Homegrown, disruptive and dedicated to advocating for creative communities in the Global South, DESIGNEAST is a new platform committed to reframing the narrative around contemporary designand high-craft,andshifting the gaze on creatives from traditional markets to exceptional talent andemerging design thinking from under-represented territories.

Founder andcreativedirector Rue Kothari explains the impetus for the launch after spending twodecades livingand working in the region: “DESIGNEAST is driven by a passion for design and a desireto help emerging creative communities to thrive in the global market” she says. “Our mission is to elevate these artists and designers, to educate the wider market on their unique value and to helpconnect the two via digital content and real-world pop-ups. We want to be the virtual hub for thedesign industry in the East, much like Milan has been traditionally to the West.”

Uniting dynamic young creatives, architects andinterior designers together with established talents, firms and manufacturers from all over the world, DESIGNEAST will launch in Dubai during Art Week 2023 with a unique showcasepresented in partnership with Alserkal Avenue

Rue Kothari has built considerable influence in the international design industry over the past two decades. First as launch Editor-In-Chief of Harper’s Bazaar Interiors and then as the Director of Downtown Design in Dubai, growing both into globally recognised brands. Acknowledged for her significant contribution to the design industry in the Middle East, she now consults for art and design studios from the US to the UAE, supporting their identity development, creative
direction and growth...