From what to know and wear, to new drops and the ultimate spots to dine, Esquire Weekly is your go-to guide.
The Celebrity Look
The Egyptian R&B artist BAYOU was spotted wearing Louis Vuitton at the El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt. He wore a Damier Denim Workwear Blouson paired with matching skate pants, showcasing a relaxed, streetwear-inspired style with a modern luxury twist.
The Collection
MR PORTER presents AW25 Part 2, a fresh chapter in transitional dressing where layering, texture, and versatility define the season. Shot by Robbie Lawrence in the vibrant city of Seoul, the campaign captures a dialogue between casual tailoring, functional outerwear, and elevated separates rendered in rich, seasonal tones.
Highlights of the season include sharp tailoring from Our Legacy and The Row, technical outerwear from Sacai, and refined coats by Dries Van Noten. Practical polish comes in the form of Acne Studios scarves and new arrivals from ssstein and Stone Island, while accessories from Lemaire and loafers by LOEWE complete each look with timeless sophistication.
This collection is a celebration of effortless versatility, marrying function and refinement for the modern wardrobe. From the streets of Seoul to the curated closets of the style-conscious, AW25 Part 2 demonstrates how layering, texture, and detail transform everyday dressing into a statement of enduring elegance.
The Sunglasses
Prada Linea Rossa introduces its new eyewear campaign, New Heights, starring Academy Award-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal and shot by Rory van Milligen. Following last year’s journey into high-performance sailing with the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team, Gyllenhaal now turns his gaze skyward, embracing the challenges of high-altitude peaks. Evoking the raw, shifting landscapes of the Arctic, the campaign celebrates resilience, endurance, and vision in the face of nature’s most extreme elements.
The new Prada Linea Rossa eyewear collection is designed as an essential companion for travellers navigating conditions where visibility fades, pressure intensifies, and focus is paramount. Comprising five distinct designs, both sun and optical, the collection marries cutting-edge performance with contemporary design. Ski mask-inspired frames and aerodynamic wraparound shapes enhance airflow and prevent fogging, reflecting a sporty yet progressive aesthetic that embodies innovation and movement.
Completing the offering, an oversized everyday style merges researched proportions with versatility, allowing for effortless wearability. The result is a collection that balances technical mastery with modern sophistication, perfect for those who demand both style and function in equal measure.
The Restaurant
This season marks the beginning of a new rhythm at GAIA Dubai, as the beloved Greek-Mediterranean restaurant extends its doors to a longer, more leisurely weekend. Every Saturday and Sunday, from 12:30 pm through to the evening, GAIA invites guests to experience continuous dining – a seamless, extended journey that embodies the very essence of Mediterranean living, where every moment around the table is steeped in connection, warmth, and genuine hospitality.
Rooted in the spirit of generosity and togetherness, GAIA’s signature à la carte menu offers a celebration of simplicity and flavour. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared with care and precision, highlighting the freshness of ingredients and the beauty of seasonal creations alongside timeless favourites. Every plate reflects GAIA’s ethos: food is meant to be shared, savoured, and enjoyed in the company of those we love.
Weekends at GAIA invite guests to embrace the gentle, unhurried pace of the Mediterranean. Here, afternoons drift with ease, sunlight softens into evening, and every meal becomes a celebration of life’s most authentic pleasures, where dining is not just about food, but about creating moments that linger long after the last bite. Esquire Weekly recommends.
The Fragrance
CUIR NU, the newest fragrance from the Les Mille et Une Nuits collection, invites a sensorial journey that celebrates the artistry of refined Italian leather craftsmanship. At once powerful and intimate, the scent captures the sensuality of soft leather on bare skin, unfolding like a whispered secret of elegance and allure.
This exquisite fragrance intertwines a rich leather accord with precious oud, enhanced by the unexpected warmth of rose and coffee. Leather in the nude, its sensuous character laid bare, is rendered in a butter-soft texture, while the fine grain of the leather accord meets the subtle, roasted depth of smoky coffee extract.
As CUIR NU evolves, it unveils the silky caress of rose essence, an original fusion of rose essential oil and purified floral water, meticulously crafted for the brand. The result is a fragrance that is both bold and intimate, powerful yet tender, where every note evokes the artistry, sensuality, and timeless refinement of leather in its purest form.
The Scent
The poise of a perfectly tailored suit, reimagined through scent: Penhaligon’s unveils The Cut, a new Eau de Parfum that brings a daring twist to the timeless fougère, inspired by the sartorial mastery of Savile Row.
This is the story of a man who conjured dreams and possibilities through the power of perfume—fragrances that bridge past and present. From William Penhaligon’s first shop in Victorian London to today, his creations have delighted seekers and sensualists alike, carrying a message across generations: perfume is alchemy, transforming prose into poetry as skin becomes scent.
Mint opens with a flash of brilliance, like a silk lining: cool, precise, and invigorating. At the heart, cypress threads like a sharply creased lapel, while fir balsam adds depth, weaving a fabric rich with intrigue. Grounded by vetiver, The Cut holds its structure with refined ease. Bold yet effortless, precise yet unexpected, it is couture for the nose.
A scent cut to perfection: crisp, confident, and timeless, The Cut embodies the elegance and artistry of a suit tailored to perfection, where every note is a statement, and every wearer leaves an unforgettable impression.
