As the UAE marks Emirati Women’s Day, a growing number of brands and retailers are using their platforms to highlight the work of Emirati women entrepreneurs, reflecting the increasing prominence of women-led creative businesses across the country.
One example is a new showcase featuring six Emirati entrepreneurs whose work spans mosaic art, ceramics, handmade skincare, crochet, painting and handcrafted home décor. The initiative, titled “Made By Her”, brings their creations into high-footfall retail locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, giving visitors an opportunity to engage with locally created products and artistic practices.
The featured entrepreneurs include Safeya AlHebsi, founder of Mosaic X, whose handcrafted mosaics draw inspiration from nature and heritage; Huda Alraisi, a ceramic artist known for her work using the traditional Raku firing technique; and Naila Alremeithi, founder of handmade skincare brand Soapbar. Also participating are artists Aisha Alkhyeli, Mona Alqubaisi and Mouza Al Kaabi, whose work ranges from textured art and crochet portraits to contemporary paintings.
The initiative, a campaign by Home Centre, reflects a broader trend in the UAE’s creative economy, where homegrown businesses are increasingly blending traditional crafts with contemporary design while reaching larger audiences through collaborations and exhibitions. Rather than focusing on product sales, the showcase is designed as a storytelling and visibility platform for entrepreneurs.
“This Emirati Women’s Day, we wanted to open our stores to celebrate the women shaping the UAE’s creative landscape,” said Arja Taaveniku, CEO of Home Centre. “There’s so much talent around us, quiet, brilliant work that doesn’t always get the audience it deserves. Made By Her is simply our way of giving it the spotlight, and giving our customers the chance to discover it too.”
The display is being hosted at Home Centre stores in Reem Mall, Abu Dhabi, and Mirdif City Centre, Dubai, and will continue through August and September. The entrepreneurs’ work is showcased alongside the retailer’s collections, creating opportunities for wider public exposure.
According to Siddarth Sivaprakash, Head of Marketing and Brand at Home Centre, the campaign reflects efforts to recognise local talent and creativity. “What better way to show our love for the UAE than by celebrating the talent that makes it what it is,” he said. “Made By Her… is our way of paying tribute to that, bringing Emirati creativity into the stores our customers walk through every day.”
With Emirati Women’s Day increasingly serving as a platform to celebrate entrepreneurship, innovation and creative achievement, initiatives such as these underline the growing role women-owned businesses are playing in shaping the UAE’s cultural and creative economy.
Source: Khaleej Times