LOCAL LABELS TO KNOW: UAE FASHION BRANDS BLENDING STYLE, MUSIC AND CULTURE

The UAE’s independent fashion scene is becoming increasingly intertwined with the worlds of music, art and nightlife, with a new generation of labels using clothing as a way to communicate culture, identity and community.

From pieces inspired by record collecting to politically charged designs shaped by the Middle East’s creative underground, we spotlight some of the brands worth knowing right now.

BLANK

Founded in Dubai in 2017, BLANK takes its name and visual identity from the idea of negative space. Instead of a conventional logo, the brand is represented by five dashes, creating a deliberately minimal identity that leaves room for interpretation. Its collections explore the ongoing relationship between Western and Arab culture, translating references from music, art and everyday life into clothing and objects. With an emphasis on quality and longevity, its pieces are produced in Egypt with close attention paid to materials, construction and detail.

That relationship with music can be seen particularly clearly in the brand’s Vinyl Tote Bag. Designed around the dimensions of a 12-inch record, the bag features a transparent vinyl sleeve that allows its owner to display a record of their choice. Rather than simply carrying vinyl, the design turns album artwork into part of the outfit, allowing the music someone loves to become a form of self-expression — and potentially a conversation starter between strangers.

PRINCE POLITIQUE

Born in Beirut and now operating as a wider art movement across fashion, music and film, Prince Politique sits somewhere between clothing label and cultural platform. Now run by Yasmine and Shamma.K, the brand is built on the belief that "culture is lived, not manufactured." Its visual identity brings Arabic, French and English together through bold typography and raw imagery, while its garments carry statements including A Political Art Movement Found In The Dark, Spread the Peace and Resistance is the deepest form of love.

Music has been deeply rooted in Prince Politique since it began releasing mixes in 2018, and today the brand dresses DJs such as Raffa and Megatronic and appears at events including SoleDXB and F1 Abu Dhabi. The label has now entered its next stage of growth, with its collection officially launching on Namshi from October 1, 2026, making pieces including the Activist shirt, Bride of the East collection and Peace Chain keychain available to shop across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The move brings Prince Politique's mix of fashion, art and regional identity to a much wider audience while keeping its underground cultural roots at the centre.

ÚCHÈ

Founded in Dubai in 2019, ÚCHÈ is a homegrown fashion label blending Nigerian and Igbo heritage with the creative energy of contemporary Dubai. Taking its name from the Igbo word for “ideas”, the brand is known for expressive, unconventional pieces that use everything from cowries and denim to sequins, feathers and crystals. Designing for both men and women, ÚCHÈ focuses on collectible fashion alongside made-to-order production, size inclusivity and complimentary customisation, allowing pieces to be adapted to the individual rather than the other way around.

The Dubai-born label is also making its mark internationally. After being named among seven Dubai-born fashion labels to watch by TECOM Group’s in5 Innovation Centers, ÚCHÈ went on to showcase at TRANOÏ Paris Fashion Week in 2025, where it was one of 12 brands selected from more than 800 applicants. In 2026, the brand expanded further with a Nordstrom launch in the US, taking its Dubai-meets-Igbo design identity to a growing global audience.

HEWSIDE

UAE-born streetwear label HEWSIDE is tapping into the region’s underground creative community with what it describes as “statement wear” — clothing designed around storytelling rather than fast-moving trends. Each design uses conceptual poetry and stitched narratives to explore themes including resilience, vulnerability, trust, solitude and personal legacy, with pieces such as Dust & Bloom, Human After All, Trust Is A Luxury, Oasis and The Last Empire each built around a different idea or emotion.

Scarcity is also central to the brand’s identity. Rather than mass-producing collections, HEWSIDE creates its pieces in limited runs, with each individually numbered, positioning every garment as something personal to its wearer. Built to grow organically through creators and those connected to the UAE’s subcultures, the homegrown label sits somewhere between streetwear and wearable statement art.