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ANIME AND POP CULTURE ICONS TO DRIVE UAE TOY MARKET GROWTH IN 2026
From teens to seasoned collectors, the momentum built in 2025 continues to drive demand for anime and pop-culture collectibles across the UAE and global markets, positioning the toy sector for strong growth in 2026. Once seen as a childhood hobby, collectibles have evolved into a cultural phenomenon driven by social trends.
“A growing appreciation for storytelling, personal engagement, and fear of missing out on emerging trends has fuelled the rapid expansion of the collectibles market in the UAE,” said Hassan Tamimi, CEO of The Little Things.

Articulated and poseable figures have gained strong traction among collectors. “In 2025, brands such as SH Figuarts, Hot Toys, and ZD Toys recorded strong sales in the UAE, reflecting surging demand for figures that allow customization, scene recreation, and creative play,” noted Tamimi.
Commenting on exclusivity, which continues to be a key driver in the market, he said, “Limited-edition figures, blind-box formats and character-led merchandise emerged as key growth drivers, showcasing how collectibles are viewed as a statement rather than just children’s toys. Moreover, these collectibles are also finding appeal as distinctive gift items.”
“The shift is also evident among Gen Z, with the rising demand for plush keychains and trinkets from brands such as Sanrio, Pokémon, and Monchhichi, portable and personal accessories that double as an expression of individuality through playful, nostalgic, and customizable designs,” added Tamimi.
Brands like Funko continue to drive demand, with fans pre-ordering releases, lining up in stores, and attending events to secure their favorites.
Notably, among the pop-culture collectibles, LABUBU stood out as the most popular in the UAE and globally in 2025. Created by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised illustrator Kasing Lung, the character gained significant popularity among the collectors. POP MART, known for its wide range of collectible figures, has also seen strong growth and fan engagement in the region. Other intellectual properties like CRYBABY, SKULLPANDA, HIRONO, and DIMOO have emerged as fan favorites in recent months.
“Nostalgia plays a significant role in today’s collectible market,” Tamimi said, “Many fans who grew up collecting toys and watching pop-culture classics now have adult purchasing power to buy the items they once wished to own, creating a market where nostalgia meets aspiration.”
Looking ahead to 2026 toy market in the UAE, Tamimi shared toy companies are expected to push creative boundaries further matching the evolving expectations of fans. “Collectible brands will likely explore more interactive, customizable and limited-edition releases in 2026,” he added.
Commenting on the growing pop-culture collectibles community in the UAE, Tamimi added that the UAE hosts several pop-culture and toy festivals throughout the year including the annual Middle East Film & Comic Con (MEFCC), which continues to fuel fan engagement and growth. Another key event happening in February this year ‘Animenia’- five days of anime, live music, and Japanese pop culture attracting fans and collectors’ enthusiasts from across the region.
Home Integrator
Western Furniture Unveils a Spectacular Eid Al Adha and Super Sale Celebrating Luxury Living and Timeless Italian Design

Dubai, UAE – May 2026: This season, Western Furniture invites design enthusiasts and homeowners to experience exceptional luxury living during its exclusive Eid Al Adha campaign and Super Sale event, taking place from 22–31 May 2026 across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The campaign features limited time offers on an extraordinary portfolio of internationally acclaimed furniture, lighting, and outdoor living brands. Showcasing iconic names including Adriani & Rossi, Miniforms, Schuller, Tonin Casa, Calligaris, Tomasella, Desalto, Natuzzi Editions, and Unopiù, the curated collections bring together contemporary elegance, exceptional craftsmanship, and timeless Italian-inspired design for both indoor and outdoor spaces.
Discover timeless elegance and contemporary innovation with these standout pieces:
Iconic Italian Lighting Brands
At the heart of the collection is an exquisite showcase of designer lighting pieces that blur the boundaries between art and functionality. Adriani & Rossi introduces sculptural creations such as the Calla Table Lamp, crafted from elegant matte white ceramic with luxurious gold or silver leaf interiors, radiating a warm and sophisticated ambiance. Complementing the collection is the minimalist File Suspension Lamp, a handcrafted ceramic pendant distinguished by its textured finish and modern silhouette, ideal for dining spaces and stylish contemporary interiors.


The lighting portfolio further expands with statement ceiling lamps including the playful Rificolona by Miniforms, the refined Norma ceiling lamp by Schuller, and the artistic Dali ceiling lamp by Tonin Casa, each adding dramatic character and timeless elegance to interior spaces.

Calligaris
The promotion also highlights an exceptional range of contemporary dining and lounge furniture from Calligaris, where functionality meets sculptural beauty. Elegant seating solutions such as the Betty Dining Chair, Fay Dining Chair, Tuka Bar Stool, and the sophisticated Oleandro Lounge Chair showcase soft silhouettes, ergonomic comfort, and refined Italian detailing.



These designs pair seamlessly with statement dining tables including the sculptural Ellisse Dining Table, the elegant Calla Dining Table, and the modern Breeze Dining Table, creating harmonious dining environments defined by
sophistication and versatility.

