DIVAFeature

Who Made
2012 in Dubai
With 2013 just about here, most of us will be making resolutions and planning goals for the upcoming year. However for some women, 2012 in Dubai was the year they made their mark. Saadiya Ahmad meets these amazing women from all walks of life, with one thing in commontheir unforgettable impact on Dubai this year.

THE WOMEN

Lan Stanley

is an artist who graduated from the Fine Arts University in Hanoi, Vietnam, and became a citizen of the world. She has exhibited her work in the USA, Vietnam, Hong Kong, the UK and Dubai. How did you become interested in art? When I was about 15, my mother made me take my younger brother to study art each week with a private teacher. I would wait outside the teachers home while my brother and some other kids practiced drawing and painting inside. I decided to try doing it too, on my own. One day, the teacher happened to see one of my sketches, and he told my mother and me that I had talent. Thats when I decided I wanted to be an artist and to study one day at Art College. What are words of wisdom you can share with our readers aspiring to be artists? There is more than just a basic life out there. There is Art. If you don't know about art, see it, like it, love it. Then, when you love it, you are indirectly an artist -- because you have shared moments with the artist through their work. Art and Artists show and share with you more than their feelings. They also show you the world as they see it. And you become the lucky one to understand it. What role does your family play in your life? Artists paint their life, and what you see is their life through art work. I paint my son, my cat, and the people I have met during the journey of my life. They always inspire me.
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Who Made
2012 in Dubai

THE WOMEN

Lydia Espin

is the Founder of Essa Beauty in Dubai which specialises in facials, waxing and nails for women and pride themselves on very high standards, expertise and excellent customer care. What gives your brand an edge over others? Essa Beauty provides a one-to-one personal service for our clients, where each treatment is tailored to the needs of the individual. We know all our clients names and they know ours, trusting that our expertise will help them achieve their desired objective. This could be to improve problematic skin through to advice on how to strengthen weak nails all in a warm, welcoming and friendly atmosphere. After a long hard day, what keeps you going? I am very lucky to have close friends. So spending time with them and simple things like eating a nice dinner and watching a movie is great. After a long day in the salon its nice to put your feet up and relax. What role does your family play in your line of work? Family and friends are my support, always there to listen to me, offer advice and encourage me. However, with my family living in the UK its been very difficult to open a business without them here to actually see whats happening. I am very thankful to have amazing support from good friends who have believed in me and continue to keep me strong.

Marianna Rescia

is the owner of the newly launched caf Nis Italian Kitchen which is already receiving high praise. An Italian national, she left the world of hotels and started her own venture complete with an Italian business partner and a real Italian chef. What is Nis Italian Kitchen really all about? Nis in essence is about serving the food that we, the team at Nis, have grown up with and sharing the emotional impact of flavors from our hometown. In so many restaurants you dont get that and their identity gets lost in mass consumption. We wanted a place where people could eat every day, combing the homey, with cuisine defined by our Northern Italian roots, along with sleek food presentation and a friendly and informal vibe. We strive to achieve distinction in every aspect of the restaurants operations and not just food and service, but also atmosphere, design, guests and employee satisfaction, financial success, and very importantly making a positive social impact in our neighborhood and community. Was this something you always wanted to do? Gianluca (my business partner) and I had talked about opening a restaurant in Dubai for many years. We come from households where all the meals were prepared by our mothers (deliciously) and for many years we dreamt of bringing some of those flavours to Dubai. Finally we were both in a place in our lives that we were ready to turn our ambitions into reality. People have romantic ideas about such a career move. Food is probably only 20 percent of the success of a restaurant. A restaurant is first of all a business and food is only a product for sale. For a restaurant to be successful one must know how to run a business first and that involves a great deal of preparation, research and commitment. Who motivates you? My family are my greatest motivators and role models. I look up to my mother for her absolute, unconditional love towards her family and my sister for nurturing incredibly solid values and for being a role model of balance and integrity to her daughters and me. Also my father for his relentless energy, fairness and generosity. Everyone in my family has always encouraged me to pursue my dreams and are always there to support me for which Im eternally thankful.

