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
Korean Film Festival 2019 line-up
Innocent Witness, June 26 at 7pm
On Your Wedding Day, June 27 at 7pm
The Great Battle, June 27 at 9pm
The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, June 28 at 4pm
Romang, June 28 at 6pm
Mal Mo E: The Secret Mission, June 28 at 8pm
Underdog, June 29 at 2pm
Nearby Sky, June 29 at 4pm
A Resistance, June 29 at 6pm
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
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Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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Price: From Dh117,059
Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 65
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 34
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Cofe
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 80-100
Amount raised: $13m
Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group
UFC Fight Night 2
1am – Early prelims
2am – Prelims
4am-7am – Main card
7:30am-9am – press cons
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
