area, launching the first-ever global shop-in-shop for Italian contemporary rug company cc-tapis. The inaugural display featured Criss Cross—a collection designed by celebrated Iranian-French architect India Mahdavi.
Eye-catching showcases at Downtown Design this year included a collaboration between Natascha Maksimovic (Nat Maks) and Knots Rugs: eight bespoke abstract Japanese marble and ink wallpaper designs transformed into a collection of exclusive hand-knotted rugs.
Marking its debut at Downtown Design this year, Ferreira de Sá, one of Portugal’s oldest manufacturers of rugs and carpets, showcased three new rugs. Each reflects a commitment to craftsmanship and innovation in rug making. The essence of nature and architecture is woven into each thread, illustrated by the serene contours of the Dune rug, the architectural elegance of the Atrium and the organic flow of the Folia design.
Knotion Collection by Hands
The latest collection from primarily India-based brand Hands (with a UAE showroom as well), in collaboration with designer Nika Zupanc, presented a striking blend of tradition and modernity. Since its inception in 1881, Hands has been known for producing handcrafted carpets using time-honoured techniques passed down through generations. The Knotion collection designed by Zupanc reinterprets the knot as a foundational element, resulting in ten contemporary pieces hand knotted in botanical silk. They are ‘inspired by the intricate beauty of road knots and turns’, signifying the metaphorical journey of life.
The UAE Designer Exhibition—a specially curated section within Downtown Design dedicated to local designers—drew attention to creators, using innovative materials and works that problem-solve to improve daily life. Emirati designer Omar Al Gurg curated this year’s edition. Of the more than thirty emerging designers featured, a definite stand-out product was Tansej (meaning ‘she weaves’). This is a collaboration between UAE artist Noura Alserkal and Marrakech-based Atelier Talasin’s women weavers rooted in Amazigh (Berber) culture in the Atlas Mountains. The project, made possible by DESIGNEAST (a platform advocating for and promoting artists from the Global South), resulted in stunning, colourful handwoven rugs made from rare Siroua sheep wool, dyed with local plants, utilising the revived ancient Berber Knot.
Sahrai Milano, with its solid roots in the exceptional culture and know-how of Persian rugs, displayed a fine selection of its latest works of art. Rugs made in collaboration with the Lebanese designer Elie Saab distilled traditional Middle Eastern decorative elements and converted them into a contemporary aesthetic. Delicate geometries, like distant mirages, evoked plants (the Serena rug), landscapes and architecture. The captivating Underwaterlife collection, designed for yachts and summer residences, features natural shades accentuated by touches of gold, fuchsia, emerald green, deep and vivid blues, conjuring the sea, tropical vegetation and a dreamy Orient.
In Milan earlier this year, just a month after opening its new showroom at the Mall of the Emirates, high-end Italian furniture brand Poltrona Frau debuted a bold and audacious new collaboration (Squash) with British design studio Faye Toogood. This collection debuted in UAE during DDW24. The Squash rug features a chequerboard motif inspired by old English patchwork chairs. Each square is hand painted and the artwork translated into fabric using the traditional Berber knotting technique.
Jaipur Rugs, one of India’s largest manufacturers of luxury rugs, returned this year’s edition with a curated collection that celebrated the convergence of art and tradition. The stand-outs were extraordinary works by renowned Italian artist Lorenzo Vitturi, titled the Metamorphosis collection. The exhibition featured gigantic soft sculptures floating from above, as well as small and delicate still-lifes containing fractal patterns and geometries. These particular works trace back to the artist’s roots in Italy and Peru, while presenting the result of collaborations with artisans in Murano, Italy, at the Jaipur Rug Foundation in India, and indigenous communities in Chinchero, Peru.
DDW, by staying attuned to emerging trends and adapting to the evolving creative landscape, demonstrated an understanding that design is not just about commerce but also about culture, innovation and identity. Natasha Carella, director of Dubai Design Week, concluded, ‘As we celebrate the tenth edition, our commitment remains steadfast: to use design as a catalyst for positive change, addressing pressing global challenges and fostering dialogue on sustainability and inclusivity.’