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Enisa Glavovic

is the Co-Founder and General Manager of Noviplus which is Dubais online one-stop destination for all things health and fitness. The user-friendly platform features a value directory, allowing Dubai residents to enjoy exclusive savings with participating partners and also features fitness tips, specialist nutrition advice, an industry events calendar, unbiased product and service reviews, industry jobs and more, all encouraging residents to lead a healthier lifestyle. Tell us about your company. Noviplus has established itself not only as a health and fitness directory but also as a health and fitness value directory. This means that we align ourselves and associate with quality industry partners that we have complete trust in, to ensure that our members are left in good hands. Our concept is not about listing every single health and fitness company in the region, it is about selecting quality providers to partner with, based on set criteria. These are companies that we know and trust are conducting the best practice within their organisations. Since launching in July 2012, we are the only concept of its kind in the region. What attracted you to the health and fitness world? Since moving to Dubai four years ago, I worked very long hours in the security and construction industries in a marketing/events capacity. However, my health started being compromised and I was faced with various health challenges, which made me realise that it was time for positive change and to start doing something in my life that I am passionate about - health and fitness. I still get to work in a marketing/events function but finally for an industry that I live and breathe in my daily life, it just makes perfect sense to me. My personal experience drove me towards the dream to create a platform that would aim to raise awareness about healthy living and to make residents conscious of the fact that health should never, ever be compromised and therefore, the concept of Noviplus was born. Who is your greatest motivator? Today, the biggest motivator in my life is my beautiful mother. She is such a strong, supportive and loving woman who has been through so much, yet has always continued to reach her goals and live her dreams. She is a true idol and inspiration to me and although she is back in my hometown in Australia, we still manage to speak every single day without fail. She is my rock and I am forever grateful to her for shaping me into who I am today.

Who Made
2012 in Dubai

THE WOMEN

Amal Al-Agroobi

is a freelance filmmaker and Founder of iloveuae.ae which is a social e-business that supports, promotes and advertises Emirati talents, businesses, products and events. They have a large database of Emiratis and specialize in developing them through various services and by giving them varied and attractive opportunities. What is your brand really all about? We are currently the only business that specializes in Emiratis! We have positioned our rapidly growing and extremely powerful, brand as iloveuae: the virtual ambassador, a beacon for Emiratization and opportunities for Emiratis to develop in the nation. When any company is looking for Emirati talents, we can provide them with that due to our unique and extensive database of talents. We allow our Emirati businesses to network with and amongst other local businesses and find them opportunities internationally so that they may compete in an international market. Our platform is also lent to smaller businesses and individuals who want to showcase or sell their products or those who are interested in creating websites. What have been your biggest achievements so far? Our big achievements so far have been finding individual Emiratis some very unique jobs; we push them to improve their talents and abilities from a high school student all the way to a senior executive. We hosted an all-Emirati art exhibition that drew 150 guests over two days; some of the artists had never exhibited before and some were commissioned! That was a success for us. For us, a success is when we get an Emirati more exposure that leads them to bigger and better things because were such a small percentage of the population that our talents are often overlooked or shunned. Was this something you always wanted to do or did it just happen? This just happened. I was sitting in my office one day really bored, just thinking, I wish I had an Emirati I could aspire to, someone who has done something great before me, someone real and realistically just like me. Through social media I began to meet these people and eventually, the database grew and grew. I started it as a goodwill project and eventually realised the potential of my database and the extent my talents were able to stretch. My small introductions eventually turned into large networking events and I realised people were benefiting and I could give them that while also having fun and making a little bit of money. So a business was born!
https://www.facebook.com/thebrainthatsings www.iloveuae.ae

Sian Rowlands,

Co-Founder of My Ex Wardrobe launched the brand with her two sisters, Teagan Rowlands and Bekky Britton to provide physical and online avenues for people to sell their second-hand clothes, shoes and accessories. Tell us about the concept behind your brand As a new concept in Dubai we provide a series of unique social evenings with a focus on affordable fashion and pampering. Popup-shops are popular in Europe as is the concept of buying secondhand, so we have combined the two and brought them to Dubai's shores, creating a monthly social evening with a twist. We provide an avenue for people to clear out their wardrobes without the guilt of throwing away barely worn clothes; instead we give them a second chance at happiness. My Ex Wardrobe provides a fashionable and socially-conscious way to give your clothes a second chance at happiness, whilst encouraging the reduction of your individual carbon footprint. Our ethos is to: reduce / reuse / recycle / re-own. How did it all begin? It all started when my sisters and I were having lunch one day. We

were talking about what I could do with a box of clothes that I had cleared out of my wardrobe. A lot of the items still had tags on and it seemed such a waste. I knew I wasn't the only person who has bought something then only wore it once. So we came up with the idea of having nearly-new clothes sales. The first one was just open to our friends and it quickly spread by word of mouth, and so it became our business. It is definitely something that has grown organically over the last 18 months and we are all really proud of the progress we've made. What has been the best compliment you have ever received? We have been really lucky to receive lots of compliments from both the ladies who have sold through our events as well as the guests who come to the events to buy. But I think the best compliments have been the awards that we have won for My Ex Wardrobe. Within 6 months of starting we were awarded the Emirates Woman ADCB Ambition Award and 2 weeks later we were awarded the SME Advisor Stars of Business Incredibly Innovative Approach Award. Both business awards were testament that our idea had the wings to be a successful business in Dubai. We hope there will be more similar compliments in our future.
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Who Made
2012 in Dubai

