Okay, but who’s actually buying these Saddam Hussein watches? And why?

On the strange afterlife of Saddam Hussein watches and what their thriving resale trade says about nostalgia, myth-making, and a region's unresolved relationship with its strongmen

Worlds of Their Own Making

The emerging cohort of designers transforming raw material into a living temperament

A Language Of Image: From Manuscripts To Meta-Algorithms

From Islamic manuscripts to Blender renders, the image of the Arabic language has always been built from overlapping histories and references. The designers pushing it forward today are proving that visual history is most useful when it becomes a tool for invention rather than nostalgia, and that the archive is not a repository of finished answers

Following Traces: Anthony Bourdain, Food, and the Politics of Travelling with Care 

Anthony Bourdain arrived in Beirut in 2006 to film a food show. Two days later, Israel bombed the city. The footage, and the Emmy nomination that followed, say something uncomfortable about the Western appetite for Arab tragedy on television. On food, travel, and the difference between loving a place and consuming it

Ali Kazim and Zarina Beckon Us Into Their Urdu Worlds

The UAE’s inaugural exhibition dedicated to the Urdu language, curated by Hammad Nasar

Bad Boys and Big Feelings: Abdulaziz Al-Hosni Toys with the Anatomy of the Heart

From heart-embroidered kummahs to 50 dancers arranged in formation against a crimson background, Abdulaziz Al-Hosni’s work is a love letter to softness

Watches & Wonders 2026: The Highlights

From Cartier's automotive revival to JLC's stratospheric tourbillon to Roger Dubuis's celestial calendar, the year's biggest watch fair reminded us that restraint and ambition are not mutually exclusive

“What’s My Name?”: Three Boxers Weigh in On the Fight Outside of the Ring

Before the bell rings, the fight is already on. These three boxers navigate culture, conviction, and manhood, making sure the world knows their name