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.

A yellow and black sneaker with a red and black Nike swoosh, featuring a white sole and visible air cushioning, set against a red background.

The Nike LeBron Witness line has always been about one thing: serious on-court performance without the flagship price tag. The Witness 8 landed with a colourway that carried real emotional weight — a yellow-and-black “Bruce Lee” look that nods to Kobe Bryant’s own Bruce Lee tributes. Here is the shoe, the meaning, and where to get it in the UAE.Related: check our Best Sneaker Stores in Dubai (8 Verified Shops) for where to buy authentic releases and avoid fakes. Quick Facts Detail Information Shoe Nike LeBron Witness 8 Colourway Yellow / black “Bruce Lee” — echoing Kobe Bryant’s Bruce Lee…

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A person with short blonde hair, wearing a long gray coat and sunglasses, walks confidently on a city street, with large windows of a building in the background.

In recent years, modest fashion has taken the global fashion scene by storm, becoming more than just a trend but a significant movement. From fashion weeks in London and Dubai to mainstream brands offering modest collections, the rise of modest fashion has reshaped the industry. But what exactly is modest fashion, and why is it gaining such traction? Modest Fashion is In. At its core, modest fashion refers to clothing that offers more coverage than traditional styles. However, it’s not just about covering up—it’s about expressing style and personality while adhering to cultural, religious, or personal standards of modesty. This…

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A basketball player in a red jersey dribbling a ball, with two large white sneakers superimposed on either side of him.

The Air Jordan 11 “Legend Blue” returned on December 14, 2024 in full-family sizing, and it sold out fast across UAE stockists over the holiday period. This retro brings back the original 1996 colourway, famously worn by Michael Jordan during the 1996 NBA All-Star Game — and unlike the 2001 and 2014 re-releases, this version corrected the shade of blue and the shape of the mudguard to sit closer to the OG pair. Related: check our Best Sneaker Stores in Dubai (8 Verified Shops) for where to buy authentic releases and avoid fakes. Design & Features The “Legend Blue” Jordan…

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A pair of athletic shoes with a gray, black, and neon green color scheme, featuring a prominent Nike logo on the side. They are set against a bright green background, highlighting the vibrant design of the sneakers.

The Nike Air Max 90 Drift “Light Army/Volt” — style code FB2877-301, and the pair most people just call the “Volt” — dropped in Holiday 2024 as the Air Max 90’s answer to the TPU-heavy Air Max Plus Drift. It swaps the Air Max 90’s usual leather-and-mesh upper for moulded synthetic panels, giving the 34-year-old silhouette a genuinely different hand-feel rather than just a new paint job.Related: check our Best Sneaker Stores in Dubai (8 Verified Shops) for where to buy authentic releases and avoid fakes. A Fresh Look with the Air Max 90 Drift Earlier in the year, Nike…

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Reebok’s “Boktober” x Universal Monsters collection launched on 11 October 2024 — five silhouettes reworked around Dracula, Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Creature From the Black Lagoon and the Wolfman. It followed the earlier 2024 Reebok Alien collaboration, and confirmed Reebok is treating Universal’s horror catalogue as a recurring seasonal well rather than a one-off.Related: check our Best Sneaker Stores in Dubai (8 Verified Shops) for where to buy authentic releases and avoid fakes. A Tribute to Universal Monsters: Classic Horror Meets Iconic Sneakers The Boktober collection brings to life the legendary characters from the Universal Monsters franchise, pairing…

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Get ready, streetwear fans! Two of the biggest names in the game—Supreme and Jordan—are back together. Their latest collaboration is set to drop on October 3rd. Known for creating some of the most sought-after items in street culture, this Supreme x Jordan Collaboration is sure to make waves once again. The upcoming collection features a mix of apparel and accessories. These items perfectly blend Supreme’s iconic style with the legendary Jordan brand. Sneak Peek: New Footwear on the Horizon? While the collaboration is primarily focused on apparel, eagle-eyed fans may have spotted a potential footwear release hidden in the promotional…

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Two basketball players wearing yellow Lakers uniforms pose for photos; one is holding a basketball while the other stands with arms crossed.

This is what Bronny James’ rookie year alongside his father LeBron looked like at the start: October 2024, Lakers Media Day, the two of them in matching purple and gold with very different sneaker stories on their feet. Bronny went on to play 27 regular-season games for the Lakers in 2024-25 (2.3 points, 6.7 minutes a night) while doing the heavier lifting with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, where he averaged 18.6 points a game — the split-role rookie season the footwear at Media Day already hinted at.Related: check our Best Sneaker Stores in Dubai (8 Verified…

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Pair of white high-top sneakers with blue and orange accents, featuring the word 'Ewing' and a basketball logo on the tongue, and an orange basketball keychain with the number 33 attached.

Ewing Athletics, founded by NBA legend Patrick Ewing in 1989, had a massive influence in the basketball and sneaker world during the 1990s. The brand was known for its high-top, chunky designs, specifically the Ewing 33 Hi. After dominating the market in the ’90s, the brand saw a decline in the 2000s as trends shifted towards more sleek and minimalist designs. What Happened to Ewing Sneakers? However, in 2012, Ewing Athletics made a comeback with re-releases of its most popular models, including the 33 Hi, targeting nostalgic sneakerheads and a new generation of consumers interested in retro styles. The brand…

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In September 2024, six Air Jordan Retros due for Q4 that year were quietly pulled from Jordan Brand’s release calendar — no official statement, just gaps where scheduled colourways used to be. At the time it read as a one-off correction. Looking back from 2026, it was the first visible sign of a much bigger problem: Jordan Brand went on to post a 16% revenue decline for its fiscal year ending May 2025, falling to $7.3 billion, after doubling between 2020 and 2024. The decline in popularity of certain Jordan Retro models is a major reason for this decision. Once…

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Part of our complete guide to Sneakers in the UAE.Related: check our Best Sneaker Stores in Dubai (8 Verified Shops) for where to buy authentic releases and avoid fakes. Nike has become synonymous with performance, innovation, and style. Its rise to prominence is a story of grit, determination, and relentless innovation in the sportswear industry. What started as a small business venture between a former track athlete and his coach is now a globally recognised brand. It has transcended its roots to become a cultural icon. This is the story of how Nike built its empire—from humble beginnings to the…

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