THE WOMEN

Nicole Junghaenel and Claudia Odermatt,

Co-Founders of Detox Delight Middle East started the first liquid detox delivery company in the UAE in March 2012. Detox refers to inner purification and is the key to well-being, beauty and good health. Detox Delight can be ordered and conveniently delivered to your doorstep. What makes your product special? All our products are handmade by both of us with the finest organic and local ingredients. We do everything by ourselves from taking the order to preparing the juices to delivering them at the customers doorstep. Every product is prepared with extreme care and passion to offer the clients the perfect detox experience. Detox Delight is also the first liquid detox company in the UAE and we are working hard to educate the residents in the Middle East on how to get healthy and also keep it that way. Have you always been so health conscious? We are always aware of what we eat and the quality of food we consume. We also believe that the body, mind and soul have to be in balance with each other. So when Detox Delight crossed our way we saw a fantastic opportunity to help a lot of people live a happier and healthier life. How supportive are your partners? Without our partners support we wouldnt be where we are right now. They always know how to keep us up.

Rasha Al Danhani

Chairman and partner of the Pappa Roti chain of cafes Rasha Al Danhani is the brainchild behind this international chain of coffee shops renowned for its signature buns and extensive range of beverages. What makes Pappa Roti buns so unique? The PappaRoti bun itself is unlike anything else it contains a bit of everything in one bun. Whether you are looking for something sweet or savoury, the coffee/caramel flavour makes it so versatile and appetising at any time of the day. Why did you foray into the food industry? I realised that food and beverage was a sector that held so much potential and had yet to be fully explored bringing a niche product, such as the PappaRoti bun, has laid the foundation for many more opportunities. This new and exciting experience has been nothing but rewarding, and I am happy that I ventured in from the first place. After a particularly challenging day, what is the one thing that picks you up and keeps you going? The one thing that keeps me going is the success: the happy faces, the satisfied customers and the accommodating staff. Together we have made PappaRoti a cultural phenomenon here in the UAE.
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Who Made
2012 in Dubai

THE WOMEN

Dima Ayad

is the creative director of her brand Dima Ayad, which is a collection of predominantly pret-a-porter eveningwear that includes cocktail dresses, ball gowns, and separates What do you feel gives your label an edge over others? AThe clothes accentuate curves and are based on catering for sizes XS to XL. We work on designing XLs and work our way down to XS. After a long hard day, what is the one thing that picks you up and keeps you going? Music, a cup of coffee, and speaking to anyone whos on my speed dial. What has been the best compliment you have ever received with regards to your work? A lady walked up to me at a dinner and said, I met my current husband wearing your dress. That says it all.

Golly Seyfi

Co-Founder of Pink Fudge - an online destination that provides their customers with high-end hard to get pieces that do not require a waiting list. What makes your brand different from the rest? Well firstly competition is always out there no matter what field anyone is in nowadays, but for us what may set us apart from others is that we have a strict rule of stocking up only brand new items. We do not do consignment or pre-owned items, with the exception of our Vintage accessories and we try to maintain a great customer service towards all our clients to keep them satisfied and coming back for more. Why this line of work? It is fashion related and what girl doesnt like bags and shoes? I think it just seems natural to want to get into anything that has to do with fashion. Plus my family has a background in the fashion business from back in the day. Do you have any advice to share with our readers? Work hard (laughing)! Work hard, believe in what you do, have a lot of faith and the rest will work itself out.

Natalie Kisacanin

Mother and daughter co- founders and designers Lisa and Natalie Kisacanin of Little Mistress Jewellery design high quality, affordable handcrafted jewellery that had not yet been seen in the Middle East. Whats unique about your jewellery? Little Mistress Jewellery is up to date with the latest trends - our designs are unique and we do not mass produce. Every piece has been handmade by either Lisa or Natalie. We believe that owning a one-off piece of jewellery is exclusive and prestigious, and you dont have to break the bank. We use high quality material such as marble stone, bleached coral, Swarovski crystal and many others. Dubai is a small place and so often you see the same things on people. Limiting the number of items we make in one style means that you have something nobody else does. And most importantly every piece has been made with love. Why did you choose jewellery? We have always loved jewellery and fashion. As a hobby throughout the years we have been making jewellery for ourselves and for friends. We have been asked by many people to start up a jewellery line so we began making jewellery and the response we received in such a short period of time has been overwhelming. When we got an order for the Doha Tribeca film festival we were delighted. It also gave us the confidence to believe we have a product people love. Now we have orders from all over the world. It is incredible. After a long hard day, what is the one thing that picks you up and keeps you going? Coming home to the loves of our lives, our two beautiful little poodles Fifi and Kiki. No matter how tired we are or bad our day has been they make us smile. We also love making a pot of tea in our jewel encrusted teapot and cups, the simple things in life make us happiest.
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