Open Call for Middle East Designers in ‘Creators of Craft' Design Challenge

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 13 January 2026: IQOS, one of the leading brands of smoke-free products, in partnership with Vogue Arabia and the Italian design house Seletti, has launched the Creators of Craft Design Challenge, an innovative initiative aimed to empower and inspire designers in the Middle East to create a unique accessory for the IQOS device that reflects the spirit of local craftsmanship from a contemporary and innovative perspective.

This challenge offers a unique platform that combines technology, art, and design to encourage designers to express their cultural and creative identity through designs that blend authenticity with modernity. With strong regional interest already building, the initiative is a chance for emerging and established creatives to gain visibility, mentorship, and global exposure.

The challenge is open to designers over the age of 25 from Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Submissions are welcomed from designers across fashion, product design, jewellery, accessories, and multidisciplinary backgrounds, ensuring a wide creative spectrum. Participants can submit their sketches and design rationales through the dedicated platform until 31st January 2026.

Following the submission period, the judging panel will review the entries to select five finalists. The panel includes Manuel Arnaut, Head of Editorial Content at Vogue Arabia; Yan Marois, Vice President for Brand Design & Creative at Philip Morris International; Stefano Seletti, Founder and Creative Director of Seletti; and Nadine Kanso, Founder and Creative Director of Bil Arabi. Their combined expertise brings a powerful blend of global design insight and deep regional cultural understanding.

Each of the five finalists will receive a grant of USD 5,000 to develop a prototype of their design, which will later be presented to the judging panel in Dubai in April 2026, giving them the opportunity to transform their ideas into innovative and tangible designs. This support ensures that promising regional concepts can evolve into fully realised pieces guided by world-class creative leaders.

The Creators of Craft Design Challenge finalist will be announced during a special event at Art Dubai in April 2026. The finalist will have the opportunity to design an exclusive piece commissioned by IQOS, in addition to an all-expenses-paid trip to attend Milan Design Week and an exclusive feature in the print edition of Vogue Arabia.  

The finalist will also have the opportunity to attend exclusive workshops and masterclasses organised by Vogue Arabia, featuring leading experts including Nadine Kanso and Stefano Seletti from SELETTI.

The Creators of Craft Design Challenge serves as a bridge for cultural collaboration between the Middle East and the world, bringing together prominent names such as Vogue Arabia, SELETTI, and IQOS in an initiative that celebrates craftsmanship and innovation and promotes dialogue between technology and art. The challenge aims to empower the regional design community and enhance the presence of Arab creativity on the global stage through designs that express the region's identity with a contemporary spirit.