Simply Abu Dhabi XXXI

‘Lake Como has always been a dream for people from all over the world. Queen Elizabeth and Napoleon Bonaparte used to come here, it was a crossroads of Germans, Englishmen, Frenchmen, Kings and aristocrats on holidays. There are wonderful buildings and incredible places that tell legendary stories about the guests. We were spoilt for choice’, declaired the domenico dolce and Stefano Gabbana. On the runway built across the park, gowns, dresses and suits dominated the collection, but every piece was unique. Everything was exclusively handmade, hand embroidered, handstitched and the printings hand painted. Each dress had its unique story, depicting the landscape of the lake, conjuring up the Napoleonic age and recalling Renzo and Lucia’s love story, providing a breathtaking scenario for this collection. ‘Every dress says something different depending on who wears it. It happens for example that an Indian model while dressing during the fitting instinctively draped the shawl like a traditional shawl. It is about clothes and emotions’, added the designers. On the runway, together with this literally one- off piece event (in fact, once sold the dress cannot be reproduced), presided brand muses like Eva Herzigova (who closed the show in a Napoleonic military-inspired suit), Lady Kitty Spencer (in a dreamy ball gown that recalled the cover of the first published copy of The Betrothed), Naomi Campbell (in an incredible ball gown that mirrored the incredible Italian gardens and parks where the collection was showcased) and Maye Musk in a roaring 20s dress. Just after the show, a gala night dinner at villa Olmo in Como was held. The last day, on 7th July, saw the presentation of the Alta Sartoria collection. Men’s finest suits and clothes graced the runway in the magnificent rooms of villa Carlotta. Fatto a mano was the signature note of 1 4 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I