Sharon Stone, Helen Mirren and Mariah Carey were among the famous faces in the crowd in Sicily, as stars turned out in force to watch the Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda show.
Also at the event were actresses Lupita Nyong'o and Drew Barrymore, as well as singer Ciara and Kardashian matriarch, Kris Jenner.
The label's version of haute couture — called Alta Moda for women’s wear and Alta Sartoria for men’s — is being held in Sicily this season, where Domenico Dolce grew up.
Known for their grand and lavish scale that slowly unfurl over the course of three days, Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Moda events showcase remarkable, one-of-a-kind high jewellery creations, as well as men’s and women’s unique couture.
For the first showcase on Saturday, Mariah Carey sported a form-fitting dress with a train decorated with Sicilian tile patterns, and had a tiara in her hair. The singer, 52, famous for her five-octave range, also carried a fan.
Actress Stone, meanwhile, wore a gold lace corset top tucked into blue trousers, that came with an overskirt decorated in hand-painted flowers. Invited to watch the piece being made, Stone shared footage of the flowers being drawn on social media, saying: "This hand-made artistry is what it means to wear a couture Dolce & Gabbana gown. Yes, it is this beautiful."
Not to be outdone, Helen Mirren, 76, wore a multicoloured, striped floor-length gown with puffed sleeves, square neck and a train. With the dress in a shimmering metallic cloth, Mirren kept her make-up minimal and wore her hair slicked back.
Singer Ciara looked every inch the superstar, dressed in a gold fishtail dress adorned with hearts, while her children and husband, Russell Wilson, wore gold and cream to complement.
Drew Barrymore arrived in an organza dress that shifted through tones of red and pink, and had sleeves covered in flowers. The actress also had a garland of flowers in her hair, and appeared sans make-up.
Fellow actress Lupita Nyong'o wore a corseted dress decorated with tiles, while Kris Jenner, who attended with her partner Corey Gamble, wore a white dress underneath a floor-length cutwork lace, abaya style jacket, with frills of ivory organza at the cuffs and hem.
Posting several photographs with Gamble, Jenner wrote: "Thank you for the most incredible evening !! What a beautiful memory in Sicily just spectacular!"
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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