A Letter From The Editor | Harper’s Bazaar Interiors Winter 2021

Bazaar’s Ayesha S. Shehmir pens a letter for the Winter issue: ‘Design For Unity’

Design, throughout time, has merged and uplifted communities and today, its universal role in building a collaborative future couldn’t be clearer – as, for instance, recently evidenced by the huge success of the seventh edition of Dubai Design Week.

Driven by a new wave of innovation and social themes, one of the core messages of the annual festival, presented through bright colours, shapes, lights and experiences, was of togetherness.

“The world is going through some challenging times,” says our cover girl Sawsan Chammas Haber, founder of interior architecture and design firm Dipiugi, who never underestimates the ability of a space to transform moods and nurture closeness. In the midst of decorating a cosy, wintry abode for the festive season, she says, “Getting my home ready to welcome loved ones fills my heart with gratitude, serenity and joy.”

The whimsical apartment of Studio Tsubi’s founder, Sameera Ameer, is another testament to décor enlivening the collective human spirit. “I find design is a great way to bring an element of fantasy into our lives,” she smiles. “Life can be quite demanding and strenuous at times and so I have always used colourful and playful elements in my designs and interiors as a way of injecting fun into a space.” Mission accomplished.

On a larger scale, Expo’s MENASA – Emirati Design Platform is inviting the world to witness the UAE’s storied history through local crafts under the apt theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. “By telling the story of design and craft, we are bringing an entire ecosystem together – from the makers and the designers to the production processes and the knowledge of technological innovations,” says Dr Hayat Shamsuddin, Senior Vice President, Arts and Culture, Expo 2020 Dubai. “We bring a mix of traditional, contemporary, and the future – to celebrate everyone equally.”

Whether from within our own home or through a more grand initiative, this issue is an homage to the inherent power of purposeful design to unite and educate – from smaller societies to, inevitably, a whole nation.

Editor’s Picks

Images courtesy of Studio Des Fleurs; Lead image: Fairground dining collection, POA, AMARA

From Harper’s Bazaar Interiors Winter 2021 Issue