logo
9 fantastic things to do in Abu Dhabi this weekend: February 21 to 23

9 fantastic things to do in Abu Dhabi this weekend: February 21 to 23

What's On20-02-2025

All the fun to be had in Abu Dhabi this February…
We're well into February with the promise of great fun and even greater choices in the capital. These are all the amazing things you can do in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Friday, February 21
Saadiyat Nights has already brought some of the biggest crowd-pullers on the planet to town, and you'll now be able to sing along with Gwen Stefani on February 21. Look forward to chart-topping hits such as Hollaback Girl , Hey Baby , Luxurious , The Sweet Escape , and more.
Gwen Stefani Live, Saadiyat Nights, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, Feb 21, @saadiyatnights Indulge in a What's On wine night
Wine connoisseurs in Abu Dhabi, there's an exciting event coming to one of the most glamorous terraces in the capital this month. Join us for 2025 's first wine night at Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers on February 21, where you're invited to experience an evening of free flowing grapes paired with an exquisite selection of cheese, cold cuts and canapes, at the hotel's gorgeous Nahaam Terrace.
What's On Wine Night, Nahaam Terrace, Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, February 21, 7pm to 10pm, Dhs199, Make a reservation here,WhatsOnevents@motivate.ae. Experience Loewe at Al Ain Oasis
Discover the exclusive Loewe Greenhouse experience set amid the lush greenery of Al Ain Oasis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Abu Dhabi. Immerse yourself in a multisensory journey through Loewe's Botanical Rainbow and Un Paseo por Madrid fragrance collections, showcased in a Victorian greenhouse. Participate in an interactive Loewe Perfumes olfactory workshop to explore the essence of nature, for one day only, from 4pm to 4.30pm and 4.30pm to 5pm.
Al Ain Oasis, until Fri, Feb 28, 8am to 8pm, @loewe_perfumes Saturday, February 22
Fans of soulful tunes and classic hits are in for an absolute treat, with four-time Grammy Award-winning superstar Lionel Richie confirmed to perform at Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Nights concert series on February 22, known for a songbook of incredible hits such as Endless Love, Dancing on the Ceiling, All Night Long (All Night), and Three Times A Lady.
Lionel Richie, Saadiyat Nights, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, February 22, 5pm, from Dhs295, ticketmaster.ae Experience MANUFAKTUR Week
Experience an extraordinary exhibition celebrating luxury, creativity, and innovation. Emirates Motor Company, in collaboration with Rizq Art Initiative, invites you to experience MANUFAKTUR Week, where bespoke craftsmanship meets artistic excellence. Discover the harmonious blend of Mercedes-Benz MANUFAKTUR's iconic craftsmanship with artistic innovation.
Emirates Motor Company, Airport Road, Abu Dhabi, Feb 18 to 25, @mercedesbenzabudhabi Indulge in a Latin-American brunch
Nalu's Latin American Brunch offers a menu that celebrates the bold, vibrant tastes of South America. From fresh seafood and crispy tortillas to tender slow-cooked meats and golden churros, each dish is expertly crafted with a modern twist to highlight the authentic essence of Latin cuisine. Sample standout dishes like causa (aji chili potato, crab meat & avocado), anticucho (Peruvian spiced smoked grilled beef skewers), and talla (roasted tiger prawn with adobo & cilantro salsa).
Nalu, Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, Sat, 1pm to 4pm, starts at Dhs300, Tel: (0) 2 419 8509, @nalu_restaurant Check out a masterpiece by Hergé
Join Belgian reporter and adventurer Tintin, lovable fox terrier Snowy, and the brash Captain Haddock as they join Professor Calculus in Syldavia, where he's preparing for a mission to the moon in Destination: Moon . Stephane Bernasconi will take you on a ride filled with adventure, humour, danger and thrills in this beloved adaptation of the comic book series.
Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, February 22, 7pm, @louvreabudhabi Sunday, February 23
It's been in town all winter long, busting records and entertaining the masses. But this month, Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Festival will thrill families for one final month before it wraps up for the year. Head out to Al Wathba to see over 27 countries to participate in this year's edition of the annual cultural extravaganza, which is held under the theme, 'Closer'.
Sheikh Zayed Festival, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, until February 28, zayedfestival.ae Tuck into an afternoon tea
Shahd Honey Afternoon Tea is a unique experience enriched by the Yas Island ecosystem, with the honey for the menu being produced by 30 beehives, cared for by a passionate team. The menu features savoury creations such as honey-baked Camembert and fig tart, honey-glazed shrimp shooters, baked falafel rolls with honeycomb, and smoky honey-glazed chicken terrine. The dessert includes signature Shahd Honey Cake, raspberry honey chocolate entremets, and freshly baked scones served with clotted cream, lemon curd, and Shahd Honey.
Osmo, Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, daily, 1pm to 6pm, Dhs250 for two, Tel: (0) 2 208 6888, @hiltonabudhabiyasisland
Images: Getty