The Halloween Party
This Halloween, Rose Bar at Delano Dubai invites the city’s tastemakers to an evening steeped in allure and mystery. On Friday, October 31, the bar transforms into a realm of masked intrigue for the Burlesque Masquerade Party, where velvet shadows, whispered secrets, and unexpected encounters set the tone for the night.
From 8 PM onwards, guests will step behind the veil of Rose Bar’s rose-hued interiors, a space where every corner flickers with possibility. The evening pairs the beats of a DJ with a menu of refined canapés from delicate pumpkin tartlets and salmon gravlax to truffle arancini and indulgent desserts, all complemented by the bar’s celebrated cocktails and curated pours. The atmosphere promises an intoxicating mix of sophistication and play, as red feathers, velvet drapery, and mirrored walls transform the venue into a burlesque fantasy, capturing the spirited energy of Dubai.
Rose Bar is located in the heartbeat of Delano Dubai, where intimacy meets spectacle and modern glamour takes centre stage. With its quartz-topped bar, tufted velvet banquettes, and soft rose glow, the venue provides a striking backdrop for a Halloween celebration unlike any other. Esquire Weekly recommends.
The Concert
The legendary Mariah Carey, one of the best-selling female artists of all time, has been confirmed as the latest global icon to headline the 2025–2026 edition of Saadiyat Nights, Abu Dhabi’s flagship open-air concert series on Saadiyat Island.
The multi-award-winning superstar will take the stage on 7 February 2026, marking her highly anticipated return to the UAE capital following a sold-out Saadiyat Nights debut in January 2024. Fans can expect an unforgettable evening of soaring vocals, dazzling stage presence, and the timeless hits that have cemented Carey as one of the most celebrated performers in modern music history.
With a career spanning more than three decades, Carey has sold 200 million albums worldwide, earned five Grammy Awards, and recorded 19 Billboard Hot 100 No.1 singles—more than any other solo artist in history. Her distinctive five-octave vocal range and chart-topping catalogue have defined an era of pop, R&B, and soul, including global anthems such as Hero, Fantasy, Always Be My Baby, Dreamlover, We Belong Together, and One Sweet Day.
Her 2026 performance promises to bring back that same magic, offering fans in Abu Dhabi another chance to experience her iconic voice under the stars.
Carey joins an already star-studded Saadiyat Nights line-up, featuring Ludovico Einaudi (10 January), Lewis Capaldi (17 January), John Mayer (24 January), Ricky Martin (31 January), and Bryan Adams (11 February), with more international stars to be announced. Tickets for Saadiyat Nights 2025–2026 are now available.
The Space
Dubai’s creative community came together on Thursday, 16 October to celebrate the official opening of The Meld Concept, a new cultural sanctuary in Jumeirah founded by Afra and Shama Al Ghurair. The evening unveiled a space that redefines what a cultural venue can be, where design, gastronomy, and community converge in a setting that feels both deeply personal and forward-looking.
Housed within a reimagined 1970s villa, The Meld Concept has been meticulously transformed by VSHD Design into a minimalist sanctuary of light, texture, and quiet sophistication. Guests wandered through its interconnected rooms, discovering the sisters’ contemporary abaya label Fold, the curated artistry of Kadi Boutique, and a rotating coffee bar currently hosted by Bayn Coffee, each element contributing to the villa’s living, ever-evolving narrative.
More than a physical space, The Meld Concept is envisioned as a cultural ecosystem: a place for collaboration, storytelling, and sensory discovery. Rooted in Emirati heritage yet in tune with global conversations, it represents a new chapter in Dubai’s creative landscape, celebrating craftsmanship, dialogue, and the art of gathering
The Hotel and Residences
Buddha-Bar Real Estate Development, exclusively managed and represented by Yieldhaüs, has unveiled the highly anticipated design of the region’s first-ever Buddha-Bar Hotel and Floating Residences by Buddha-Bar, set on Dubai’s iconic World Islands. This landmark project brings the world-renowned lifestyle brand to the Middle East in an entirely original format, merging island living with immersive design and signature experiences never before seen in the region, including the Buddha-Bar Hotel, Floating Residences, and the celebrated Buddha-Bar Beach.
For the first time, the legendary Buddha-Bar concept is transported from shore to island, infusing its signature blend of music, mood, and design into the serene seascape of The World Islands.
The Buddha-Bar Hotel: The region’s first Buddha-Bar Hotel will offer 162 keys, including an entire floor dedicated to branded residences. The hotel embodies the brand’s iconic DNA through a seamless fusion of Far Eastern influences and contemporary design, enveloping guests in a universe of deep reds, gold accents, Asian colonial motifs, and a sensual lounge-infused atmosphere adorned with chandeliers and statues. Guests can expect curated soundscapes and globally inspired Pacific Rim cuisine, served in spaces where design, dining, and music converge.
Floating Residences by Buddha-Bar: Adjacent to the hotel, 24 Floating Residences will hover above the water, blending advanced marine engineering with underwater living amidst coral-rich surroundings. Each three-level residence spans 4,000 sqft for up to eight guests and features a sun-soaked rooftop deck with jacuzzi and dining lounge; a sea-level living space with floor-to-ceiling windows, overwater hammock, and private deck; and an underwater level with two bedrooms framed by vibrant coral gardens.
