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Private Photoshoots, Powered By AI And Built For Arab Women
self.space offers a fully private, tech-led studio experience designed for women in the GCC who value modesty, control, and beautifully natural results.
In a region where modesty and privacy aren’t just preferences but lived and religious principles, traditional photography studios can feel alien, especially for women. The lights, the lens, the presence of strangers — it all creates tension. self.space, a new concept launching in Dubai this September, wants to change that.
The idea is simple but radical: step into a sealed, boutique-like room, alone. There’s no photographer, no audience — just you, a smart mirror, and cinema or studio-grade hardware. What happens next is entirely in your hands.
First piloted at the 2024 Arab Media Summit, the concept struck an immediate chord. Emirati women queued for hours to try it. Some emerged in tears, telling the team it was the first time they had loved a photo of themselves — not because the camera made them look different, but because for once, they felt in control.
“We discovered that people reject their photos mainly because tension never leaves their faces — not because they or the photographers lack talent or beauty,” say co-founders Mitia Muravev (CEO) and Peter Bondarenko (CPO). “That unease is sharper in the Arab world, where privacy and modesty are woven into daily life”.
Mitia steers the brand’s vision and partnerships, while Peter engineers the technology stack — from embedded cameras and soft LED rigs to edge AI and encryption. The result? A user-led shoot experience that’s as secure as it is elegant.
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Inside the studio, images are captured with a tap. An onboard neural model enhances color and smooths skin in real-time — editorial polish, minus the fakery. Each shot is encrypted and uploaded to a private gallery, accessible only via a one-time code sent to the user’s phone.
The space itself is intentionally calming: part spa, part tech capsule. “We don’t sell photos,” the team insists. “We sell a moment of radical self-ownership. The beauty was already there — our tech just lets you relax enough to see it”.
With over 4,000 users and zero data privacy incidents during early activations, self.space is betting big on the region. The flagship studio opens in Al Quoz this September — and the team has their sights set on turning privacy-first photography into the new norm across the GCC.
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AltoVolo Opens Orders For Limited Edition Sigma eVTOLs
Early buyers can now reserve build slots for AltoVolo’s 500-mile hybrid aircraft through a new online configurator.
AltoVolo has started taking pre-orders for its first electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the Sigma, moving the startup closer to commercial rollout. Customers can now secure a build slot with a £860 deposit and customize every detail online — from paintwork to seatbelt stitching. It’s the first configurator of its kind for a civilian eVTOL, mirroring how luxury car brands let clients tailor performance models before production.
The Sigma runs on a hybrid-electric tilting jet system built for long range and low noise. It can travel up to 500 miles at a 220-mph cruise, and is over 80% quieter than a helicopter. The three-seater weighs just 980kg and can maintain stable flight even if one jet fails. Safety systems include triple-redundant controls, thrust-vectoring stability and a ballistic parachute.
“We will be delivering an ultra-refined hybrid electric aircraft,” said founder and CEO Will Wood. “We believe there are thousands of customers for this type of cutting-edge technology”.
The first 100 units will come with exclusive materials and finishes. AltoVolo is also setting up a global service and maintenance network, with early planning for overhaul schedules already underway. The company’s focus on ownership experience echoes its ambition to anchor itself alongside established aviation brands rather than pure tech ventures.
To help new owners train, the company has built a full-scale simulator that replicates the Sigma cockpit in carbon fiber and leather. Pilots can log time toward a license using the system, aligned with the new US MOSAIC rules that ease certification for powered-lift aircraft. Certification work in Europe and the UK continues in parallel, signaling growing international alignment around light sport and eVTOL regulation.
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Noise inside the cabin has become another design focus. Engineers are refining internal vibration levels and developing a responsive soundscape that shifts with each jet’s power load — part feedback, part theatre.
Urban air mobility projects across the Gulf and elsewhere are pushing regulators and manufacturers to meet in the middle. Dubai, Riyadh and Doha have each outlined plans for air taxi corridors this decade. AltoVolo’s hybrid Sigma, sitting between electric promise and aviation realism, looks built for that middle ground.
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