MaGrudy’s T-shirt Competition

In Spring 2024, Magrudy’s Bookstore announced their T-shirt Design Competition, calling the NYUAD community to “portray NYUAD as an integral part of Abu Dhabi” and promising to make their work a reality. Students answered, and the winners–Batool Al Tameemi (bottom right), Pauline Wee (bottom left), and Iva Radoman (left)–will have their designs printed and sold.

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Each design embodies the competition theme by drawing deeply on elements of UAE culture. One approach that all designers took was to illustrate the iconic architecture and locations across Abu Dhabi, with Iva Radoman (NYUSH 2025) aiming to convey Abu Dhabi’s essence as a “blend of modernity and heritage” by “[merging] futuristic and traditional elements”. She also uniquely sticks to a monochromatic purple palette that emphasizes the skyline and reinforces NYU’s institutional identity.

Pauline Wee (NYUAD 2025, past Design Archive Assistant) centers NYUAD at the heart of the city, both geographically among famous landmarks like the Grand Mosque, and the Old Souq, but also culturally among local symbols of attire, food, and fauna. Her design captures Abu Dhabi’s distinctive shape as an island and hub.

Batool Al Tameemi (NYUAD 2026) also references cultural motifs, “[infusing] elements such as the beloved karak tea… and Arabic texts and sayings that resonate with the local community.” Her design also expresses the vibrancy of campus “by featuring its bustling marketplace, friendly feline inhabitants, and distinctive merchandise items”. She utilizes text to further convey these features.

Both Iva and Pauline maintain simplicity on the flip side of their shirts, with Iva using the institution’s branding and Pauline choosing a more stylized approach. 

Each designer drew from similar sources of inspiration, yet their intricate, detailed designs are original and distinctive, each articulating “NYUAD as an integral part of Abu Dhabi” in their own ways.