Star Tech: POPC in Dubai gifts Mideast’s first artist marketplace

Star Tech: POPC in Dubai gifts Mideast’s first artist marketplace

Three Pakistani nationals — Amna Aijaz, Arafaat Ali Khan and Haroon Tahir — are shaking up the digital merchandise space for pop art

By Joydeep Sen Gupta Published: Fri 28 Oct 2022, 1:27 PM

In July, amid the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic, Dubai gifted the Arabian Gulf the region's first artist marketplace, aptly called POPC.

The start-up has launched a variety of merchandise, such as T-shirts, hoodies, mugs, canvas and framed prints, conceptualised by young Middle East-based entrepreneurs and artists.

Amna Aijaz, co-founder and head of design, POPC, is the brain behind it.

In August 2020, as the world was grappling with the pandemic, she wanted to launch her own merchandise store after the events and marketing industry took a major hit because of the raging viral outbreak.

Amna quickly figured that there was no online pop culture artist marketplace in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where artists could easily upload and sell their designs at no cost or hassle. Amna's findings stem from her eight-year immersive experience in the creative industry and pop culture. She was born in the Maldives and moved to Dubai at the age of 10, and the Pakistani national has been living in this vibrant and creative city