Meet Ibrahim Abudyak of 'Jokes Aside' , the UAE-born streetwear label on the rise

JOKES ASIDE, a dynamic Dubai-based streetwear brand, has quickly gained prominence with its fourth physical store. Launched in March 2023, the label turns everyday moments into bold, wearable art, celebrating individuality and self-expression.

Founded by Ibrahim Abudyak, the brand reflects his journey of breaking free from societal norms. Designed and made in the UAE, JOKES ASIDE embodies authenticity and positivity, becoming a symbol of creativity in the local fashion scene.

Targeting Gen Z and young Millennials, the brand offers unisex apparel like asymmetrical tees and caps. Its collections, 'Forever Young' and 'What’s Next,' feature around 30 unique designs with more to come. JDEED spoke to Abudyak to know more about the brand and its ambitions.

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Hello Ibrahim, can you tell us more about yourself, your background, and how you started in fashion?

JOKES ASIDE emerged from my journey of self-discovery, with my evolving visual identity playing a key role. In 2017, I faced several life-changing challenges, including being fired from my corporate job and going through a divorce. I decided to pursue entrepreneurship, experimenting a lot and facing multiple failures before co-founding a successful entertainment business called The Smash Room. I’ve always been unconventional in both my behavior and fashion sense, and this led me to appreciate different perspectives and discover my own visual style.

Over time, I realized I loved wearing colorful apparel and curating unique, playful outfits. This included shirts with bold designs, mismatched earrings, and hand-painted nail art. These elements helped me express my newfound identity, and soon I began receiving compliments on my style wherever I went. It clicked for me then: Why not create my own clothing brand? That way, I could proudly say I designed what I wore whenever someone asked about it.This idea made sense because I also struggled to find distinctive pieces that matched my style, often traveling between thrift stores in search of unique apparel.

Today, as the Founder and Creative Director of JOKES ASIDE, I’m grateful to help others express their authenticity through fashion and connect with a like-minded community.

How did you come up with the idea for JOKES ASIDE, and why the name?

We all experience a range of moments—funny, silly, or heartfelt—that we may or may not share with others. Often, these stories are lost. When we talk about the deeper meanings behind these experiences, we tend to say, “Jokes aside.” I used this phrase to transform those moments into wearable art because others might have gone through similar situations and have their own interpretations.

JOKES ASIDE focuses on self-expression through storytelling, emphasizing individuality, courage, and unconventionality. Ultimately, the brand aims to make everyone who interacts with it feel the joy of being true to themselves.

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'My vision is to make JOKES ASIDE the leading lifestyle brand from this region. I want to create physical spaces that celebrate and support local and regional creatives, while engaging the public in the design process. Think of KITH, but dialed up 1000x—and that's JOKES ASIDE.'

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How would you describe the fashion landscape in the region, especially for brands made in the UAE?

We’re in a very exciting time for creative expression, particularly in fashion within this region. The scene is growing and maturing, but it's still in its early stages. This brings both challenges and opportunities.

I see JOKES ASIDE as one of the early "tastemakers" for streetwear and fashion brands in the UAE, particularly those made locally.

What do you consider when designing? Any iconic figures who have inspired you?

Every piece we design begins with inspiration—whether it’s a personal experience, a story we’ve heard, or an emotion someone wants to express. We gather these ideas, and our illustrators create technical sketches. We then develop several variations of a sample until we’re satisfied. Once finalized, the design is graded, patterned, and sent to our factories for production. This is how the magic happens. The process is quite lengthy, focusing on "slow fashion."

As for inspiration, I’ve drawn from figures like Tyler The Creator, ASAP Rocky, Colm from Kidsuper, Yohji Yamamoto, Junya Watanabe, Charaf Tajer of Casablanca, and Mike Amiri of Amiri. Traveling to new places, exploring local art scenes and cultures, and stepping out of my comfort zone have also been significant influences.

What are your plans for the brand, and how do you envision its development?

I’m proud of how far we’ve come in such a short time, and I’m excited about what’s next. We plan to elevate our creativity, strengthen our visual aesthetics, and collaborate with more creatives. Our goal is to expand quickly and eventually go global.

My vision is to make JOKES ASIDE the leading lifestyle brand from this region. I want to create physical spaces that celebrate and support local and regional creatives, while engaging the public in the design process. Think of KITH, but dialed up 1000x—and that's JOKES ASIDE.

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Discover more about JOKES ASIDE and shop it internationally, here.

The brand is also available at the Pop-up store at The Smash Room in Al Quoz Dubai, Link - a unique phygital store experience at Wafi Mall, Dubai, Ether – a retail concept store in Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi. and 222 Concept Store at Le Gupard in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai.

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Cover picture / Kristina Vegera

others:

Production by @flava.lab

Creative Direction @lava_ilieva

Director of Photography @deqnmilenkov (Deyan Milenkov)

Videography @faizalr31 & @deqnmilenkov

Colouring & post-production @faizalr31

Studio @graphitestudio.ae

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