How the dunk came together

The Dubai Basketball Red Bull partnership arrived with a stunt built for attention. Dubai Basketball stars Dzanan Musa and Justin Anderson made history 303 metres above the ground. They performed it on the helipad of the Mandarin Oriental Downtown hotel in Al Wasl Tower. Musa delivered an alley-oop pass, and Anderson finished the play against the city skyline. Aerial footage moved from sunset into night. It ended with 600 drones forming the Red Bull and Dubai Basketball logos above the city.

What the world’s highest-altitude basketball dunk means for fans

The world’s highest-altitude basketball dunk served a purpose beyond the spectacle. Red Bull plans a programme of activations through the season, giving supporters closer contact with the team. The two sides will also run digital and fan-led projects, with interactive voting and content across both brands’ platforms. Red Bull will back the club’s plan to create spaces where the local community can play and connect with the game. That community angle matters for a sport that is still young in the UAE.

The Red Bull official energy drink partner model

Naming Red Bull as the official energy drink partner follows a pattern the company uses across world sport, from football clubs in England to cricket boards in Asia. The method is consistent. Red Bull attaches its name to a rising property, adds visible branding around matchday and training, and builds content around the team. For the club, the arrangement brings marketing weight at a point when wider recognition counts. The deal also gives Red Bull a route into a fast-growing basketball market in the Gulf.

Where Dubai Basketball sits now

The agreement lands as Dubai Basketball enters its third season. It remains the first and only sports franchise representing Dubai and the UAE at this level of international competition. Its calendar spans the EuroLeague and the ABA League, two demanding competitions that test squad depth over a long season. The Dubai Basketball EuroLeague run places the club among established European names, and the Red Bull tie gives it a commercial profile to match that ambition. Signings of Dzanan Musa and Justin Anderson, both with experience at the top level, point to the same intent.

Dubai Basketball President Dejan Kamenjašević spoke about the partnership, saying, “Red Bull and Dubai Basketball share a belief in pushing boundaries and creating experiences that people remember.”

He added, “This partnership gives us the opportunity to bring that energy directly to our fans and the wider community, creating new ways for people to experience basketball and be part of what we are building in Dubai.”

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Independently developed by Wild Unlimited using Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), Epic Games’ game development platform that allows creators to build and publish custom experiences within Fortnite, the experience allows players worldwide to explore a digital recreation of Dubai through an open-world, team-based gaming environment. The first edition will feature locations and experiences including Al Fahidi Fort, Almas Tower, Uptown Dubai, Skydive Dubai, Deep Dive Dubai, Kite Beach Dubai, SALT, Dubai Harbour, X-Dubai and the American University in Dubai (AUD), integrated into gameplay involving exploration, competitive challenges and team-based objectives.

The announcement follows the launch of the Dubai Drop campaign on 1 November, introducing the project through social media, creator activations and augmented reality (AR) loot box experiences across Dubai. Operating independently of the Fortnite experience, the campaign invites Dubai residents to collect AR collectibles and compete for prizes offered by participating partners, redeemable at Wild Game Fest on 11 November. It forms part of a wider programme of industry, educational and community engagement activities accompanying the global launch.

The experience will become playable globally on 11 November, with a public launch event and Wild Game Fest taking place at SALT, Kite Beach, bringing together players, creators and the wider gaming community. The launch marks the beginning of a longer-term project to expand Dubai’s presence within interactive gaming environments, with additional destinations, gameplay features and opportunities for creators and commercial partners planned for future editions. It also reflects the growing intersection between gaming and other sectors, including tourism and culture.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DMCC, said: “Dubai’s next phase of gaming growth will be defined by what we create here and take to the world. When we established the DMCC Gaming Centre, our conviction was that this region had the talent and ambition to build games for global audiences. Today, the Centre is home to over 170 gaming companies, and our focus is on helping them turn creative ideas into successful international businesses.

