Words By Mette Degn-Christensen
Each year, the Downtown Design fair is a space of discovery, where new collections, innovative design, and bold decorative pieces come into focus. In the 2025 edition, we are highlighting a group of designers who represent the ambition of both the regional and international scenes. Their practices are distinct, but each brings an original approach to design that redraws the boundaries of possibility. Among many others, these names reflect the regional creativity that we are proud to present at Downtown Design this November. Each offers a unique perspective, whether through material, cultural storytelling or experimental form, and together they reinforce why Downtown Design remains a key platform and a snapshot of design today.
DAVID/NICOLAS for MAISON BUCCELLATI
Beirut-based design duo David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem, better known as david/ nicolas, collaborate with Maison Buccellati to create a special pop-up at Downtown Design. The immersive setting of soft woods, mirrors, and marine-inspired elegance celebrates Buccellati’s legacy of silverwork and craftsmanship while highlighting the duo’s ability to marry historical depth with a contemporary edge. On display at Downtown Design will be a curated selection of the Maison’s silverware collections, including Tahiti, Marina, and Nature, alongside a discreet selection of jewellery pieces. Their work speaks of a dialogue between memory and modernity, a duality that resonates throughout their interiors and objects. It promises to be a showstopper.
THOMAS TRAD for ATHATH FELLOWSHIP BY MAKE
Beirut-based designer Thomas Trad, the creative mind behind last year’s Japanese-inspired design of The Forum, has been appointed to lead the Athath Fellowship by MAKE – an Abu Dhabi-based platform nurturing the next generation of furniture designers. This year, they make their debut as exhibitors in Downtown Design. Trad has earned recognition for his ability to fuse organic forms with meticulous craftsmanship. His practice explores the natural beauty of materials while experimenting with abstract yet functional shapes in contemporary furniture. Now guiding a new cohort of emerging designers through the Athath Fellowship, his presence at the fair signals his growing role as both maker and mentor for the region’s design scene.
MENTALLA & ASMAA SAID – DOODLE AND THE GANG
Egyptian sisters Mentalla and Asmaa Said, the duo behind Doodle and the Gang, return to Downtown Design with a new collaboration with Hands Carpets. Known for its fine handcrafted rugs since 1881, Hands is launching a collection with the sisters that blends traditional oriental motifs with a contemporary, eclectic language. Having launched their studio at Downtown Design’s section for small-scale productions, independent studios, and limited-edition design just three years ago, the duo has built a practice around functional, collectible design that celebrates craft while breaking conventions. Their new work exemplifies their ability to make the past feel entirely fresh, eclectic, and relevant for today’s interior spaces.
LINA GHALIB & NUHAYR ZEIN – 1971 DESIGN SPACE
1971 Design Space has been dedicated to presenting and supporting the contemporary design scene, and for this edition of the fair, they spotlight two UAE-based talents, both of whom have previously participated in our UAE Designer Exhibition. Lina Ghalib introduces ‘PlyPalm’, a material exploration that repurposes date palm tree branches into candle holders, incense holders, and keepsakes. Alongside her, Nuhayr Zein showcases ‘Leukeather’, a biodegradable material inspired by the natural context of the UAE, through elegantly minimal trays and tissue boxes. Both designers merge material research with cultural resonance, demonstrating how the UAE’s design scene is producing a new lexicon of sustainable, future-facing creativity. Very talented young women and undoubtedly ones to watch.
ROULA SALAMOUN
Our design collaborator for The Forum 2025, Roula Salamoun, brings her signature exploration of materiality and form to the heart of Downtown Design. A Lebanese architect and designer, Salamoun has developed a practice that draws inspiration from natural morphologies, translating tectonic shifts and organic patterns into tactile spaces and objects. Her concept for The Forum reflects her deep fascination with landscapes and the sensorial qualities that reverberate within our environments. By merging architectural sensibility with an intuitive, hands-on approach, she creates immersive experiences that invite audiences to consider how design can connect with the forces of nature.
NASSIR AL GHAWI
As part of the 2025 cohort of the Tanween Design Programme by Tashkeel, Emirati designer and poet Nassir Al Ghawi introduces work rooted in the UAE’s natural environment and cultural memory. Using sustainable materials such as date seeds, desert sand and seashells, Al Ghawi creates furniture pieces that pulse with sensory rhythm and evoke the joy of childhood memories. His practice merges Islamic decoration with experimental craft, bringing both depth and playfulness into everyday functional objects. With a long-standing commitment to craftsmanship, his participation underscores the enduring role of Tanween in amplifying a distinctive, authentic design identity for the region.
