A new cultural statement inspired by Dubai’s architecture, landscape and ever-evolving identity is unveiled during Emirati Women’s Day month.

Mandarin Oriental Downtown Dubai, an urban sanctuary nestled in the heart of the city, unveils its signature fan created in collaboration with acclaimed Emirati artist Zeinab Alhashemi. The commission, which was presented during the month of Emirati Women’s Day, centres one of the group’s longstanding traditions around Alhashemi’s practice, demonstrating the hotel’s conviction that luxury is most compelling when crafted locally.

Opened in November 2025, Mandarin Oriental Downtown Dubai soars 303 metres into the skyline within Wasl Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road. The group’s second property in the city offers 259 guest rooms and suites, ten dining venues, two floors of wellness and over 2000 square metres of event space.

The fan is Mandarin Oriental’s most recognisable symbol, a mark of hospitality carried by every hotel in the group. It has remained an emblem of the meeting of cultures and places since its earliest days. Each property’s fan is crafted by local artisans to distil the Essence of the Destination. For its second address in Dubai, Mandarin Oriental turned to an artist whose work has long examined the materials, forms, and mythologies of the Gulf.

Drawing inspiration from Wasl Tower, the hotel’s architectural home and a striking symbol of sustainable design innovation, and distinguished by the region’s tallest ceramic facade, the fan is crafted from eleven hues of camel hide. To select the fan’s distinct tones, Alhashemi studied the facade in detail, capturing its transition from golden daylight to rich evening tones and the building’s interplay of light, colour, and movement throughout the day. The colours also reflect Dubai’s natural desert palette, honouring the landscape of the city, while the bronze electroplated rods, accented with industrial bolts, pay homage to the city’s iconic skyline.

The result is a physical art piece that embodies the values of Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai, blending heritage and modernity, tradition and innovation to capture the essence of The Dubai of Now.

“Camel hide is a material of this land, and the façade of Wasl Tower is a material of this moment,” said Zeinab Alhashemi. “Placing them together felt like the most honest way to describe a city that holds both at once. To share this work in the month the country honours Emirati women is a privilege, and I hope it encourages others to see their own heritage as a living material rather than something behind glass.”

The fan is on permanent display at the hotel’s lobby lounge.