How did Miguel prepare for his storming set at Beats on The Beach on Friday? With a game of table-tennis, of course.
The 29-year-old R&B singer limbered up for his Corniche performance with a few rallies on the Spin Dubai ping-pong table at the Flash VIP Lounge.
The exclusive venue, created by publicity company Lumin in collaboration with Flash, this year moved from its previous location at Ferrari World to more intimate digs just behind the main du Arena stage.
The lounge’s proximity to the after-race concert venue made it a welcome retreat for Dutch trance DJ Armin Van Buuren, who chilled on the plush white couches hours before his set in front more than 20,000 people.
The lounge however was not merely a reflective space for the performers.
It was split into three sections, the first of which was the gifting room in which about 10 local, regional and international brands were on display, with free merchandise handed out to the performing artists and selected guests.
The brands included Abu Dhabi boutique Mosaic, whose gifts included Arabesque-style pillows.
New designs by Dubai jewellery label Balu Joais were showcased, including a glazed horseshoe with crystal squares created exclusively for the event.
On the international front, audiophiles couldn’t resist picking up a pair of Pioneer’s new SE-MX7 headphones, which were created with the clubber in mind. Designer-fashion label Lacoste also had its new leather-framed sunglasses available in the lounge, ahead of their release in stores.
With the outdoor area dedicated to a bar serving a range of beverages courtesy of the club Blue Marlin, the remaining indoor space was taken over by Bedashing. The acclaimed beauty lounge offered VIPs a range of lush mani or predi treatments, in addition to a chance to have their nails expertly painted in the colours of the UAE flag.
The National Day theme was also reflected in the gifts Bedashing reserved for each A-lister. Men received an Emirati flag and white kandura while a flag and black abayas were handed out to the women.
“Don’t forget, these guests can generally get anything they want,” said Lumin general manager Katherine Raso.
“We want to give them something thoughtful because that is really what the art of gifting is all about. So we brought together a number of creative and leading brands to provide gifts that are exclusive or, at the same time, introduce these guests to something new which they will hopefully go on to love.”
sasaeed@thenational.ae
