Author: Sam Allcock

Bessan Ismail walked into Max Fashion’s campaign on Thursday, bringing 2.3 million Instagram followers and a reputation for cultural authenticity to the retailer’s Ramadan 2026 collection. The Dubai-based brand, which operates 830 stores across 16 countries, unveiled the range on 5 March as the Holy Month began across the region. The decision to front the campaign with the celebrated singer marks a shift for Max Fashion. Previous years saw the brand rely on models and lifestyle imagery. This time, the focus lands squarely on cultural resonance. Ismail’s presence signals an attempt to connect with customers who see Ramadan fashion as…

Five days. That’s how long it took Resident Evil Requiem to move 5 million copies worldwide after its 27 February launch, Capcom confirmed on Tuesday. The pace marks a strong opening for the survival horror title, which arrived as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary this month. For a series that has sold 183 million units since 1996, the speed of adoption suggests the latest instalment has struck a chord with both longtime fans and newcomers. Capcom’s Osaka headquarters made the announcement on 4 March. The milestone follows months of pre-release momentum. Last August at Gamescom 2025, Europe’s largest gaming…

Eight Sleep’s new AI system will simulate thousands of scenarios about your coming night—warm room, late workout, heavy meal, elevated stress—and adjust your mattress temperature and elevation before you climb into bed. Not during the night. Before. The New York-based sleep tech company announced Tuesday it had secured fresh funding from Tether Investments, pushing its valuation to $1.5 billion. The capital will bankroll Eight Sleep’s pivot from reactive sleep optimization into something more ambitious: predictive health intervention that anticipates disruptions before they occur. It’s a significant leap. For years, Eight Sleep’s Pod tracked biometrics through the night—sleep stages, heart rate…

February 2026 saw an unusual scene in Abu Dhabi: a Chinese appliance manufacturer hosting a grassroots sports tournament under the banner “Sports for All.” Three weeks later, Haier revealed why it had gathered cameras and crowds in the Emirates. The world’s leading appliance brand—number one globally for 17 consecutive years—announced multi-year partnerships with Liverpool Football Club and Paris Saint-Germain last autumn. Those deals, disclosed publicly on 4th March, sit alongside agreements with LALIGA, Liga Portugal, and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. Haier also renewed its relationship with the ATP Tour, cementing a sports marketing portfolio that spans continents and disciplines.…

How can crypto achieve mass adoption without women? Bitget posed that question on Tuesday as it unveiled a global International Women’s Day campaign that frames gender inclusion as commercial survival strategy rather than social nicety. The challenge cuts to the heart of Web3’s central paradox. An industry built on decentralisation and accessible finance remains overwhelmingly male-dominated, a reality that Gracy Chen, Bitget’s CEO, argues places structural limits on growth. The campaign—anchored under the company’s Blockchain4Her initiative—positions the gender gap not as an image problem but as a direct threat to liquidity, innovation, and returns. “We already know there’s a multitude…

Raspberry confit meets aromatic basil, wrapped in white chocolate kataifi and finished with vanilla ice cream. That’s the composition Blume Restaurant will serve to every female guest who walks through its doors on Saturday, March 8. No purchase required. No minimum spend. Just turn up. The Dubai-based restaurant—which operates locations at Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina—has designed the Raspberry Mousse specifically for International Women’s Day, offering it complimentary from opening until close at both branches. It’s available whether guests order a full meal or simply stop by for the dessert itself. The all-day offer runs from 10am to 2am at…

Bessan Ismail has spent years building credibility across the Arab world—through music, acting, and a digital presence that bridges Syrian heritage with UAE ambition. On Thursday, that cultural capital translated into a concrete retail partnership: Max Fashion named her the face of its Ramadan 2026 collection. The announcement from Dubai positions the Landmark Group-owned retailer squarely in the competitive Ramadan fashion market. With 830 stores across 16 countries, Max Fashion is betting that Ismail’s authenticity will resonate with families preparing for the holy month—and that her image will move linen-blend garments off shelves at price points the company describes as…

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 series in Dubai on Friday with an unusual proposition: pick your AI assistant. Where Apple locks users into Apple Intelligence and Google pushes its Gemini platform, the S26 offers three options—Bixby, Gemini, or Perplexity—accessible through a single button press. The February launch centred on what Samsung calls proactive AI, designed to act on context rather than wait for commands. Take Now Nudge, the feature that surfaces suggestions based on what’s happening on screen. A friend asks for holiday photos via message, and the S26 pulls relevant images from Gallery without manual searching. Someone mentions a…

Founded by CEO Gemma Contrino, the female-led brokerage goes beyond property transactions to help relocating families understand communities, schools, and the true cost of living in Dubai Nuvello Real Estate has opened for business in Dubai. The female-led brokerage, founded by Gemma Contrino, focuses on UK families relocating to the UAE. Where most brokerages centre their services on completing transactions, Nuvello builds its offer around helping families understand the full picture of life in Dubai before they commit to a property. Gemma Contrino set up Nuvello after relocating to Dubai herself with her four children. The experience left her with…

Dom Art Projects will open three exhibitions simultaneously in mid-April, a bold move for a gallery that only opened its doors last November. The convergence—an Art Dubai debut on 17th April plus two shows launching on 12th April in its Al Khayat Avenue space—marks the most ambitious programming yet from the private institution. The timing isn’t accidental. Alisa Bagdonaite, co-founder and chief curator, framed the triple launch as part of a broader curatorial vision. “This season, Dom Art Projects continues its reflection on space and time through the group exhibition Time That Grows Slowly and a solo presentation by Kirill…