Finding the right logo for the UAE

Designing a logo for a new company is never easy but branding a nation is even harder. Which is why the government's plan to create a UAE national logo is creating huge debate among the nation's most prominent design experts because like anything in life, whether or not you like a design is entirely subjective. The public have been asked to pick the final design from five logo finalists uploaded onto the official website of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Visitors can view the logos, which have variations in both Arabic and English, read a short description of the concept behind them and then vote for their favourite. The most popular design will then be used as a logo to promote the interests of the UAE both here and overseas to project a unified UAE identity. So which design will achieve that mission the best? For Craig Falconer, the creative partner of North 55, a Dubai-based design agency that includes branding in its list of specialisms, all of the designs offer something interesting but he feels they all need refinement. However, two designs stand out the most: The Fabric of Society, which takes its inspiration from the fabrics and patterns created by Emirati artists through the ages, and Vivid Tapestry, a colourful creation that uses traditional Kulfi calligraphy to reflect the nation's culture and heritage. From TheNational