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Alina Ali

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 black shoe with a gradient yellow to red swoosh design is presented inside an open briefcase, surrounded by documents and pens. The base of the briefcase displays the words "LICENSED FOR SKILL" in bold letters, with a glowing orange light illuminating the contents.
Sneakers

Nike Book 2 Performance Review: What the Tests Show

Verdict: the Nike Book 2 has a genuinely lively forefoot, strong lateral support and dependable grip on a clean indoor court. But the launch shoe’s stiff moulded upper, heavy build and dust-sensitive outsole are serious compromises. It makes most sense for a narrow-to-regular-footed guard who values containment and forefoot response. Wide-footed players, anyone who plays…

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A silver and black Nike sneaker with an iridescent logo on the side, displayed against a blurred city lights background.
Sneakers

Nike Total Foamposite Max Retro (2026): History, Release & Price

For over a decade, it’s been the sneaker that enthusiasts and 90s basketball fans have whispered about, hoped for, and constantly requested. The Nike Total Foamposite Max, a hulking monument of late-90s footwear innovation, has remained one of the most elusive and desired retros. After years of scattered rumors and false starts, Nike has finally…

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A woman wearing a light blue jacket and skirt with knee-high gray boots walks past a brick wall with decorative stone carvings, under a tree in an urban setting.
Lifestyle

Alpha Industries x Peggy Gou: Day-to-Night Bomber Jacket Style

Finding an outfit that looks just as good at your 9 AM meeting as it does under the lights of a 9 PM DJ set feels like a modern fashion miracle. For the person who navigates a life of shifting identities and spaces, the wardrobe crisis is real: how do you dress for a full…

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A modern cityscape featuring tall skyscrapers under a blue sky, with an entrance labeled 'Dubai Watch Week' in the foreground.
Lifestyle

Dubai Watch Week 2026: The Insider’s Playbook to Master the Event

Part of our complete guide to Fashion in the UAE. In just over a decade, Dubai Watch Week has transformed from a passionate, homegrown initiative into an unmissable fixture on the global horology calendar. What began in 2015 as a vision for education and access has exploded into a powerhouse event. Now, the 2026 edition…

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A man wearing sunglasses and a plaid shirt sits next to a woman with long hair, wearing a plaid shirt and jeans, on outdoor stone steps. A dog wearing a brown hat is lying between them. They are surrounded by greenery and large plants.
Lifestyle

God’s True Cashmere: Brad Pitt’s Luxury Fashion Brand

In a world saturated with celebrity-endorsed products, the launch of a new fashion line by a Hollywood A-lister often elicits a healthy dose of skepticism. Is it a genuine creative endeavor or just another fleeting vanity project? God’s True Cashmere, Brad Pitt’s luxury fashion brand, enters this landscape not with a bang, but with the…

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A model walking down a runway wearing a dramatic black cape with puffed shoulders, over a white outfit, and black heels. The setting is an ornate, crowded fashion show venue.
Lifestyle

Chanel History: Timeline, Ownership, Coco’s War Record and 2026 Era

Chanel began as Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s millinery business in Paris, with an independent hat shop at 21 rue Cambon in 1910. The modern company is a privately held luxury house controlled by the Wertheimer family, not by Coco Chanel’s descendants and not by Dior or LVMH. In 2026, Leena Nair is Global CEO and Matthieu…

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Two sweatshirts displayed against an orange background, part of a Graniph and McDonald's collaboration. The left sweatshirt is blue with yellow stripes, featuring the McDonald's logo and "dippin'" text. The right sweatshirt is black with a character graphic and "McDonald's" text. Two collection badges, "Feel-Good" and "Heritage," are visible.
Lifestyle

McDonald’s x Graniph Collection: The Grimace Apparel Drop

The world of fashion has a new, unexpected icon: a large, purple, perpetually cheerful character from McDonaldland. Thanks to a viral TikTok trend and a masterful marketing revival, Grimace is back, and the appetite for nostalgia has never been stronger. This cultural wave has crested just in time for the seventh collaboration between McDonald’s and…

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A fashion model wearing a Nike outfit with a pink headband stands next to a woman in a black dress with layered necklaces in front of a snowy background with the Nike logo displayed prominently.
Lifestyle

NikeSKIMS Drop 2 Collection: Performance, Style, and Fit

For years, the modern active woman has faced a frustrating choice: embrace high-performance activewear that prioritizes function over form, or opt for stylish pieces that can’t withstand a genuine workout. This trade-off has left a significant gap in the market, forcing a compromise between feeling powerful and looking polished. The groundbreaking NikeSKIMS Drop 2 Collection…

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