The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi event attracts global brands and talent to strengthen emirate’s status as leading destination for collector and retail experiences
Retail Abu Dhabi, the retail platform of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has drawn the curtain on a highly successful and action-packed inaugural edition of Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week. Conceived to strengthen the emirate’s expanding retail sector, the 10-day, city-wide event throughout October achieved its aim in showcasing Abu Dhabi to regional and international collectors.
Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week included a diverse, brand-led programme of interactive pop-ups and first-in-the-region activations, featuring multiple international brand residencies, exclusive collaborations with global brands, appearances by 20 world-renowned personalities and 26 leading collectors, and over 200 exclusive collectibles on display.
Celebrating collectors and collections through a series of innovative experiences in the retail, culinary and creative sectors, the festival reinforced Abu Dhabi’s status as a key destination for all things exclusive and desirable for collectors, and one of the world’s leading shopping and leisure destinations.
“As a new signature event in the emirate’s diverse events calendar, Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week has delivered a celebration of creativity and retail, with numerous unforgettable experiences featuring global brands and leading international talent,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi. “Underlining Retail Abu Dhabi’s position as a sector enabler and innovator, this exciting new initiative’s overnight success deepened Abu Dhabi’s innovative retail proposition and strengthened the emirate’s status as a world-renowned destination for unique collections and retail-based consumer offerings.”
Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week commenced with a first-of-its-kind Collectors’ Prom attended by some of the region’s top influencers, including popular YouTuber Rashed Belhasa, aka Moneykicks; DJ Tala Samman; and Saudi Arabian comedian and content creator Amy Roko; as well as a special appearance from American socialite and TV personality Olivia Palermo. The event’s highlight was the exclusive reveal of The Collective, a series of four immersive experiences on Hudayriyat Island and at Manarat Al Saadiyat. Experiences included The Sneaker Lab in collaboration with Puma; a showcase of the supercar collection of influencer and content creator Mo Vlogs; an exclusive, first-in-the-region NFT collection exhibition by Jumy; and an immersive Collectors’ Room that explored the stories and emotions behind the art of collecting.
As part of The Collective, Jumy the Dubai-based NFT marketplace, showcased a fascinating selection of curated digital artworks from top global and local artists, including Kefan 404, Majed and Kristel Bechara, who revealed an NFT created exclusively for the city of Abu Dhabi.
The festival generated city-wide engagement through brand activations that provided unique consumer experiences to collectors and shopping fans alike, along with unrivalled access to new collections, bespoke collector’s items and exclusive products.
New collection launches at malls across Abu Dhabi included a Breitling pop-up to celebrate the launch of the brand’s latest capsule collection; an exclusive preview of Dolce & Gabbana’s FW21 runway collection; and a unique shoppable pop-up experience bringing FILA to the capital, tying in with the brand’s 110th birthday celebration.
Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week also offered the chance to meet the collectors with programmes and experiences including a Secret Supper Club hosted by Emirati designer and collector Faisal Al Khoori, renowned for his luxury watch collection; a private and intimate High Tea collaboration with Arabian Gazelles, the world’s first and only all-women supercar club; and an immersive culinary experience by Dior in collaboration with Michelin-starred French pastry chef Julien Dugourd.
There were also celebrations of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee through a curated exhibition titled ‘50 Extraordinary Objects’ at Manarat Al Saadiyat. The exclusive showcase featured rare pieces collated from VIP Emirati collectors, including handbags, watches, jewellery and womenswear. In addition to giving enthusiasts the chance to view some of the most prestigious private collections, a unique luxury coffee table book was launched that narrated the stories behind many of the collection items.
Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week closed with Semi Permanent Middle East, the region’s first creativity and design festival. Held at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the event hosted exclusive, new-to-the-region brand retrospectives, branded culinary experiences, and multi-sensory exhibitions, and welcomed some of the world’s leading collectors, designers, and entertainers. The talent roll call included British-born Grammy and Academy Award-winning musician Mark Ronson, who played an exclusive live DJ set, which became the first 100 percent capacity entertainment event in Abu Dhabi; American artist and designer Daniel Arsham, who previously collaborated with numerous brands including Dior, Adidas and Porsche; and Turkish-American new media artist and designer Refik Anadol, who unveiled a data-driven digital artwork in an immersive LED format.
“It was an incredibly memorable experience to be a part of the first-ever Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week and to showcase my artwork ‘Quantum Memories’ exclusively in Abu Dhabi at Semi Permanent Middle East,” said Anadol.
Accompanying the stellar international line-up were many of the Middle East’s standout creative talents, including Lebanese singer and visual artist Dana Hourani; the German-born designer of Air Max fame Bunyamin Aydin; and Emirati communication designer and photographer Hussain AlMoosawi. The event also featured the international debut of renowned culinary space The Flower Shop, with the brand’s first-ever F&B pop-up outside of the USA, and the first Middle Eastern residency of La Rosa Social Club, created by artist and director Aaron Rose, which brought together distinguished international design, retail, branding, fashion and technology industry talent.
Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week saw a destination-wide push across multiple sectors, held under DCT Abu Dhabi’s ongoing Go Safe Certification initiative, which continues to apply strict health and safety protocols in line with Government of Abu Dhabi directives.