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

24 elevated high street suede bags from Dhs299 to shop right now
24 elevated high street suede bags from Dhs299 to shop right now

Emirates Woman

timea day ago

  • Emirates Woman

24 elevated high street suede bags from Dhs299 to shop right now

Quietly luxe and seasonally right, sumptuous suede bags are having a moment on and off the runways. From Bottega's slouchy shoulder styles to Chloé's boho-western revival, Spring/Summer 2025 proved one thing: suede is no longer reserved for your autumn archive. It's tactile, tonal, and surprisingly versatile—especially when softened into softly structured totes, buttery mini bags, and drawstring slings. While designer labels made a strong case for suede's elevated appeal (see Loewe's earthy Puzzle iterations), it's the high street that's translated the look with equal flair and without the four-figure price tag. Massimo Dutti's ruched bag, Zara's sand-toned bucket, and Mango's pared-back crossbody in mocha brown offer that same tactile richness with a minimalist lens. With its plush nap and lived-in feel, suede strikes a balance between Y2k nostalgia and newness, and anchors the quiet luxury aesthetic without the heavy logos. How to wear suede for summer? Offset its texture heaviness with lightweight fabrications – think linen co-ords, crochet dresses, or breezy tunics for the day. Come nighttime, contrast textures: a strappy silk slip or a semi-sheer maxi feels instantly cooler with a buttery suede clutch tucked in the crook of your arm. Colour-wise, lean into summer-friendly tones such as buttermilk, terracotta, clay, or a dusty green. These shades not only wear beautifully under the sun but transition effortlessly into early fall. Whether you're drawn to bohemian touches, clean Scandinavian lines, or a hint of equestrian flair, the high street's suede bag edit delivers. Consider it your soft-power move for the season—and beyond. Scroll through the gallery below for 24 of the best high street suede bags for 2025: – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram Images: @hoskelsa

The cost of looking expensive
The cost of looking expensive

Campaign ME

time13-06-2025

  • Campaign ME

The cost of looking expensive

In 2025, luxury has never looked better. But in the pursuit of perfection, many luxury brands have sacrificed emotion, tension and truth. And the audience can feel it. Campaigns are cinematic. Renders are hyperreal. Voiceovers are velvet smooth. Every frame whispers 'wealth' – yet so much of it leaves us cold. We've mastered beauty, but somewhere along the way, we've forgotten how to make people feel. The Dubai paradox: Flawless; forgettable In markets such as Dubai, where the pace of launches is relentless and competition is fierce, luxury brands – particularly in real estate and hospitality – often fall into the trap of visual déjà vu. One glossy film fades into the next: sweeping drone shots, elegant hands, filtered gold sunsets, infinity pools. Technically immaculate, yet emotionally sterile. The irony? These campaigns sell homes, hotels, experiences – spaces designed for life. And yet they feel like places that no one could ever truly inhabit. What's missing is the story. The soul. The spark of human desire that brings a space to life. Instead of panning across a CGI-perfect restaurant, show the chef's calloused hands shaping dough at 4 a.m. Replace that beachfront render with the sound of kids kicking sand on to their parents' designer towels. Audiences are no longer impressed by perfection. They're craving substance and a real point of view. Luxury's lost ingredient: Tension The most iconic brands don't avoid tension – they leverage it. The launch of Apple Watch Hermès traded tradition for disruption. Jacquemus turned heads with irreverent absurdist scale-play, abandoning traditional opulence. And Loewe's mud-stained runway provided a memorable element of raw humanity in a sea of polished presentations. These brands understand a powerful truth: Connection isn't built through perfection. It's forged through what feels undeniably human. Dubai has the talent, ambition and platforms to lead this shift. The resources are here, but it takes courage to step away from the render and into the real. Courage is the differentiator Real estate brands invest millions in architecture and design, only to launch with the same generic campaign as their rivals. Luxury hotels open with identical tropes and motifs: slow-motion doors, silent hallways and untouched towels. This isn't a creativity gap. It's a bravery gap. Today's luxury consumer doesn't just ask what you're selling. They want to know why it matters. And they can tell immediately whether your brand's soul is authentic or spray-painted on. So, what's next? It's time to move beyond luxury that simply looks good and start creating luxury that feels true. Not just content, but connection. Not just aspiration, but emotion. Not only launch films but also living stories. In a world where everything looks expensive, what feels real truly stands out. By Rémy Abouchakra, CEO and Founder, OUI Agency

