After a two-year hiatus, Dubai street culture and music festival Sole DXB is set to return with a bang to the Dubai Design District from December 9 to 11. Marking its 10th anniversary this year, organisers of the festival are promising one of the event's biggest yet, with musical performances by global and regional stars, talks, film screenings, sports tournaments and exclusive product launches.
Scroll through the gallery above for more pictures from Sole DXB 2019
Also returning will be streetball tournament Sole Ball Above All Invitational as well as Sneaker Swap, where attendees will have the opportunity to buy, sell and trade footwear from leading collectors in the region.
Here is what not to miss at Sole DXB 2022:
Who are the performers at Sole DXB 2022?
Spanning hip-hop, soul, RnB and dance music over one weekend, performers this year will feature international stars and regional favourites. Musical performances begin on the second day of the event, on December 10, with British rapper Central Cee, American RnB star Ari Lennox, American rapper Rapsody, rap trio Coast Contra and Egyptian hip-hop artist Tac set to perform.
On December 11, it will be the turn of British singer Jorja Smith, American rappers Amine and Bas, Egyptian hip-hop star Marwan Pablo, American singer Mumu Fresh, Bangladeshi-American hip-hop artist Anik Khan, South African singer Muzi, Somalian rapper Freek and Egyptian rapper Felukah.
Times for performances have not been announced
The talks
The talks are an essential element of the festival and this year's list of speakers includes iPhone artist Elise Swopes, Iraqi rapper Narcy, as well as performers Bas and Fresh.
Moroccan artist Hassan Hajjaj, a regular at Sole DXB, will be this year's official festival host, and will also give a talk.
Times for the talks have not been announced
Exclusive product launches
Sole DXB is as much about the fashion as it is about the music. Street fashion, to be exact. And this year promises to be no different, with a number of brands curating their own unique spaces and showcasing exclusive product drops and Sole DXB-branded releases and collaborations.
Here's what you can expect:
Sole x Sonra
Sole DXB has teamed up with Hikmet Sugoer, the man behind the sustainable sneaker brand Sonra from Berlin, to produce a limited collection of 100 leather trainers, to mark the 10-year anniversary of Sole DXB. Inspired by the colour palette of Marrakesh, from pastels to whitewashed walls, the shoes are sustainably made with materials that are exclusively sourced from Europe — everything from the soles to the laces can be replaced.
“I am feeling honoured to be part of the 10-year anniversary of Sole DXB. Five years ago, I released a colourway of my then-newly founded brand Sonra at Sole DXB and it was a huge success. And now five years later, we are having a project together," Sugoer said.
Hassan Hajjaj’s Andy Wahloo
Hajjaj will officially launch his Andy Wahloo brand, with his first-ever apparel collection of T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, trousers, leather jackets, varsity jackets, key rings and accessories. Festival-goers will get to experience Hajjaj's inspiration first-hand as his collection will be housed in a remake of his very own Moroccan riad, or courtyard.
Kappa x Sole DXB
Riding the World Cup wave, Sole DXB has teamed up with Italian sportswear brand Kappa to create a limited edition football kit collection that will feature jerseys, shorts, tracksuits and socks. The line will exclusively be sold at Sole DXB and is also a nod to the festival’s first-ever community football cup, which will take place on-site throughout the weekend.
Sole DXB Merch x Jorja Smith
Inspired by 1990s-style vintage RnB and hip-hop t-shirts, this year’s Sole DXB merchandise will be emblazoned with headliner Jorja Smith and will be available on-site only. With a limited run of only 200 t-shirts, this collection is true Sole memorabilia to mark the festival’s 10th edition. Guests will be able to watch their merchandise being produced in real-time as live screen-printing will be hosted at the venue.
Crocs
Crocs will present its latest Salehe Bembury collection with cool personalisation for its fans. The space will be divided into two sections — one dedicated to the launch of an exclusive colourway of Salehe Bembury, and the other where guests will be able to personalise the classic clogs designed by a local artist, using the Crocs printer.
Fred Perry x RexChouk
Fred Perry will present its collaboration with Saudi multimedia artist RexChouk via an installation which will invite guests to explore a parallel universe and imagine the future. The partnership will also include a limited-edition shirt, with each shirt design representing an element from the Sole DXB pop-up experience, titled A New Life.
The Giving Movement
The home-grown Dubai brand will present an interactive space bringing together street, community and sustainability. The pop-up will kick off with a capsule collection exclusive to Sole DXB and will feature an exciting DJ line-up and a bar. True to the sustainable streetwear label's ethos, the space will be built with an eco-friendly approach; each element used will be repurposed and used to extend its life cycle and avoid ending up in landfills.
New Balance
New Balance will drop some of its latest collaborations and Made In The US collections, including the much-anticipated Made in USA 990v6, Joe Freshgoods 993, Salehe Bembury 990v2, Stone Island 574 and Bodega 9060.
1886
This Saudi streetwear brand will bring its Unity collection, a capsule drop made exclusively for Qatar World Cup. The term “unity” refers to the spirit of the world cup where different nations play together with fair play and mutual respect.
Wild Arab West
Founded in 2020 by two Emirati women, Hessa Ali Alechla and Iman Al Midfa, as a platform aimed at highlighting the fusion between eastern and western cultures through art, lifestyle and entertainment, this edgy brand will be showcasing its creative fusion this year, featuring an exclusive merchandise drop just for Sole DXB.
Sole DXB runs from December 9 to 11 at Dubai Design District. Tickets, starting at Dh100, are available at soledxb.com
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Brief scores:
Kashima Antlers 0
River Plate 4
Zuculini 24', Martinez 73', 90 2', Borre 89' (pen)
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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Results
2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Mezmar, Adam McLean (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m; Winner: AF Ajwad, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Gold Silver, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
4pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m; Winner: Atrash, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez.
4.30pm: Gulf Cup Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Momtaz, Saif Al Balushi, Musabah Al Muhairi.
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Al Mushtashar, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
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Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
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TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Volunteers offer workers a lifeline
Community volunteers have swung into action delivering food packages and toiletries to the men.
When provisions are distributed, the men line up in long queues for packets of rice, flour, sugar, salt, pulses, milk, biscuits, shaving kits, soap and telecom cards.
Volunteers from St Mary’s Catholic Church said some workers came to the church to pray for their families and ask for assistance.
Boxes packed with essential food items were distributed to workers in the Dubai Investments Park and Ras Al Khaimah camps last week. Workers at the Sonapur camp asked for Dh1,600 towards their gas bill.
“Especially in this year of tolerance we consider ourselves privileged to be able to lend a helping hand to our needy brothers in the Actco camp," Father Lennie Connully, parish priest of St Mary’s.
Workers spoke of their helplessness, seeing children’s marriages cancelled because of lack of money going home. Others told of their misery of being unable to return home when a parent died.
“More than daily food, they are worried about not sending money home for their family,” said Kusum Dutta, a volunteer who works with the Indian consulate.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Avatar%3A%20The%20Way%20of%20Water
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