From glittering jewellery, to fragrant teas, curated fashion collections and an exciting line-up of Majlis entertainment, Project Warehouse by Festember returns to Yas Island this Ramadan with its unique pop-up concept designed to celebrate a vibrant array of creative offerings. Organised by Festember and hosted by Yas Island at the du Forum, Project Warehouse will bring some of the country’s most creative projects together from 15th to 18th of May.
“We see this pop-up event as a playground celebrating vibrant contemporary arts and culture during the evenings of Ramadan,” says Latifa Al Hamed, Festember Owner. “For only four nights, Project Warehouse brings a carefully-curated selection of fashion retail, gourmet food and beverage, art installations and Majlis entertainment. This is innovative expression, that still ties back to our culture and heritage.”
“We are delighted to host this exciting event for the third year running, which brings a colourful schedule of entertainment and culture to the area,” said Mihaela Vincent, Event Director. “Project Warehouse presents a carefully-curated selection of art installations, performances, designer fashion, gourmet food and traditional Majlis entertainment, which is fully aligned with Yas Island’s objective of bringing the local community together to be inspired by the work of talented creatives. We look forward to welcoming the public this Ramadan.”
“As we prepare to open Project Warehouse at du Forum, we are excited to bring the concept to Yas Island,” said Leon Marsh, Associate Director of Events, Yas Island. “The event is one of Yas Island’s most popular Ramadan events, and an exciting addition to our yearly calendar. Project Warehouse has given us an opportunity to highlight the UAE’s unique creative projects, both for our local community and international visitors.”
Project Warehouse celebrates creativity and design from the UAE and around the world, welcoming a diversity of themes from female empowerment, to rural Emirati populations and historic mining communities from across the region. This year’s event will see accessories from Aisha’s Charms, jewellery from Fabula Jewels, modest clothing selections from Shell Designs, perfumes from the Library Fragrance, streetwear from Elbotik, traditional abayas from Aisha Abuseem and much more.
Artist and creative designer H.H. Sheikha Mariam bint Khalifa bin Saif Al Nahyan will be launching two blends from her artisanal tea collection, Steep at the event. Steep was founded from a strong love and passion for teas and serves a premium range of teas sourced from the best and exotic plantations.
“I’m so excited to finally be able to share my love and long-time passion for tea. Over the years I have explored far away lands, come back with this exclusive collection of the finest blends and delicious teas. Festember will be the first time Steep meets the public; we will be launching with two of our blends, the Signature MKS and the Red Gold,” she said.
H.H. Sheikha Mariam bint Khalifa bin Saif Al Nahyan’s jewellery design house MKS will also be at the event, bringing a special, charity capsule range.
“We are always interested in giving back to the community, to celebrate Ramadan, the month of giving we are pleased to announce the beginning of what we will strive extend to a long-term charity effort. At Festember we invite everyone in this beautiful process of giving back,” said H.H. Sheikha Mariam bint Khalifa bin Saif Al Nahyan.
These four pieces are influenced by Iconic creations existing in the collection. They are timeless in themselves and have a very MKS aesthetic to them. I love how they are so sentimental, precious, delicate and beautiful, which in this moment of reflection reminds us of the meaning in life and relationships with yourself and others. They perfect gifts for loved ones or for yourself that ultimately end up gifting the community too. That’s what I really want to create, a gift for the buyer that also gifts back.”
From local charm to international artistry, this year Project Warehouse welcomes Los Angeles artist Oliver Coreaux, who will release an accessory capsule collection during the event. Coreaux will be painting a series of tote bags and accessories by Goyard, Celine, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Rimowa, each of which showcases a visual collage comprised of text and symbology.
Virtual space and a social media platform, Takhayyal, will be opening its doors to a world full of creativity, social media love and imaginary experiences at Project Warehouse. The Takhayyal Sphere will use games, interactive walls, fun activities, short workshops and innovative products to take visitors on a journey of self-exploration.
“By entering the Sphere and joining the digital world we will be taking you on a journey that will test your abilities to discover your social personality and explore how your skills contribute to this big virtual world. With each step you take and corner you visit, we will reveal the skills you need to be an effective component, making the dimension behind the screens just as amazing as you are,” said Mthayel Al Ali, owner and one of the most popular and successful regional influencers.
Project Warehouse’s dedicated fashion hub, THE LOFT, will capture the exclusive feel of a high-end fashion boutique, showcasing brands that bring unique aesthetics to the fashion scene, including Gasah Studio, Sound.On, Lammoush Boutique and Charm Boutique.
After the sun sets, the thoughts turn to food. This Ramadan, Project Warehouse will feature all of the season’s favourite comfort foods, with a few twists. Gourmet versions of parata, chips oman, chai halib and delectable desserts will be on hand, giving visitors something to crave. Project Warehouse will see tasty treats from Glitch Café, Cupital Cafe, Japanese chocolates from Royce Chocolates, popsicles from House of Pops and delectable doughnuts from Wake n’Bake among many others. This year we will welcome the popular food brands such as Zattara and Street Nine Café.
WHEN: 15 – 18 May 2019
WHERE: Du Forum, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
TIME: Daily from 8pm to 2am
TICKETS: Adults – AED 65 | Children – AED 35 | Family – AED 180 (2 adults / 2 kids)
