Our First Collaborative Pop-Up in Dubai: TB Project x Poliocean

This weekend, we hosted our first collaborative pop-up at Mint Market in Dubai, joining forces with Poliocean, a handmade raffia bags brand from Abu Dhabi. It felt like a small milestone — taking TB Project offline again and sharing space with another brand that values materials, process, and thoughtful design as much as we do.

As much as we create and share online, nothing replaces seeing products in real life. Touching fabrics, noticing how colors shift in daylight, and having conversations with people who stop, browse, and ask questions. Offline always tells the story better than hundreds of photos ever could.

Why we collaborate with Poliocean

We decided to collaborate to explore the natural synergies between our brands. Poliocean works with raffia and cotton, focusing on natural materials and handmade processes — very much aligned with TB Project’s approach of avoiding artificial fabrics.

What we loved instantly was how their bags are designed for different moments and moods — much like our loungewear and kimono pieces. Whether you’re heading out for the day or slowing things down, both brands are meant to move with you, not restrict you.

Building the Mood Together

Before the pop-up, we created a shared moodboard to shape the stand and the atmosphere. The idea came came: combining the light, relaxed feeling of a spring holiday break with a subtle Valentine’s mood.

We imagined being at a beach destination: stepping out in the afternoon, chasing the last light before sunset. Throwing on an ikat kimono in warm sunset tones, grabbing a large raffia bag in deep chocolate brown, and heading out without overthinking it.

To capture the feeling of the day, we shared a short Instagram Reel — from setting up in the morning to the last light of the afternoon. You can watch it here