“Dubai Developed in Fortnite 2033 brings that ambition to life. Almas Tower and Uptown Dubai, where our gaming community works, will become destinations that players around the world can explore together. Students at the American University in Dubai have also helped recreate their campus for the experience, taking their work from the classroom to a platform where players around the world can discover it. Our collaboration with Wild Unlimited shows what Dubai’s landmarks, creative talent, and digital capabilities can achieve together in support of the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033. Our ambition is clear: games made in Dubai, by talent developed in Dubai, played by the world.”

Sam Shami, Founder & CEO, Wild Unlimited, said: “Dubai has always been a city that turns ambitious ideas into reality. With Dubai Developed in Fortnite 2033 (DDIF2033), we are bringing that same spirit of innovation into one of the world’s most influential gaming platforms.

“Our vision goes beyond building a game. We want to create a digital destination where millions of players around the world can discover Dubai, experience its iconic landmarks, explore its culture, and connect with the city through gaming.

“DDIF2033 is a celebration of Dubai’s ambition, creativity, and the power of collaboration between government, businesses, and the gaming community. We are proud to be building this experience in Dubai, for the world, and contributing to the emirate’s vision of becoming a global gaming hub.”

The project has also supported local gaming talent development through UEFN masterclasses delivered by Wild Unlimited at Uptown Dubai and the American University in Dubai (AUD). At AUD, students participated in the February UEFN masterclass, using the platform to recreate their university campus, which was subsequently incorporated into the Dubai Developed in Fortnite 2033 gaming experience. Their contribution demonstrated how collaboration between gaming companies and educational institutions can connect technical skills development with practical game production.

Sophie Boutros, Executive Director of the Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication (MBRSC), American University in Dubai, said: “Now in its second year, AUD’s pioneering Bachelor of Science in Game Design and Development, created in partnership with USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, aims to make a significant impact on Dubai’s and the UAE’s rapidly growing gaming ecosystem. AUD students’ contribution to the Dubai Developed in Fortnite 2033 project offers an early and tangible demonstration of the programme’s potential to achieve this ambition.”

The project has brought together organisations from across Dubai’s tourism, cultural and commercial sectors, including Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Culture, SALT and Shamal Holding, the investment firm building iconic experiences that contribute to Dubai’s appeal and support its tourism sector. Through these collaborations, Wild Unlimited has developed a gaming experience that incorporates recognisable Dubai destinations and connects the city’s physical landmarks and experiences with interactive digital environments.
The collaboration reflects the wider role of the DMCC Gaming Centre in supporting the growth of Dubai’s gaming industry. Home to over 170 gaming companies, the Centre forms part of DMCC’s broader technology ecosystem, which brings together businesses across gaming, AI, Web3 and other digital industries. Through specialised business support, industry networks and opportunities for collaboration, DMCC provides an environment for gaming companies to establish operations, develop new products and access international markets.

The initiative also aligns with the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033, launched under the vision of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai. The programme seeks to strengthen Dubai’s gaming industry, develop talent and support the growth of the digital economy as part of the emirate’s wider economic diversification agenda.

This is an independently created Fortnite island and is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Epic Games, Inc.

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Italy steps into the spotlight

Naming Italy as Guest of Honour gave SIFF 2026 a clear theme, and the organisers leaned into it. FANN Media Discovery Platform, the body behind the festival, built the day around Italy’s cinematic heritage, its arts and its everyday traditions. The aim was simple. Introduce children to a new culture through things they take part in, not lectures they sit through. That approach runs through the whole Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth, where learning tends to arrive wrapped inside play.

A premiere that speaks to every child

On the Green Carpet, the Italian film Forever With You had its Middle East premiere. Directed by Fabrizio Cattani, the story follows a boy named Filo who heads into the forest with his friend Rolo to find his missing dog, Pirlo. What begins as a search becomes something bigger, a story about courage, friendship and facing fears. Those feelings cross borders easily, and the young audience recognised them at once. Other screenings at VOX Cinemas in City Centre Al Zahia included Atlas of the Universe and the animated feature Tales From The Magic Garden, a trip into a world of wonder and magical stories. The programme also made room for films by children and young filmmakers, offering a window into their ideas and the way they see the world.

