Editions Art & Design 2025
Every November, Dubai Design Week transforms the city into a vibrant landscape of creativity, but Editions at Downtown Design remains one of its most anticipated showcases. Positioned as the fair’s boutique, collectable, and small-batch design platform, Editions brings together emerging studios, independent makers, and limited-edition works that blur the line between functional object and contemporary art.
This year’s edition felt especially dynamic; imbued with material experimentation, craft-led innovation, and a refreshing sense of regional identity. From sculptural ceramics and hand-worked metals to playful lighting concepts and tactile furnishings, Editions offered an intimate look at the designers shaping the future of design in the UAE and beyond.
As always, the fair provided a space where discovery feels personal; each stand held a story, a process, and a perspective waiting to be uncovered. Below, I share my top selections from this year’s Editions Fair, highlighting the pieces and creators that stood out for their craftsmanship, concept, and creative ambition.
AASSTTIINN
Among the most compelling presentations at this year’s Editions Fair was AASSTTIINN’s Vertical Drift, a beautifully choreographed meditation on elevation, orientation, and the quiet dialogue between earth and sky. The installation traced a slow passage upward, a gentle drift that captured the layered horizons of the atmosphere and the rhythm of celestial motion through material, scale, and form.
At the centre of the composition stood the Lapis Chair, a geological fragment shaped into presence. Around it, seven clay candle holders rose in measured ascent, each vessel carrying light as a delicate monument to elevation. Together, the pieces formed a constellation: seven skies, seven steps, seven gestures towards ascent. Here, design extended beyond function to become a kind of cosmic map; a place where matter rises, light drifts, and the tangible reaches towards the infinite.
Despite this conceptual depth, Vertical Drift remained fundamentally human. These objects invite touch, use, and quiet ritual. To sit is to ground oneself in stone; to light a candle is to trace light’s journey upward. In these simple gestures, the installation completes its passage, transforming utility into contemplation.
This sensibility is deeply tied to the curatorial practice of ‘Made in Tehran’, which treats space as language and objects as its syntax. Their approach, balancing rhythm, resonance, and instinct, allows the arrangement itself to think. In Vertical Drift, they compose relationships between forms that feel both intentional and profoundly calm, creating a setting where the viewer’s gaze completes the work. Observation becomes participation.
Visually, the installation was one of the standout moments of the fair. Its vibrant, sculptural pieces set against a muted grey backdrop created a striking sense of clarity and focus. The contrast allowed each object to breathe, anchoring the installation within the wider bustle of Downtown Design and making Vertical Drift feel like a moment of stillness within the show; a pause, a horizon, a point of reflection.
Moiré Gallery Milano
Moiré Gallery Milano made a striking debut at this year’s Editions Fair, presenting a carefully curated selection that captured the gallery’s ethos of blending art, design, and material experimentation. The stand featured a series of sculptural lighting pieces that beautifully balanced form and function, where light itself became a medium of expression.
Each piece demonstrated a seamless dialogue between material and illumination, creating a sense of movement and presence within the space. The overall curation was elegant and considered, allowing the vibrant objects to stand out against a neutral backdrop and giving visitors room to fully appreciate the interplay of texture, shadow, and light.
The gallery’s presentation not only highlighted Italian craftsmanship and contemporary design but also created one of the fair’s most visually compelling and memorable stands. For additional coverage of Moiré Gallery’s debut in Dubai, see our article “Moiré Gallery Milano Makes Its Dubai Debut” via the link.
Szkło Studio
One of the most immediately captivating presentations at Editions Fair came from Szkło Studio, with their showcase Liquid Feelings. The stand drew visitors in with a striking display of hand-blown glass sculptures, each piece unique and vibrant, celebrating the material’s inherent fluidity and spontaneity.
Created by Aleksandra Zawistowska and her team of craftsmen, the works blurred the line between functional object and sculptural art. Without traditional moulds, each piece assumed a spontaneous, playful form, transforming conventional notions of glassware into something unexpected and poetic. The process itself, visibly rooted in experimentation, was as compelling as the resulting objects, emphasising the beauty of imperfection and individuality.
Liquid Feelings turned everyday objects into experiences: glassware that invites touch, encourages use, and transforms the simple act of eating or drinking into a moment of reflection. The curation of the stand was particularly impressive, allowing each vibrant, fluid form to shine while creating an overall sense of rhythm and cohesion that immediately stood out on the fair floor.
Badih Ghanem
Among the standout installations at Editions Fair 2025 was Badih Ghanem’s Remember Love?, a captivating composition that immediately drew attention. The installation juxtaposed raw construction blocks with polished metallic objects, softened by delicate fields of wheat emerging through their voids. This contrast between the industrial and the organic created a striking landscape of tension and harmony; permanence against fragility, utility against poetry.
The stand’s curation was thoughtful and immersive, guiding visitors through a space where ordinary materials were transformed into vessels of memory and reflection. By blending industrial forms with natural elements, Ghanem invited engagement, contemplation, and a fresh perspective on design as an act of care; turning everyday materials into a narrative that elevated the mundane and encouraged visitors to “remember love” in its simplest forms.
The Rooster Gallery
The Rooster Gallery delivered a refreshing showcase, presenting a captivating solo installation by Sandra Strele alongside the gallery’s debut art-driven furniture collection. The stand offered a seamless fusion of art and design, where furniture pieces became both functional objects and expressive canvases.
I particularly loved the way the collection blurred boundaries: tables, chairs, and sculptural forms served not only as furniture but as surfaces for artistic intervention, transforming everyday objects into immersive works of art. This interplay between utility and expression worked incredibly well, giving the installation a dynamic, contemporary character that stood out within the Editions Fair.
The Rooster Gallery’s presentation demonstrated how design can convey narrative, emotion, and visual impact without sacrificing function, offering a thoughtful, beautifully curated addition to this year’s programme.
Duali
Duali Designs brought a refreshing sense of charm and craftsmanship to this year’s Editions Fair, showcasing a beautifully curated selection of teaware and crockery that highlighted the brand’s artistry and imagination. Based in India, the studio presented several of its standout collections, each offering a distinct narrative expressed through meticulous hand-painting and thoughtful design.
One of the highlights was ‘Uninvited Guests,’ a witty and beautifully executed series featuring the ubiquitous housefly; playfully illustrated across plates and teacups with remarkable precision. The collection added humour and character to the dining experience, turning everyday moments into delightful encounters.
Also on display was ‘Shadows,’ a more introspective collection capturing the subtleties of the inner world. A solitary splash of red against an otherwise monochrome palette prompted a moment of pause and reflection; an unexpected emotional depth woven into the tableware.
The brand even presented what they describe as the world’s lightest teacup, a testament to their technical finesse and attention to material refinement.
Duali’s stand balanced storytelling, craftsmanship, and playfulness, offering visitors a memorable exploration of contemporary Indian design expressed through the rituals of eating and drinking.
This year’s Editions Fair once again demonstrated the depth and diversity of design talent shaping the region and beyond. From sculptural lighting and experimental glasswork to conceptual installations and playful tableware, the showcases revealed how creativity continues to evolve through craft, culture, and storytelling. As Dubai Design Week grows each year, so too does its power to connect, inspire, and spark new conversations in contemporary design.
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