Read full Chronicle Live Article here

ABOVE in Newcastle was taken over by Sephora on Thursday night for a party with a few well known faces on the guest list.

It is most definitely the biggest retail opening in the region this year and as Sephora mania hit Tyneside, the world famous brand took over a luxurious bar in Newcastle on Thursday night for a VIP launch party.

As soon as word hit that Sephora was opening not one, but two stores on Tyneside in 2024, people went wild, with the buzz around the brand's arrival in Eldon Square and the Metro Centre, highlighted by the fact that crowd control barriers were in place in both shopping centre by mid afternoon Thursday, with them stretching way back from where both stores are actually situated in the malls.

By 6am Friday, there were already big queues in both Newcastle and Gateshead and, when doors opened at 9am, both stores were quickly packed to the rafters with eager shoppers, desperate to get a first look around and be some of the first to make a purchase.

Prior to all the excitement on Friday, Sephora also made their mark on Newcastle's most glamorous bar, with a exclusive party at Above.

The event was attended by Newcastle United Ladies players Demi Stokes, Elysia Boddy, Shania Hayles, Lia Cataldo, Rachel Furness, Emma Kelly and Grace Donnelly, MP Chi Onwurah and Drag Race UK and vs The World star Choriza May, who was also on the mic outside the Newcastle store on Friday to hype everyone up before the grand opening.

The soundtrack for the evening was provided by DJ Ellie Scougall, Northern Proud Voices Choir and HUNNI, the North East singing duo who won The Voice UK at the end of last year.