Pasta, masks and the making of young filmmakers

Over at the House of Wisdom in Sharjah, the festival traded the big screen for hands and ingredients. The La Dolce Vita Show brought energy to the venue, while the Colombina Masks workshop drew on Italian theatre, showing children how a mask can carry a character and an emotion. Food played its own part. Young cooks learned to make semolina pasta and tiramisu, two dishes that open a door into Italian home life. A ceramic coaster painting session let visitors design something small to keep.

What the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth gives young audiences

Two workshops looked straight ahead to the next generation of storytellers. The Film Strip session showed how a run of still images becomes a moving story, and “From Idea to Screen” walked children through turning a first idea into finished content. You could watch confidence build in real time as a shy suggestion turned into a plan. That is the quiet promise of the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth. Give a child a camera, a culture, and a bit of encouragement, and you often hand them a voice they keep for life.

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Here is why that matters to you as a parent. Dubai already has hundreds of youth programmes. What sets this one apart is that FC Bayern is putting its own name, its curriculum, and a resident coach behind it, rather than running a short seasonal camp and leaving.

What the academy actually offers

This is a year-round youth football academy in Dubai, not a holiday camp. Players train one to five times a week depending on the programme, and they are grouped by age and talent level. A coach nominated by FC Bayern will be based in the country throughout the year as Director of Coaching. That coach oversees the local coaching team and keeps the curriculum tied to the club’s player-development standards.

The coaches on the ground get something most academies cannot offer. They receive access to FC Bayern’s training methodology, its coach education content, and ongoing guidance set to the club’s standards. For a child, that means the drills, the structure, and the development plan follow the same thinking used in Munich.

The route from Dubai to Munich

This is the part that separates a football academy for kids in Dubai from a genuine pathway. For talented players, the academy may open the door to the FC Bayern Pathway. High-potential players can be assessed through the club’s scouting network. Subject to FC Bayern’s selection criteria, some could be considered for international development programmes in Munich. Selected players might gain access to relevant programmes at the club’s Campus, including the FC Bayern Global Academy.

Read that carefully. The words used are “may” and “subject to selection.” Nobody is promising your child a contract. What the academy offers is access to a scouting system that most families here could never reach on their own, and a clear line showing where the talent could lead.

Scholarships open two doors

The FC Bayern Academy in the UAE will introduce two scholarships. The Performance Excellence Scholarship is aimed at players showing strong technical ability, game intelligence, athletic potential, and long-term promise. The Future Champions Scholarship targets highly committed and ambitious players who would gain from extra development support.

The two awards work differently. One rewards players who already stand out. The other backs effort and ambition in players who need more support to get there. For families weighing the cost of elite coaching, these matter.

What FC Bayern says about the move

FC Bayern Munich’s Campus Director, Jochen Sauer, pointed to how fast the sport is growing locally. He said the club was glad to enter an academy partnership of this kind in the Middle East as the first Bundesliga club to do so. He noted that football is becoming more popular in the UAE, especially among children and young people, and that the club wants to use its expertise to support local talent.

Mahmoud Abusway, Investor and Partner in the academy, framed the launch around long-term development. He said football shapes ambition, discipline, confidence, and character long before a player reaches a professional pitch. His stated aim is an environment where young players in the UAE can train to world-class standards and begin to understand their potential. He described the agreement as a way to create access, raise the standard of youth football, and build a real pathway for the next generation.

What this means for Dubai families

Dubai has pushed hard to become an international base for sport and young talent. A club of this size setting up a permanent youth operation at Amity University Dubai in Academic City adds weight to that effort, and it reaches a young population that is highly diverse and international.

For you, the practical picture is simple. The academy is accepting players now. Your child can start training locally, under a curriculum run to FC Bayern’s standards, with a resident Director of Coaching keeping it honest. Whether your child ever reaches Munich is uncertain, and the academy is upfront about that. What is certain is the chance to train at a higher standard, close to home, from a very young age.

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Lola Young headlines on Saturday 12 December. The South London artist broke through with “Messy,” which won the 2026 Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance and earned a nomination for Best New Artist. Her sound leans on candid songwriting and rock-influenced pop.

