Author: Alina Ali

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Alina Ali grew up in Dubai and has spent the last ten years watching the UAE's fashion and lifestyle scene transform into one of the most dynamic in the world. As a writer, she was documenting UAE sneaker culture, high fashion, and luxury lifestyle before most outlets realised it was worth covering.She joined What's Hot in UAE as Fashion, Lifestyle & Sneaker Culture Writer after years of running her own fashion blog and building a following among Dubai's style community. Her network includes boutique owners, brand representatives, stylists and resellers across the UAE — which means her release guides, stockist lists, and fashion coverage are sourced from people with actual access, not copied from brand press kits.Alina covers everything from Nike and Jordan regional exclusives to high fashion, couture, luxury brands, beauty, and the UAE's homegrown streetwear labels making noise internationally. Lifestyle at What's Hot in UAE is her domain — and that means anything fashion, from the runway to the street.She is based in Dubai Marina and collects Air Maxes.Follow Alina's work on Muck Rack, Substack, Vocal, and Medium.

Minimalist sneaker and streetwear store interior with concrete walls, hanging clothes, and shoes on display
Lifestyle

Inside The Dubai Streetwear Wave: 6 Labels to Know

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Part of our complete guide to Fashion in the UAE. When people picture GCC fashion, streetwear rarely springs to mind first. The region has long been synonymous with luxury couture, designer retail and a polished sense of style that turned cities like Dubai into global fashion capitals. But over the past few years, a new wave of creatives and independent labels has quietly rewritten that story. Dubai Streetwear has also started making its mark, reshaping the city’s fashion identity in unexpected ways. Streetwear in the Gulf has grown into a movement of its own, where oversized tailoring, graphic-heavy drops, underground…

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Man holding a large blue-and-white athletic shoe against a plain background
Sneakers

Bad Bunny’s adidas Badbo 1.0 “Puerto Rico” Cleat Drops This Summer

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One of the most talked-about cleats of the year is finally heading to the public. Bad Bunny’s adidas Badbo 1.0 “Puerto Rico” — the pair that lit up the 2026 World Baseball Classic on the feet of Team Puerto Rico — is expected to land at retail later this summer. It is swapping its player-exclusive status for a wider release. For sneakerheads, this one matters. It marks the moment Benito’s first adidas signature silhouette crosses fully from streetwear into performance sport. On top of that, it carries a design story rooted in Puerto Rican identity. Baseball may not be a…

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Two basketball shoes, one white and red and one black and silver, displayed on a white background
Lifestyle

Kevin Durant Reveals the Paris Saint-Germain x Nike KD 6

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Kevin Durant has just pulled the curtain back on one of the most unexpected Nike Basketball collaborations of the year. Shared by the Slim Reaper himself, the upcoming Paris Saint-Germain x Nike KD 6 links his beloved signature silhouette with one of the biggest names in world football. The timing could hardly be sharper. The reveal lands days after Paris Saint-Germain were crowned champions of Europe once again. They beat Arsenal 4-3 on penalties in Budapest to retain the UEFA Champions League. Back-to-back continental titles and a 14th Ligue 1 crown add to the achievement. Now a signature sneaker collaboration…

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Person wearing a green Mario Kart World T-shirt, with four graphic T-shirts displayed on a white background
Lifestyle

UNIQLO UT Crosses the Finish Line With Its ‘Mario Kart World’ Collection

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Start your engines. UNIQLO’s pop-culture graphic tee line, UT, is teaming up with Nintendo for a brand-new Mario Kart World collection. What’s more, it’s bringing the chaos of the track straight to your wardrobe. From the beloved character roster to the high-speed energy the franchise is famous for, this is a nostalgic, family-friendly drop with something for veteran racers and newcomers alike. Here’s what’s in the collection, when it lands, and how to get your hands on it here in the UAE. What’s in the UNIQLO Mario Kart World collection The line-up leans into everything that makes Mario Kart so…

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A man in a tan coat stands beside a large ice sculpture of a car outdoors at night
Music

Drake Gifted a Full-Scale F1 Car Ice Sculpture for His ‘ICEMAN’ Release

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When Drake drops, the celebrations are never small. To mark the record-breaking release of his latest project, ICEMAN, the Toronto megastar was surprised with a gift that fuses hip-hop and motorsport history in the most literal way possible: a full-scale, 1:1 Drake F1 Car Ice Sculpture, delivered straight to his driveway. This moment was forever marked by the showstopping arrival of a Drake F1 Car Ice Sculpture in front of his home. It’s the kind of larger-than-life flex that fits both the artist and the moment — and there’s a brilliant bit of history behind it. The story behind the…

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