Natuzzi Editions :
For lovers of luxurious relaxation, Natuzzi Editions presents a refined collection

of sofas and beds that combine Italian craftsmanship with superior comfort.
Highlights include the elegant Charlotte C391, the inviting Ernesto, the soft and contemporary Batticuore B889, the modern Wally C195, and the stylish Spirotosa C117, alongside the sophisticated Morfeo Bed, each designed to transform interiors into serene and luxurious sanctuaries.


Unopiù outdoor collection
Extending luxury beyond interiors, Unopiù introduces a sophisticated outdoor living collection inspired by timeless Mediterranean elegance and sustainable craftsmanship. Leading the collection is the iconic Amanda Hammock, a globally celebrated Unopiù design masterpiece featuring curved laminated wood poles and handwoven cotton cord, offering effortless relaxation in any outdoor setting.


The collection also includes the elegant Ginger Director’s Chair, crafted from premium teak and sustainable fabrics, and the refined Salò Sofa from the Salò 2025 Collection, inspired by the enchanting beauty of Lake Garda. Additional highlights such as the Synthesis Sofa in teak and WaProLace, the Low Lounge Chair and Stackable Coffee Table, and the sculptural Pevero Island lounge piece redefine outdoor comfort through timeless design, natural materials, and contemporary sophistication.
With this exclusive seasonal sale, Western Furniture continues to reaffirm its position as one of the UAE’s leading destinations for luxury interiors, offering discerning customers the opportunity to experience globally renowned brands, exceptional craftsmanship, and timeless design at attractive prices.
Home Integrator
NATUZZI ITALIA LAUNCHES EID AL ADHA SUPER SALE SHOWCASING ICONIC ITALIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP
Natuzzi Italia renowned for its Italian craftsmanship and innovative design, invites design enthusiasts and homeowners to experience its highly anticipated 3-Day Super Sale, running from May 22 to May 31, 2026, across its showrooms in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The exclusive event offers exceptional savings on a curated selection of sophisticated furniture, lighting, and statement pieces that embody the brand’s philosophy of harmony, comfort, and refined living.
Featured Highlights of the Sale:
Deep Sofa

Designed by Nika Zupanc, the Deep Sofa captures the flow of sea waves with its modular, customizable configurations and enveloping lines—perfect for unwinding in style. Also Deep Chaise Lounge blue jeans .
Easy Sofa


The Easy Sofa (3+2-Seater) Sofa and Half Corner Sofa perfectly blends practicality with luxury, featuring a seamless “ready-to-bed” mechanism for effortless comfort. Its rounded lines create a harmonious style and function. Available in white.
The sale also highlights Natuzzi Italia’s exquisite lighting collection
Germoglio Lamp by Marcantonio: A poetic and artistic addition to any room, the Germoglio lamp illuminates spaces with a soft, Mediterranean-inspired glow.
The Natuzzi Italia Galileo table lamp: a sophisticated addition to any living space. the lamp features a distinctive base in Calacatta marble or black lacquered beech wood with a scratched effect, paired with an adjustable aluminium diffuser available in various colours.
Kendo table lamp: Inspired by the traditional Japanese martial art of Kendo.the Kendo Table Lamp masterfully balances wood and metal, offering minimalist sophistication ideal for contemporary homes
Colosseo:
Designed by Mauro Lipparini, Colosseo is a monument to versatility. With a cultured and sophisticated design, this sofa includes storage units as armrests or table tops, redefining the living area concept where flexibility merges with innovative comfort.


Elsa Stand Lamp
A Timeless Embrace Elegance and purity find their form in Elsa. This masterpiece features a charm carved from artisan glass, playing against the natural, sophisticated veins of Calacatta marble. Topped with a decorative accessory in brushed light gold, Elsa is not merely a lamp, but a precious jewel for the contemporary interior.
The Milano sofa: Bring timeless charm and comfort to your space with the Milano Sofa—a perfect blend of bold design and cozy sophistication

Oblò:
Designed by Maurizio Manzoni, Oblò is a welcoming embrace with a sleek silhouette. The tubular metal structure not only adds elegance but also gives the sofa an airy and streamlined look, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Voyage Dining Table A tribute to Natuzzi’s pursuit of perfect harmony, the Voyage table unites form, function, and materiality in a beautifully balanced composition. Crafted with precision and conceived as a statement centrepiece, Voyage reflects the brand’s Italian artistry—transforming a dining table into a sculptural expression of refined living.

Buddie Sofa

A project that perfectly embodies the spirit of the Natuzzi design blend, Buddie is a collection in which form and function, aesthetics and ethics, creativity and innovation, both technological and emotional, find a perfect synthesis in the name of harmony. Available in sophisticated Leather Bianco and Fabric Castiglione.
Levante sofa

The Levante sofa, designed by Mauro Lipparini, embodies compact strength and undeniable style. Available in sophisticated iron-grey fabric, it exemplifies Italian Minimalism, offering a harmonious blend of elegance and profound functionality.
The Leaf Sofa
Soft lines meet Italian sophistication in the Leaf Sofa, a design that brings warmth, elegance, and effortless comfort into the living space. With its inviting proportions and refined detailing, Leaf transforms everyday moments into an experience of understated luxury.

