Quick answer: The UAE Collection is a range of ceramic plates by Tasmeem Tashkeel, each printed with a detailed black-ink drawing of a scene from Emirati life. There are eight designs: Fisherman Tales, Family Traditions, Young Dreamer, Connection, Doves on Desert Rose, And the Dreamer Always Dreams, The Fisherman and The Poet & Dreamer. Together they tell a story of the sea, the desert, family, falconry, camels, poetry and the dreams that connect generations. Single plates come in large (27 cm) and small (21 cm) sizes, and curated sets of four are available as UAE Collection 1 and UAE Collection 2.
Why tell stories on plates?
In the UAE, the table is where stories are shared. Grandparents describe the sea before oil, parents recall the desert winters, and children listen. The UAE Collection puts those stories under the food, so that each meal quietly carries one. The drawings are made in a fine, engraving-like line, almost like illustrations in an old book, which gives the plates a timeless look on a modern table. Every design also shares one small detail: a simple circle in the sky, a sun or moon that links all eight scenes into one world.
The eight designs
1. Fisherman Tales
Traditional dhows sail across a choppy sea while dolphins leap in the foreground, and on the horizon a modern city skyline rises. It is the UAE's story in one frame: a maritime past that sits within sight of its future. The sea was the original economy of the coast, through fishing, pearling and trade, and this plate honours that root.
2. Family Traditions
A father in a kandura walks through the desert with his family. Falcons rest on their perches, a saluki lies in the sand, a tent stands in the distance and, in the sky, a child's kite flies beside a small toy aeroplane. Falconry and the saluki are two of the oldest companions of desert life in the Gulf, and falconry is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, with the UAE among the countries that nominated it. The kite and plane add a playful note: tradition passed to a child who is already dreaming of flight.
3. Young Dreamer
A young figure sits beneath a date palm under a sky full of stars while a falcon flies overhead, the scene framed by a border of clouds. It is a portrait of imagination: the palm for rootedness, the falcon for ambition, and the stars for the dreams that guided desert travellers and sailors alike.
4. Connection
Camels stretch towards a woman holding a child beneath a tree. The camel was once essential to survival in the desert, for travel, milk and companionship, and it remains a beloved symbol of Emirati identity. Connection is about that bond between people and animals, and between a mother and the next generation.
5. Doves on Desert Rose
Two doves sit among the branches of a flowering tree. The design echoes the bronze sculpture of a collared dove and a desert rose at Gerbou, the Emirati restaurant at Tashkeel. Doves symbolise peace and companionship, and this is the gentlest scene in the collection.
6. And the Dreamer Always Dreams
A figure walks with a white horse in front of a long arched colonnade while a flock of birds migrates overhead. The arches recall the architecture of the Tashkeel building in Nad Al Sheba, and the migrating birds suggest journeys still to come. The Arabian horse, celebrated across the region for its beauty and endurance, walks beside the dreamer like a companion.
7. The Fisherman
A lone fisherman sits in a small boat beneath clouds, stars and a full moon, his line dropping into a sea full of fish. Where Fisherman Tales is a busy seascape, this design is intimate: one person, the night and the sea. It is the most whimsical of the eight, almost like a children's story.
8. The Poet & Dreamer
A figure plays the oud in a date palm oasis while birds fly and a gazelle approaches. Poetry has always been central to Emirati culture, from Nabati poetry to sung verse, and the oud is the instrument that carried it. This plate celebrates the artist in every family.
Which sizes and sets are available?
- UAE Collection Large Single Plate: 27 cm, choose your design, gift-boxed.
- UAE Collection Single Small Plate: 21 cm, choose your design, gift-boxed.
- UAE Collection 1 and UAE Collection 2 large sets of four.
- Flat small sets: Collection 1 and Collection 2.
- Deep small sets: Collection 1 and Collection 2.
The same stories on paper
Several scenes also appear on Gerbou-inspired sketchbooks designed by Tasmeem Tashkeel: Young Dreamer, Doves on Desert Rose, And the Dreamer Always Dreams and The Poet & Dreamer. A plate and its matching sketchbook make a thoughtful paired gift.
How to choose a design
- For a new parent: Connection or Family Traditions.
- For someone who loves the sea: Fisherman Tales or The Fisherman.
- For a graduate or young professional: Young Dreamer or And the Dreamer Always Dreams.
- For a musician, writer or poet: The Poet & Dreamer.
- For a couple: Doves on Desert Rose.
Frequently asked questions
Who designed the UAE Collection plates?
The UAE Collection was designed by Tasmeem Tashkeel, the art and design collective of Tashkeel in Dubai.
Can I use the plates every day?
Yes. They are made from durable ceramic with a smooth glaze. They also work as wall plates or display pieces.
Can I choose individual designs?
Yes. The single large and small plates let you choose any of the eight designs.
Are the plates gift-boxed?
Yes. Single plates and sets come in presentation boxes.
