The fashion designer Nadine Kanso had her trademark Bil Arabi scarves laid on each guest's chair prior to dinner. They either said "I love you in Arabic" or "Talk to me in Arabic", both in Arabic, in gorgeous neon stitching.
Fairy lights twinkled in the bushes of her Jumeirah Beach villa, while lush flowers beckoned on the table for 20. Kanso deftly handled last-minute dinner arrangements while managing to make the slowly gathering crowd of relative strangers feel welcome.
And for one night out of four planned this year, a disparate group of fashion designers, marketing experts, public relations advisers and media, all chauffered to and from the exclusive event in
cars, sat down to dinner. They shared confit prawns in herb oil, beetroot & quinoa salad topped with labneh, chicken breast stuffed with pistachio & ricotta on a bed of lin
guini and a dessert trio in an evening interspersed with lots of laughter, much comparing of notes, exchanging of business cards and lots of spontaneous bonding.
At one point the fashion designer Essa had donned a hat with netting and feathers and in the slight evening chill, Fashion Forward founder and chief executive Bong Guerrero wrapped his Bil Arabi scarf around his head. Then suddenly Hello! Middle East magazine editor Sonja Stephen was saying goodnight and it was time to go home, each guest tucking their parting gift, a funky Ethical Muse organic jute bag (co-founder Christina Decker was also a guest), under their arm.
Networking is no fun. Dining with strangers? Much, much better than it sounds. The next Club Uno dinner is March 5 in an undisclosed location.
Fingers crossed you'll get an invite.