Home Feature
AI WON’T REPLACE ARCHITECTS – BUT IT COULD CHANGE THE WAY THEY THINK
Kanaka Raghavan, Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design, Middlesex University (MDX Dubai)
The way we design has always been a reflection of the tools available to us. As an undergraduate student about two decades ago, the tools we used were quite traditional: A sketchbook, a drafting board, piles of drawing sheets, tracing paper, freshly sharpened pencils, and a half-empty coffee mug. Design was physical, tactile, measured, and every revision cost you something. Technical drawings and models would take days to produce, and critique was received with extreme resistance due to the effort involved in making the slightest modifications. Gradually, digital drawing and 3D modelling software evolved to generating sections and elevations automatically, removing the long nights spent working on these manually. Having computers handle the repetitive, mechanical work has allowed one to pay attention to the most interesting part of the process: the designing itself.
In this mission to outsource dreary, tedious tasks to the machines, it seems like we may have gotten a bit carried away. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) already embedding itself into the mechanics of our daily life – the way we draft a message or edit a photo, it is inevitable for the technology to make its way into the creative process. Unlike conventional design software, which relies entirely on dimensions and constraints manually fed by the architect, AI has fundamentally changed the ideation process. Brainstorming concepts, generating multiple façade options, and exploring design possibilities has become far more fluid, like having a hardworking graduate assistant.
The architecture industry has seen rapid growth in AI adoption. Across early stages in areas like concept visualisation, specification writing, compliance checking, and product selection, as well as day-to-day practice management like report writing, bid creation, and project scheduling. According to a recent report, 59% of practices reported using AI on at least occasional projects, up from 41% the previous year, a sizeable increase.
Bigger studios have acted as early adopters. Zaha Hadid Architects developed bespoke AI software in collaboration with NVIDIA, exploring generative AI across façade patterning, structural optimisation, and urban-scale planning. For MVRDV, data is actively shaping building form from the very start. BIG’s Bjarke Ingels has spoken about how AI reduces the time between intuition and iteration, helping teams move faster through design options. Smaller design studios are finding their footing too. London-based Fu recently launched what has been described as the world’s first fully AI-driven architectural project, a residential scheme at Slovenia’s Lake Bled, where AI helped accelerate iteration and uncover spatial relationships that traditional processes might have missed.
Yet the technology, for all its speed and spectacle, requires scrutiny. Where AI has made its presence felt is primarily in the everyday operational side of practice – drafting emails, managing budgets, transcribing client meetings. Only 13% of practices are currently using AI for actual design and planning tasks. As Zaha Hadid Director, Nils Fischer, puts it, general purpose AI has a “pseudo-understanding of construction,” particularly bad at grasping how building elements actually meet and connect. While it is a capable assistant, AI is still a few upgrades away from playing a meaningful role in the construction process.
So, can the architect be confident about their future in the industry?
Designing buildings is like solving an intricate puzzle, and the architect has always occupied a unique position. Part researcher, part craftsman, part ethnographer, part philosopher. They aren’t just resolving a design; they are learning to understand people. To become a good architect, one must develop an empathetic read of the problem before proposing a solution. The creative process demands that we sit with complexity, allowing the concept to find its philosophical grounding before it becomes form. It is slow, sometimes frustrating, and entirely necessary.
That is where AI can pose a conundrum. When a tool can generate fifty design options overnight, how does the architect still develop the conviction to defend one? And how do they avoid the trap of sameness that AI has been accused of producing, where similar prompts fed into similar models begin to yield unsurprisingly similar results? Research in cognitive science suggests that exposure to others’ ideas early in the creative process can inhibit our thinking. More unsettling still is the effect of passive AI acceptance. In a post-ChatGPT world, taking the first generated response and running with it has become second nature for many. Researchers are finding, however, that this habit may be rewiring how we think, not just individually, but collectively. And when individual creativity suffers, the diversity of our collective creativity inevitably suffers along with it. This is particularly worth considering for the next generation of architects, who risk treating AI as a silver bullet rather than simply another tool in their arsenal. While it makes connections we sometimes can’t, AI still remains a machine, not a problem solver, not an architect. There is still a vast distance between a striking AI-generated image and a building that can actually be built, specified, and guaranteed. The real skill lies in knowing what to do with that output, pushing it further, making it respond coherently against a brief, a site, a context.
An architect’s empathy is not merely a soft skill, it is the diagnostic tool that determines whether a building serves its people or merely stands. No model trained on images of buildings understands why a space needs to feel welcoming, or how a layout shapes the way people move through their lives. Those judgements cannot be prompted into existence. An architect’s value has never been in the mechanics of drawing, it’s in the thinking, judgment, and empathy behind it. AI can accelerate the process, but if architects let it do the thinking too, they risk losing the very thing that makes them irreplaceable.
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