Every December, Dubai Design District (d3) shifts gears. The concrete courtyards fill with sound, the crowds arrive dressed like they planned it weeks in advance, and Sole DXB reminds the city why it still sets the cultural pace. For its 13th edition, running from December 12 TO 14 2025, the festival returns to d3 with its most expansive and confident program yet. Three days that move seamlessly between music, fashion, art, sport and food, all curated with the kind of precision that Sole has made its signature.
This year’s headline acts set the tone early. Friday opens with Kaytranada, whose genre-blurring mix of electronic, hip hop and R&B has earned him global respect and serious dancefloor loyalty. Saturday belongs to Tyla, fresh off a year that turned her into one of pop’s most streamed voices, bringing amapiano and contemporary soul into the Dubai night. Sunday closes with Miguel, delivering a catalogue of modern R&B that still hits with the same ease and emotional pull more than a decade on. Around them, the line-up reads like a carefully edited playlist rather than a numbers game, with names such as Tinariwen, Lil Yachty, Zeyne, KR$NA, Raftaar, Shabjdeed, Al Nather, Naïka, Venna and a special appearance from Loyle Carner adding depth across all three days.
Music unfolds across four stages, each with its own character. The Main Stage handles the big moments, while Stage Two returns powered by Sole Sound System, expanding into jazz, indie, world music and soul. PATRÓN introduces La Hacienda, a new stage inspired by its Jalisco roots, pairing regional artists with disco edits, Middle Eastern electronica, deep house and African-influenced sounds in a space designed like a courtyard built for long nights. PowerHorse brings movement-led DJ programming and dance experiences, while the Asahi Bar and Johnnie Walker each add their own sonic identities through curated DJ sets.
But Sole DXB has never been just about who is on stage. Across the site, fashion and design experiences anchor the festival’s daytime energy. Fred Perry marks its long-standing relationship with Sole through Racquet Club, a three-day celebration of sport and culture featuring table tennis sessions, padel tournaments, exclusive retail drops and giveaways. Fujifilm teams up with TA’YO to explore street photography as memory and archive, blending X-Series technology with a festival-only apparel and accessories collection. ASICS brings its Sound Mind, Sound Body philosophy to life through a SportStyle playground that mixes movement, craft and workshops, while also hosting the Saturday night after-party on Stage Two.
The wider brand mix is one of the most layered Sole has presented. QASIMI previews its Spring/Summer 2026 collection through an immersive collaboration with artist Dala Nasser. Absent Findings presents Early to the Party, a focused study in form and structure. ATLAL FROM GALBI leans into Algerian storytelling through a nostalgic, domestic-inspired space. Congo Clothing Company turns its stand into a working studio, inviting visitors to co-create pieces while learning about Congolese textile practices. A.P.C. slows things down with natural-dye workshops, while AOTA, Leaf Apparel, SafranWorld, DateCrete and No Borders bring installations rooted in memory, material and community.
Beauty and lifestyle are equally present. ASHRI Skin offers ritual-led skincare experiences inspired by Nubian beauty. KAYALI debuts its KAYALI Café, turning fragrance layering into an interactive stop worth lingering at. Humantra uses the festival as the global stage for its newest product, revealed exclusively on-site, while keeping hydration front and centre all weekend.
Food is treated with the same care as everything else. Three distinct zones, Elevated, Discovery and Local Heroes, bring together established favourites and emerging concepts, from The Maine and Mama Fri to Varak and Eleven Green.
Sport and community programming continue to run through the festival’s DNA. Ball for All returns in collaboration with Shake Shack, Shooters Shoot blends basketball with storytelling, and G-SHOCK unveils new global releases alongside a Sole DXB limited edition. Art Jameel Shop rounds out the cultural offering with artist collaborations, limited editions and design objects, supporting artists and public initiatives with every purchase.
Sole DXB 2025 also remains part of the Dubai Shopping Festival calendar, reinforcing its role as a cultural anchor during one of the city’s busiest months. With extended hours from 4:00pm to 2:30am, the festival invites visitors to move between sets, conversations, workshops and meals without rushing the experience.
For those who have followed Sole DXB since its early days, this edition feels like a confident next chapter. Bigger in scope, sharper in curation and still grounded in the communities that built it. Three days at d3 that prove once again why Sole DXB remains one of Dubai’s coolest festivals.
