Jewel in the Crown
From film celebrities to fashion It girls and Emirati VIPS, the stars were out in full force at the opening of the new Bulgari Resort Dubai. Hashirin Nurin Hashimi joins the party
vlgari brought a piece of Rome to Dubai when it unveiled its fifth and latest property, the Bulgari Resort Dubai last December. Brand ambassadors and VIPS including model Bella Hadid, Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander, and model and actor Jon Kortajarena were in attendance, and joined by regional celebrities as well as Emirati dignitaries. As if a nod to the iconic Dubai Frame, one of the city’s newest landmarks, as well as the entrance doors of Bulgari’s flagship Via dei Condotti boutique in Rome, the starstudded arrivals were ushered in through twin arches bathed in gold as they walked down the red carpet to the flashes of camera lights. They made their way to the resort’s beach club for cocktails and a warm welcome by Bulgari CEO Jean-christophe Babin. Guests were invited to discover the resort at four different locations where an array of dance, music and light spectaculars awaited, along with a delectable Italian dinner by three Michelin-starred chef Niko Romito, the curator of Bulgari’s Il Ristorante. Italian jazz crooner Matteo Brancaleoni later brought many to the dance floor, and his spectacular repertoire of international and Italian classics was matched by a stunning scenographic light show as the backdrop. As the night was still young, everyone adjourned to the Bulgari Yacht Club for a chocolate party, and more dancing under the stars to the dance tunes spun by Italian DJ Mokai, marking the arrival of this Bulgari jewel to the heart of the Middle East, which Babin hopes will be “one of the city’s most iconic destinations”.