Supersonic speed is rewarded at the F1 racing circuit but the rest of the Yas Island operates on a much leisurely pace.
The stars who visited the Flash VIP Lounge at Yas Marina hosted by Cipriani will vouch for it. Taking their own time to check out what’s on the offer block, they were on an acquisition and pampering over-drive.
Katherine Raso, director of Tactical Connection who runs the gift lounge, spills the beans on the stars who visited the gift lounge and what they loved...
Dannii Minogue: “She shopped at Grafika boutique that stocks designs from regional designers. Her eyes gravitated towards the gold jacket from Polka Dot Cat and a clutch by Nitiz. She was also a constant at Azur spa. Every morning, she indulged in a bit of pampering and enjoyed a manicure/pedicure and some teeth whitening. A hat from New Era for herself and her son was cherry picked. She also loved Miriam Quevedo’s haircare line and spent some time chatting to the founder about her sulphate-free products. She has also become a fan of Linari fragrance and asked for samples to be put in her purse for her evening out. The Etihad ambassador also loved the idea of the airline partnering with Sougha, a social enterprise initiative created and backed by the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development [KFED] to promote local artisans.”
Leona Lewis: She chose a beautiful gown by Seen and a scarf from Bil Arabi.
Eve: “She had a great time at the lounge and loved her Bil Arabi knuckle ring. She also picked a shirt from Sacoor Brothers, a scarf from Monsieur Fox and a beach bag from Sougha Collections. A fan of New Era hats, she chose a new one and was impressed with the T-shirt designed by two Emirati women for their label The T-Junction. She loved the idea of her name splashed across the T-shirt in Arabic. She signed an extra one for them to keep.”
Nickelback: “Those guys were fantastic. Armed with a great sense of humour, they were friendly and gracious. They loved their Bil Arabi bracelets designed by Nadine Kanso with their initials in Arabic on it. They also chose a pair of gold foxes cufflinks from Monsieur Fox and left with new wristwatches from the newly launched CT Scuderia collection. They also took home souvenirs for their wives. Trinkets from Grafika boutique, clutches from Rida Zafar and jewellery from Amal Haliq made their way into their goodie bags. Their verdict: They struck off shopping in Abu Dhabi from their list.”
Wyclef Jean: “He came with his daughter and wife for a few hours. His daughter and wife enjoyed a mani-pedi at Azur Spa while we showed Wyclef Jean around. His favourites were the new fragrance by Linari. He sprayed a bit on himself and went over to his wife for approval. She gave the thumbs-up, so he sprayed more before taking a bottle to go. He also spent time in Sacoor Brothers choosing some shirts that would go with his new fall wardrobe and some new cufflinks from Monsieur Fox. He rounded his evening at the bar chatting with Travey McCoy.”
Travey McCoy: “He may cut a tall figure, but was a picture of sweetness. He made it a point to hug all the ladies. An avid watch collector, he loved his new watch from CT Scuderia. He was also impressed by Nadine Kanso’s Bil Arabi necklace that had his initials in Arabic woven into them.”
Jessica Ennis: “The gold medallist worked her way around the room with some friends and shopped at Grafika, choosing a dress by Saraya. She spent time with Miriam Quevedo learning about the haircare line and also at Sacoor Brothers picking out some new items from the fall collection.”