Overmono take the Friday 11 December slot. The British duo, brothers Tom and Ed Russell, arrive after a Glastonbury run and a sold-out show at London’s Alexandra Palace. Their second album, Pure Devotion, landed in August 2026. The live set pairs heavy basslines with melodic electronic rhythms.

The Sole DXB 2026 lineup across four stages

The Sole DXB 2026 lineup runs wider than its two headliners. On the Main Stage, Saudi singer-songwriter Hajaj blends jazz, soul and Arabic influences. British artist Nia Archives layers jungle and drum and bass under soulful vocals.

Stage 2 adds Malian vocalist Fatoumata Diawara, New Delhi band Peter Cat Recording Co., and Egyptian-Lebanese duo Maii and Zeid. DJ sets come from Hong Kong-born Gia Fu, known for Afro-Latin music, and British producer Matthew Herbert. In all, performances span four stages. Each act brings a different regional sound to the bill.

A new Sole DXB venue in Dubai

The shift to The Square Nad Al Sheba is the first change of Sole DXB venue in over a decade. It covers 350,000 square feet and holds 20 dining concepts. Its events arena runs to 24,000 square metres. Parking reaches more than 3,000 spaces, with direct access from Dubai Al Ain Road. The arena will carry cultural programming, live entertainment and community events through the year.

Music, fashion, art, food and sport stay at the centre of the program. Across the three days, the festival adds talks, experiential retail and basketball. Daily hours run from 4:00 pm to 2:30 am. More lineup and program details will follow.

Sole DXB dates, tickets and prices

The Sole DXB dates are fixed for 11, 12 and 13 December 2026. Sole DXB tickets are on sale now through soledxb.com and Platinumlist. General Admission 3-day passes start at AED 495. VIP 3-day passes start at AED 775.

Anyone following the Sole DXB 2026 lineup can buy passes now, though prices rise with each release. Four categories are open. General Admission covers all three days and all programming. VIP Grandstand 21+ adds a raised platform facing the Main Stage. Two Golden Circle passes, one 21+ and one all ages, offer fast-track entry and viewing areas near the stage.

What the move means for Sole DXB 2026

The Sole DXB 2026 lineup continues a shift that reaches past the festival’s hip-hop roots. Programming now spans alternative pop, electronic music, and Afrobeats. The 2025 edition drew more than 48,000 people from over 150 countries. Its recognition from The Business of Fashion names the event a cultural catalyst for the global fashion industry. More than 150 brand partners connect with its audience each year. At a larger home, the 2026 event looks set to build on that base.

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Four curators will shape how those works are arranged. Rachael Brown and Stephane de Boysson join for the first time, while Gottfried Eisenberger and Samar Kamel return, each bringing a different read on what belongs where.

A fair built around collecting art

The organisers have tilted this year’s programme toward buying. Artwork sales climbed 28 per cent in 2025, and the fair wants to turn that figure into steady, repeat purchases. Collecting art sits at the centre of the plan. Prices run from roughly USD 100 to USD 20,000, a spread wide enough to let a first-time buyer and a seasoned collector shop the same aisles. The aim is to make the move from looking to owning feel simple rather than daunting.

Who the art fair in Dubai is for

Buyers at this art fair in Dubai are no longer only private collectors. The crowd now includes interior designers, hospitality operators and corporate clients sourcing pieces for homes, hotels, offices and new developments. Asma Al Sharif, Assistant Vice President at Exhibitions at the Dubai World Trade Centre, said the priority is to widen the fair’s reach while giving artists real chances to meet fresh audiences. She tied last year’s sales rise to a growing appetite for owning original work, among both new and experienced buyers.

World Art Dubai 2026 widens its support for emerging artists

Photography gains a dedicated zone through PhotoWAD, setting camera-based work within the wider mix. The Emerging Artist Prize returns as well, handing rising names a route to visibility on an international stage. Gallery numbers keep climbing year on year, a sign of steady confidence among dealers from the UAE and abroad. A dedicated Emirati Artists Pavilion will place emerging artists from the region inside that global setting, next to independent talent and visiting galleries.