Offbeat fashion ambassadors, from Christopher Walken to Metallica, prove industry is looking beyond age
Offbeat fashion ambassadors, from Christopher Walken to Metallica, prove industry is looking beyond age

The National

time11-06-2025

  • The National

Offbeat fashion ambassadors, from Christopher Walken to Metallica, prove industry is looking beyond age

At age 82, Christopher Walken has lost none of his magnetism. The American actor – by turns enigmatic, droll and inexplicably unsettling – has become the latest face of Saint Laurent. Photographed by Glen Luchford, Walken appears in the brand's menswear campaign wearing a roomy lambskin blouson, hands sunk into trouser pockets, gazing out with an air of practised detachment. It is classic Walken and classic Saint Laurent: moody, lean and loaded with presence. This latest casting by creative director Anthony Vaccarello is less about shock value and more about a kind of refined rebellion. Walken, after all, has spent decades crafting characters that exist outside the norm: the haunted veteran in The Deer Hunter (1978) and the tap-dancing enigma in Fatboy Slim's Weapon of Choice video (2000) are two diverse examples. He is nothing if not unpredictable, a quality that aligns with Saint Laurent's own taste for the off-centre. Vaccarello, whose campaigns have previously featured Michelle Pfeiffer at 66, Charlotte Rampling at 78, and Keanu Reeves and Lenny Kravitz, both well into their 50s at the time, is clearly uninterested in chasing merely youth. Instead, he opts for figures whose faces tell stories: character actors, enduring musicians and artists with personal mythologies, whose wrinkles and reputations become part of the allure. This shift is part of a broader recalibration in casting for the fashion industry. In October 2023, Loewe's campaign starred the late Dame Maggie Smith, then aged 88, seated regally in a vast faux-fur coat. Daniel Craig, ex-James Bond, unshaven in slouchy knitwear, became its menswear muse for autumn/winter 2024. Meanwhile at Balenciaga, former creative director Demna paired 70-year-old arthouse actress Isabelle Huppert with 24-year-old Thai pop star PP Krit Amnuaydechkorn in a clever dialogue across generations. Elsewhere, Prada's eccentric casting history is the stuff of fashion lore: from Gary Oldman, Tim Roth and Willem Dafoe walking its 2012 Villains runway, to Jeff Goldblum and Kyle MacLachlan for autumn/winter 2022. Age aside, in a forward-looking Gen-Z moment, Dolce & Gabbana swapped models for social media royalty Lucky Blue Smith and Cameron Dallas in autumn/winter 2016. The two were dubbed 'new princes' by the brand, in a nod to a new digital world. Even the rougher edges of rock have found their way into campaigns: John Varvatos enlisted Iggy Pop in 2006; and Italian menswear house Brioni, under the fleeting tenure of Justin O'Shea, went full throttle by casting Metallica. For the 50th anniversary of its intrecciato bags, Bottega Veneta wove a tapestry of creative talent, enlisting actresses Lauren Hutton and Julianne Moore, musician Neneh Cherry, and author Zadie Smith into a campaign that felt more like an art installation than an advertisement. These are not mere celebrity endorsements, either; they are character studies. Each campaign speaks to fashion's growing desire to frame itself not simply through beauty, but also through narrative, texture and contradiction. Smith may be an award-winning writer and essayist, but through Bottega's lens, she is also a woman of quiet, intellectual style. Kravitz, now 61, is such an artistic force, he wears leather trousers to the gym. That's not to say that enlisting the young and beautiful no longer works. Gucci recruited A$AP Rocky and Ozark actress Julia Garner to front recent fragrance campaigns, while Prada chose pop-sensation Sabrina Carpenter, infiltrating her music videos with subtle product placement. As the face of Prada Beauty, her videos feature a lipstick and even branded candy. What is increasingly apparent, however, is that influence is no longer linear, but rather fluid and searching for a grounded, yet highbrow authenticity. Walken's debut for a major fashion house, then, feels less like a pivot and more like a perfectly timed entrance. Saint Laurent isn't merely dressing an actor, it's absorbing a mythology, and in Walken's case, a distinctly American yet deliciously peculiar one. Cool, it turns out, has very little to do with age and everything to do with narrative control. And no one controls his own story like Walken.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store