The UAE-based creative studio is bringing its philosophy to life through original brands, unconventional products and collaborations that challenge the traditional agency model.
UAE-based independent creative studio Jockamo Barnes is moving beyond traditional client commissions to develop its own brands, products and experiences. From a fragrance-infused boyfriend sweater inspired by Dubai’s dating culture to a fashion label celebrating expatriate belonging, the studio is turning everyday cultural observations into original creative ventures.
Founded in 2024, Jockamo Barnes spends its working life asking brands to take creative risks. Its growing portfolio of owned projects is where it takes them first, bringing unconventional ideas to life through products, experiences and partnerships that challenge the traditional agency model.
Murali, Co-Founder of Jockamo Barnes, said: “Culture has become one of the most overused words in our industry. Every agency claims to understand it, and every brand wants to be part of it. But we believe you can’t define culture by simply observing it from the outside. You have to participate in it. For us, that means creating things ourselves, putting our names on the line and having real skin in the game. We’re not just asking brands to take creative risks; we’re taking them ourselves.”
Among the studio’s original concepts is The Pre-Worn Boyfriend Sweater, developed with Dubai-based fragrance studio Oo La Lab. Inspired by the idea that the best part of a situationship is sometimes the clothes left behind, the concept reimagines the boyfriend sweater through three Dubai dating archetypes: The Entrepreneur, The Gym Rat and The Desert Philosopher, each with its own distinctive fragrance.
Bitter Meat, co-created with Aidan Fredericks, is a fashion label celebrating those who have chosen to make the UAE their home. Built around the sentiment “for those who chose here”, the brand explores expatriate identity and belonging beyond the familiar narrative of Dubai as a temporary destination.
Meanwhile, the Boomerang turns traditional hospitality on its head. Inspired by a New Orleans tradition, the concept sees Jockamo Barnes carry a drink between bars across different cities and countries, offering hospitality to bartenders and creating unexpected connections within international cocktail communities.
Jockamo Barnes is also rethinking how it collaborates with brands. The Away Kit, developed with Super Cellar around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, features more than 17 posters pairing participating nations with culturally inspired cocktails. Reflecting the UAE’s diverse football communities, the project evolved from a traditional client brief into a creative partnership shaped by both parties.
Together, these projects reflect the studio’s ambition to create ideas that people can experience and participate in, while building partnerships that go beyond conventional agency-client relationships.
While continuing to offer strategic and creative services to external organisations, Jockamo Barnes aims to expand its portfolio of original ventures and collaborations, taking a more active role in shaping culture.
For the studio, the goal is not simply to create work that comments on culture, but to make things that become part of it.