More than a show to walk through

The four-day schedule reaches well past the stands. Visitors can book into more than 20 hands-on workshops, all included in the ticket, plus a run of free talks with artists, curators and market voices. Sunday, November 22, becomes Family Day, with activities built for younger guests. Schools join the programme too, letting students show work in a professional setting. Through its Artist in Residence Programme, the fair pairs artists with Dubai hotels such as Hotel Indigo Downtown Dubai, SO/Uptown and Radisson RED, and that residency activity carries on into 2027.

How to attend World Art Dubai 2026

Doors open from 1 pm to 9 pm daily across the four days. World Art Dubai tickets are on sale now, with early-bird pricing available online. Dubai Culture backs the edition as Strategic Partner, joined by Knightsbridge Group as Legal Sponsor, Qube Art on framing and installation, and DiarBID Art House on artist services. For a city still building its creative economy, World Art Dubai 2026 sits among the region’s broadest ways into owning original art.

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They did not announce it quietly. Red Bull paramotor athlete Dimitris Kolliakos flew into Al Ain’s Hazza Stadium by paramotor, a stunt that matched the energy both brands like to project. Think of it as a mission statement with wings.

What the Red Bull Al Ain Club partnership covers

The Red Bull Al Ain Club partnership runs across three areas: high performance, innovation, and talent development. Red Bull brings a global sporting network built over years in football, motorsport, and extreme sports. Al Ain brings pedigree. The club is a two-time AFC Champions League winner and is often called the “Boss” of the domestic game.

Put those two together, and you get an interesting mix. One side knows how to win in Asia. The other knows how to build athletes and stage moments that travel far beyond a single stadium. Both want the same thing: a stronger game with a louder voice.

Why UAE football talent development sits at the center

Grassroots work is where this deal could matter most. UAE football talent development is the long game, and Red Bull’s work with high-performance academies and youth scouting gives Al Ain a sharper way to spot emerging players early. Catch a player at the right age, give them the right coaching, and the ceiling rises fast. Miss that window, and raw talent can fade before anyone notices.

Al Ain FC has long produced names that shaped the national game. The new structure wants to make that pipeline steadier, so the next generation does not slip through. For young players across the country, that is the part worth watching.

Red Bull and Al Ain Club in a new partnership eye the global stage

Al Ain’s record in the UAE Pro League and in Asian competition gives the club a strong base to grow from. Red Bull and Al Ain Club in a new partnership plan to use that base to reach fans who have never watched a UAE match. International exposure, better development tools, and a louder platform all point the same way.

Here is the forward tilt. A club rooted in UAE football now has a partner whose whole model turns local strength into global attention. Red Bull and Al Ain Club, in a new partnership, are betting that the formula works in football too.

None of this changes the league table overnight. The value shows up over seasons, in players developed and in matches that reach new screens. For fans of Al Ain FC, and for UAE football broadly, the direction is clear. The club wants more, and it now has the help to chase it.

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What the Karnival puts on the table

A straight promise of value sits at the heart of the campaign. During the peak period from 15 to 31 October, customers can enjoy discounts of up to 50% at participating restaurants. That is the headline, and it holds real weight for a household watching its weekly spend. The Keeta food delivery UAE service gathers the offers in one place: the Keeta Karnival hub inside the app. Keeta Around You highlights curated restaurant picks across UAE cities, again with up to 50% off at participating spots. Flash Deals add a daily window worth a reminder. Selected items drop to AED 19 with free delivery, Monday to Friday between 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm.

Where Keeta Karnival in the UAE goes next

From 18 to 31 October, Keeta Week, the Karnival Edition, takes 50% off the full menu at participating restaurants, promotional items included, with free delivery on top. The food delivery deals UAE residents hunt for tend to carry fine print, so the wider menu coverage here matters. Then the celebration lifts off. The Keeta Drone delivery Dubai operation extends the Karnival to service areas in Dubai Silicon Oasis. Customers at Dubai Land, Rochester Institute of Technology, Dubai, and Dubai Silicon Oasis Headquarters can receive the campaign’s offers by air. For them, a lunch order becomes a small moment of wonder as food arrives from the sky.

