Raffles handbag by Singapore brand Kwanpen
Raffles handbag by Singapore brand Kwanpen
Raffles handbag by Singapore brand Kwanpen
Raffles handbag by Singapore brand Kwanpen

Bags by Kwanpen and jewels by Seba Jamal: the luxury brands you need to know


Liza Ayach
  • English
  • Arabic

Under the watchful eye of Ain Dubai and the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance, the Luxury Network International chose Dubai's newest island oasis, Bluewaters, for its fourth awards ceremony on February 23. The event was held at Caesars Palace and included 400 representatives from nominated companies, and sponsors and guests from more than 25 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States, as well as performances by Lebanese musicians Walid Toufic, Dina Hayek, Yara and Manal Malla, and Iraq's Hatem Al Iraqi.

Las Vegas hotel Caesars Palace, which opened in Dubai last year, was feted as the Luxury Hotel of the Year, while British car manufacturer Rolls-Royce was named Luxury Car of the Year.

The Luxury Network also made good on its aim to "recognise emerging luxury brands". Here are some names to know:

Luxury Coffee Brand of the Year: Maison Samira Maatouk

Luxury Bag of the Year: Kwanpen

Luxury Jewelry Designer of the Year: Seba Jamal

Luxury Flower Designer of the Year: Bella Flora

Fares Ghattas, global chief executive of the Luxury Network International, said: "We really wanted to make a statement this year, both in location and recognising the achievements of these brands and companies. Nowhere else in the world embodies luxury as the UAE, so it was the perfect fit for this year's gala and awards show."

The network launched in the United Kingdom in 2007 and now has more than 30 offices globally. Ghattas’ vision for expansion become a reality by combining luxury and charity. The annual awards were held in partnership with CAEL, the official charitable partner born through the Balsamat Charity Association.

Amal Shouman Soleiman, president of CAEL, said: "CAEL is a natural recipient and partner for the Luxury Network when you look at the work we are doing and how we are taking the lead in recognising humanitarian efforts in the region. We are disrupting old status quo notions through education and collaborations, much as The Luxury Network is doing."

The gala also acknowledged the Year of Tolerance, with benefits from the gala dinner and awards ceremony going to the Rashid Centre for People with Determination, to help further its mission in the region.

Among the keynote speakers who presented the awards were Fouad Chehab Nabih Dandan, ambassador of Lebanon to the United Arab Emirates; Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Jarwan, president of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace; May Chidiac, Lebanese Minister of State for Administrative Development; and Georgina Rizk, Lebanese Miss Universe 1971, who hailed the UAE's Year of Tolerance and called on the Arab world to form a “Ministry of Tolerance”.

Here are some of the other winners:

Humanitarian Award of the Year: Maha Kaddoura

Business of the Year Award: Get Group Holding

Luxury Logistics Company of the Year: Masterpiece International

Beauty Icon: Georgina Rizk

Luxury Developer of the Year: Sobha Group

Law Firm of the Year: Diana Hamadeh

Luxury Hair Innovator of the Year: Ahmad Sulaiman

Real Estate Company of the Year: Mallorca Properties

Design Innovation: Abdulmajid Karanouh of Drees & Sommer

Best European Property Development: Lustica Bay

Investment Platform of the Year: Envestors

Charity of the Year: Rashid Centre for People of Determination

Investment Company of the Year: Amanat

Who are the Sacklers?

The Sackler family is a transatlantic dynasty that owns Purdue Pharma, which manufactures and markets OxyContin, one of the drugs at the centre of America's opioids crisis. The family is well known for their generous philanthropy towards the world's top cultural institutions, including Guggenheim Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate in Britain, Yale University and the Serpentine Gallery, to name a few. Two branches of the family control Purdue Pharma.

Isaac Sackler and Sophie Greenberg were Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York before the First World War. They had three sons. The first, Arthur, died before OxyContin was invented. The second, Mortimer, who died aged 93 in 2010, was a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. The third, Raymond, died aged 97 in 2017 and was also a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. 

It was Arthur, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical marketeer, who started the family business dynasty. He and his brothers bought a small company called Purdue Frederick; among their first products were laxatives and prescription earwax remover.

Arthur's branch of the family has not been involved in Purdue for many years and his daughter, Elizabeth, has spoken out against it, saying the company's role in America's drugs crisis is "morally abhorrent".

The lawsuits that were brought by the attorneys general of New York and Massachussetts named eight Sacklers. This includes Kathe, Mortimer, Richard, Jonathan and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, who are all the children of either Mortimer or Raymond. Then there's Theresa Sackler, who is Mortimer senior's widow; Beverly, Raymond's widow; and David Sackler, Raymond's grandson.

Members of the Sackler family are rarely seen in public.

SERIE A FIXTURES

Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)

Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),

Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),

Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)

Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm) 

Benevento v Napoli (6pm) 

Parma v Spezia (6pm)

 Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)

Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)

Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)

No more lice

Defining head lice

Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.

Identifying lice

Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.

Treating lice at home

Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.

Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital

Essentials
The flights

Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing. 

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

The biog

Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia

Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins

Favourite dish: Grilled fish

Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

'Brazen'

Director: Monika Mitchell

Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler

Rating: 3/5

yallacompare profile

Date of launch: 2014

Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer

Based: Media City, Dubai 

Sector: Financial services

Size: 120 employees

Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)

2019 Asian Cup final

Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi

INDIA'S%20TOP%20INFLUENCERS
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The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm

Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

A meeting of young minds

The 3,494 entries for the 2019 Sharjah Children Biennial come from:

435 – UAE

2,000 – China

808 – United Kingdom

165 – Argentina

38 – Lebanon

16 – Saudi Arabia

16 – Bangladesh

6 – Ireland

3 – Egypt

3 – France

2 – Sudan

1 – Kuwait

1 – Australia
 

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League last 16, first leg

Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight, Wednesday, BeIN Sports

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT

Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City:
D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')