Aneesha Rai

Happy one month being earth side, Oli 🐣
You drive us nuts - showing us your party animal side at night (lord help us), but you’re damn cute so it’s ok.

Happy 40th birthday to the ♥️
To the best partner and doting daddy to our kitties 🐈🐈‍⬛
I’m so excited for our next chapter and wouldn’t want to do life with anyone else 😘

Riyadh Rumble ✨
The magic that was Riyadh and a glimpse of At-Turaif
The energy was palpable and what a gorgeous location for the inaugural location. Lovely to see both the new and familiar faces ☺️

Postcards from Milan & with 😂

Presenting ‘The Power Issue’

When I set out to curate the id50 this year for our milestone 250th issue, my goal was not to just shine a spotlight on the most influential figures in the A+D industry but to delve into the philosophies that drive them. In speaking with these accomplished individuals whose work has already garnered widespread acclaim, I was of course, interested in their past accolades, but more curious about their aspirations. What dream projects still spark their imagination? What challenges would they embrace if given the chance to shape their ideal vision?

This inquiry was driven by a dual purpose. First, I wanted identity to play its role in celebrating the incredible talent thriving in this region. Second, I wanted to highlight the foresight it takes to be a designer in today’s ever-evolving world. By capturing these dreams on paper, I hope they might resonate with the right entities who could help bring them to life.

After all, designers aren’t just shaping spaces; they’re shaping societies, responding to the complexities of our time with ideas that are as thoughtful as they are transformative.

In this context, ‘power’ takes on a different meaning. It’s not about dominance or individual gain, which so often accompany the word, but about the ability to serve communities and create meaningful, enduring connections - something that we all need a little more of.

I worked very hard on this issue - not an easy one to put together with podcasts and so many more things so yalla, head to identity.ae to have a read ☺️

The magic that was ✨ design

6 years married to this guy as of yesterday, so here are 6 photos of some memories we collected from last year♥️
He’s no longer on social media because he has better s**t to do, obviously. Coolest guy on earth, imo.

May 2025 be the year I talk about my creative endeavors more. ✍️
Here’s the January issue of where we tackle the theme of designing the future. 🪐

We collaborated on the cover with Pallavi Dean, founder of . Born and raised in Sharjah, UAE, Pallavi has recently expanded her studio’s presence to Saudi Arabia. For the cover shoot, we knew we wanted to pay homage to where she grew up. Dean suggested , reflecting her love for the desert. Inspired by themes of flow and reflections, we and sought to capture her dynamic essence on a very windy day, amidst wobbly props, sinking chairs and flying fringes. 😂With a limited time to execute, pulling this cover off was tough, but rewarding. An important lesson for us to do hard things sometimes, because they’re most often than not, worth it.

In our cover feature, she opens up about her journey, sharing insights into how financial acumen fuels creative freedom and revealing her cleverly coined ‘10 C’s’ of success.

We are also thrilled to be a media partner at this year’s highly anticipated in Paris. From 16 to 20 January 2025, we’ll bring you highlights from the fair, sharing stories on . We also explore the latest tech innovations, beautiful design hotels and more in this issue.

Here’s to designing a future full of possibilities.
You can access our e-issue on identity.ae

🇦🇪 🫶🏻

What a magical night ✨

What a journey it has been to this issue 🪴✨
Presenting ‘The Greener Perspective’ -out on news stands now, where we delve into choosing a path for the greater good. (Guess what, it’s hard - but the best things are.)
Relentlessly leading the charge is former Abu Dhabi resident and .vinudaniel at Wallmakers, whose honesty and pragmatism is refreshing to read in a world full of filters (here for it.)

We also shine a light on imbibing sustainability in the local and scene with academics and architects . A must-read into those looking beyond just the label and optics of ‘sustainability’ and an important conversation to be had.

We also debut a series called - At home - where we peek into Omar Nakkash of .design.studio’s library. Also Sharjah-raised (sense a theme here?), it was amazing to interview what moves him and drives his practice and creativity. I need his playlist!

If you’re about about the , there are some epic projects that deserve a look at by .are.noa & .studio.
I also chat to Sarah about her brand and analyze what drives in her practice.
There’s something in this issue I hope everyone can resonate with, and I think I achieved that.
hope you enjoy the read! 🤍✨