There is a reward waiting past the checkout too. Every eligible order above AED 100 placed between 15 October and 14 November enters an automatic draw for a Jetour T2. Keeta will announce the winner on 16 November. Shoppers paying with eligible Emirates Islamic Visa cards can save up to AED 20 until 1 November. The Keeta Karnival deals reflect a second year in the country and a bet that people here will keep trying new tables.

Fun that steps out of the app

Keeta Karnival in the UAE does not live on a screen alone. At Global Village in Dubai, the Keeta booth at Happiness Plaza 2 hosts games, voucher giveaways, and restaurant sampling over two weekends, 16 to 18 and 23 to 25 October. Families walking the grounds can taste first and order later. Over the opening weekend, guests at Al Forsan Mall in Abu Dhabi can join interactive games and win vouchers of their own. The Keeta app offers to sit beside these events, so a prize won at a booth can turn into a discount used at dinner.

“Keeta Karnival is our way of celebrating that variety, giving customers more reasons to try something new while helping participating restaurants reach new audiences,” said Lucas Xie, General Manager of Keeta UAE. He tied the campaign to the platform’s long-term commitment to the customers and restaurant partners it serves.

Keeta Karnival in the UAE runs through 31 October, with the hub, offers and activities available in the Keeta app on the App Store and Play Store. For restaurant partners, it is a chance to meet customers who might become regulars. Everyone else gets permission to order the dish they have been curious about.

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The design starts from a shift in how people use a mall. Shoppers now look for reasons to stay, not only to buy. Khalifa Bin Braik, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management, put the logic plainly, saying destinations are “competing for people’s time as much as their spend.” The precinct answers that by setting four entertainment venues beside 18 dining outlets, so a single trip can hold a game, a meal and an evening with friends.

Khalifa Bin Braik, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management, said:

“Mall of the Emirates has been defining retail and lifestyle experiences in Dubai for more than two decades. Our ambition now is to ensure its next chapter is as transformative as its first.

“Today, destinations are competing for people’s time as much as their spend. The Hangout responds to that shift by bringing entertainment, dining and social experiences together in a way that creates more reasons for people to visit, stay and connect.

“As part of our AED 5 billion investment in Mall of the Emirates, we are not simply introducing new concepts; we are evolving how the destination is experienced. The Hangout is an important expression of that ambition and of our long-term commitment to ensuring Mall of the Emirates continues to evolve alongside the communities it serves.”

Inside The Hangout by Mall of the Emirates

The Mall of the Emirates entertainment line-up rests on four concepts, each built around a different kind of play. Activate, billed as the world’s first active gaming experience, opens in October 2026 after its debut at City Centre Mirdif. It spreads across 12 light-up rooms and more than 50 interactive challenges, and it is open to guests aged six and above. Teams move through the rooms, solve tasks under time pressure and track their results on a global leaderboard.

SOCO follows in the fourth quarter of 2026. The 2,700 square metre venue centres on social play, with bowling lanes, simulators billed as a UAE first, augmented-reality darts, karaoke and private party rooms. Food sits inside the concept rather than beside it, so groups can eat without leaving the floor.

A space for families

Explorers arrives in the first quarter of 2027, also carried over from City Centre Mirdif. The 2,500 square metre space targets children aged one to twelve, with three play zones that include suspended net climbs and water play tied to simple science. Workshops in cooking, woodworking and arts run alongside the free play. It deepens the family entertainment Dubai parents look for close to home, pairing open play with guided skill-building.

Magic Planet forms the fourth concept and will reopen in a reworked form in 2027. Majid Al Futtaim is rebuilding one of its best-known family brands for a newer audience, keeping familiar rides while adding features aimed at today’s visitors. Together, the four venues position The Hangout by Mall of the Emirates as a new entertainment destination in Dubai rather than a single attraction.

A new dining district

Dining runs through the whole precinct. The line-up adds new restaurants at Mall of the Emirates across several cuisines, with 12 restaurants and four kiosks spanning Indian, Levantine, Italian and Pan-Asian cooking. Confirmed names include Fatt Pundit, Crunch, Apollo, Asma, Junk Smash Burger, Public Pizzeria, Crystal Jade Noodle Bar and Feels, with more to come. Two of the entertainment venues also hold their own food outlets, tying meals and play even closer together.

