It was the hottest ticket in town and The National had a front-row seat. Designer Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were in the UAE on Monday to meet the press, private clients and officially cut the ribbon on their flagship boutique in Dubai's Mall of the Emirates.
The duo started their day of festivities with an exclusive lunch for select media at Cipriani in the Dubai International Financial Centre. On the menu were starters of braised artichoke hearts alla Romana and king crab salad, followed by roasted veal shank and Chilean sea bass. For dessert, homemade tiramisu and biscotti put a smile on everyone's face.
• Flick through our slide show above to see images of Dolce & Gabbana's day
As the sun set — and with a packed schedule ahead — the designers conducted a meet-and-greet with fans at their new MoE boutique. Every square inch of the 1,103-square-metre space was occupied with members of the public clamouring for that all-important selfie.
Also in attendance was D&G's close friend, Vogue Japan's editor-at-large, Anna Dello Russo. Resplendent in a Dolce and Gabbana crown and hand-sequinned couture cocktail dress, the inimitable fashion guru posed for photos with attendees.
After a quick pit-stop to change for the evening's entertainment, Dolce and Gabbana made their way to The One and Only Royal Mirage for a private dinner with high-net-worth clients and guests, among whom was Vogue Arabia's new editor-in-chief Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz.
The amphitheatre of the hotel's palace had been given an Italian carnevale makeover and hundreds of well-heeled ladies and gents partook of the pair's hospitality until they made a grand entrance around 11pm.
Classic Italian hits from the Rat Pack rang out long after midnight, as Gabbana and Dello Russo entertained the crowds with enthusiastic dancing on a stage designed to look like a pizza restaurant called Trattori-Anna.
Known for their generosity as hosts, flamboyant parties and loyalty to fans, Dolce and Gabbana didn’t disappoint on any count during their flying visit to the region.
• Read more about the behind-the-scenes action from D&G's party here
rduane@thenational.ae