During Dubai’s cooler months, the precinct extends into the centre’s first outdoor F&B courtyard. Operable façades open the indoor floor onto a garden social space, so diners can move between the two without a hard break. A climate-controlled walkway will also link the precinct to New Covent Garden Theatre and Fashion Dome, smoothing the route across the wider entertainment district. These features position The Hangout by Mall of the Emirates as a dining and social district in its own right.

What the project signals

The Hangout by Mall of the Emirates forms the first large piece of the AED 5 billion plan to open. Its broader programme also covers a luxury wellness club, further dining precincts, a new theatre and quieter changes such as barrierless parking and better accessibility. Ignace Lahoud, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment and Lifestyle, pointed to demand for play that is “active, social and shared” as the reason behind the mix.

Ignace Lahoud, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment and Lifestyle, said:

“Entertainment is evolving as customers increasingly seek experiences that are active, social and shared. The Hangout responds by bringing together Activate, our home-grown concepts SOCO and Explorers, and a reimagined Magic Planet for a new generation.

“Together, they create one connected destination where customers can play, dine and discover more. It represents the future of location-based entertainment: greater choice, more reasons to return and long-term value for the wider destination.”

The phased opening runs through 2026 and into early 2027, which gives the centre time to add venues without closing its doors. For Majid Al Futtaim, the aim is steady: more reasons to visit, longer stays and repeat trips. Shoppers get a mall that treats a day out as the product, not a side effect of buying.

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What the collection includes

The 22-piece GANNI x lululemon collection spans womenswear, accessories and footwear. It mixes familiar lululemon shapes with GANNI design codes. Leopard print, ruffle trims and bold colour pairings run through the range. Proprietary fabrics Nulu and Softstreme feature across the pieces for comfort and freedom of movement.

Dance shapes the look. Leg warmers, boleros and headbands bring 1980s studio style into daily wear. The GANNI lululemon Define Jacket is one reworked favourite, rebuilt through GANNI’s lens. These pieces read as fashion as much as sportswear.

The collection sits between two worlds. lululemon brings technical construction and shapes built for exercise. GANNI brings colour, print and a studio-to-street sensibility. The brands describe a shared belief in the joy of movement, and the range is built to work in a gym class or on the street. Nulu and Softstreme give the fabric its stretch and soft feel. GANNI’s styling turns each piece into something wearable outside a workout. The 22-piece count keeps the range tight rather than broad.

Where the design started

Eighties dance films set the starting point. “Dance movies have been part of my life since I was a child,” said Ditte Reffstrup, Creative Director at GANNI. She drew on the energy and freedom of those films, then blended GANNI motifs like leopard and frills with lululemon’s focus on movement. Jonathan Cheung, Global Creative Director at lululemon, traced the project to movement itself. He said dance was GANNI’s practice, and the line grew from there. Cheung valued the blend of lululemon technical materials with GANNI style.

The campaign behind the drop

GANNI and lululemon opened the GANNI x lululemon collaboration with a campaign called “JOY IS A POWER MOVE.” Actor Jennifer Beals and singer and dancer METTE front it. A short film, shot in a dance studio, moves between rehearsal and performance. Beals described the campaign as an honour and said she is a longtime customer of both brands. METTE said lululemon had been with her since dance school, and GANNI entered her life while she worked on a film in London.

Buying the GANNI x lululemon Dubai collection

The GANNI x lululemon Dubai collection has no second UAE stockist at launch. Shoppers who want the range in person go to the lululemon Dubai Mall store from 15 October. The global line also sells online and in select stores across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. For the Emirates, the Dubai Mall site is the one confirmed door. The GANNI x lululemon Dubai debut gives local buyers the same pieces offered in other markets.

For UAE shoppers, the arrangement is simple. The range is new, the window is a single store, and the stock is shared with global markets. Early demand for limited collaborations can clear fast. Anyone set on a specific size or piece has reason to visit the Dubai Mall store near the 15 October opening.

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