Dubai Magazine 9

Dubai seen through Italian excellence - BIANNUAL - AED 30

COVER STORY GIORGIO ARMANI FASHION HAUTE COUTURE A/W 25-26 NEW AGE | ICONIC SCARVES INTERVIEWS H.E. ABDULLA BIN TOUQ AL MARRI | AURO MONTANARI ITINERARIES THE NORTHERN COAST | DUBAI FROM ABOVE DESIGN MUST-HAVE MADE IN ITALY FURNITURE HOSPITALITY DIFC’S RESTAURANTS | DREAM HOTEL BREAKFASTS

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contents

N.9

winter 2025-2026

EDITORIAL 15

86

RELATIONSHIPS

PIQUADRO Double your performance

COVER STORY 34

GIORGIO ARMANI

MUST

A tribute to Giorgio Armani PEOPLE 16

FIAMMETTA GATTO See you on the plane!

18

ROBERTA DE SANTIS

90

AS YOU WISH

91

COLORFUL WINTER

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SOMETHING NEW

93

MEN IN BLACK

The Italian spirit in Dubai ITINERARIES

FASHION 21

IT OBJECT

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SHOOTING

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DUBAI’S NORTHERN COAST Beyond the dunes

New Age 78

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SCARVES An enduring icon

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EXPERIENCES Dubai, a spectacle from the sky

94 70

THE QUINTESSENTIAL KITCHEN

OFFICINEGULLO.COM

contents

N.9

winter 2025-2026

ART, DESIGN & CULTURE 42

H.E. ABDULLA BIN TOUQ AL MARRI

FOOD & HOSPITALITY 124

Dream breakfasts

Visions in connection

48

134

AURO MONTANARI

MAMABELLA A taste of home

Time as a form of beauty

136 94

HOTEL

INTERIORS SPECIAL

DIFC’S RESTAURANTS The art of dining

Class Design

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144

SHOT ON SITE

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ITALIAN RESTAURANT MAP

DUBAI DESIGN WEEK Incubator of ideas

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136

@GRUPPO_EDITORIALE

DUBAI DUBAI SEEN THROUGH ITALIAN EXCELLENCE

biannual

PUBLISHER

Alex Vittorio Lana, Matteo Parigi Bini

CAP R I C ORT I NA DUBAI FI R EN Z E FORT E D E I MAR M I M I LANO R OMA S ICI LIA VEN EZ IA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Matteo Parigi Bini FASHION DIRECTOR

Marta Innocenti Ciulli MANAGING EDITORS

Teresa Favi, Francesca Lombardi EDITORS

Virginia Mammoli, Martina Olivieri CONTRIBUTORS

Cecilia Berardi PHOTO COVER

courtesy Giorgio Armani PHOTOGRAPHERS

Mattia Aquila, Silvia Bavetta, Lorenzo Cotrozzi, Andrea Dughetti, Dario Garofalo Marco Morelli, Ottavia Poli, Massimo Sestini, Valentina Stefanelli ART EDITORS

Melania Branca, Clelia Giardina TRANSLATIONS

Centotraduzioni, Tessa Conticelli, Landoor ADVERTISING AND MARKETING DIRECTOR

Alex Vittorio Lana

COUNTRY MANAGER & ADVERTISING

Sendy Zeffer

ADVERTISING

Holding Communication (Gianluca Bonotti, Giorgio Cantagalli) Emanuela Mattioli, Alessandra Nardelli, Anna Repellini MEDIA AND DISTRIBUTION PARTNER

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Al Dana Printing Press LLC Sharjah - United Arab Emirates copyright © Gruppo Editoriale srl No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any mean, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrivial system, without permission in writing from the publisher

MINOTTI.COM

BÉZIER DESIGN MARCIO KOGAN / STUDIO MK27

D U B A I

BY AL TAYER INSIGNIA JUMEIRAH 3 - DUBAI T. +971 4 22 15 721 MINOTTIDUBAI@ALTAYER.COM

HANDMADE CREATIONS sales@saviofirmino.com +39 055 0486218 Firenze Italia saviofirmino.com

DUBAI EDITORIAL

RELATIONSHIPS Relationships are invisible bridges, threads that connect places, people, and visions. In this issue, we celebrate the value of true connection — one that stems from mutual respect and the desire to share beauty and innovation between Italy and the United Arab Emirates.

We begin with Giorgio Armani, the ultimate symbol of Made in Italy, among the first Italian designers to choose Dubai to express his idea of timeless elegance. With him, we remember a way of interpreting fashion as a universal language of balance and harmony, and a bond with the city that reflected his philosophy: looking ahead with poise and courage.

The same spirit inspires H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates, whom we met in Milan during Investopia Europe. His words outline the map of a growing collaboration, building tangible relations between enterprises, institutions, and talents — all guided by innovation and sustainability. We speak of relationships also through design, with twenty selected pieces that embody the excellence and intelligence of Italian style. Creations able to converse with space as only the Old Money aesthetic can: discreet, refined, eternal.

And then there is time — the one Auro Montanari turns into art. His Time on Show was born from friendship, from a shared passion that brings together collectors and visionaries under the banner of pure elegance.

That same elegance lives on in the silk foulards of Italy’s most iconic maisons, symbols of grace and savoir-faire, and in the hospitality of the finest restaurants in DIFC, where taste and design meet to tell the story of an ever more cosmopolitan city.

And since every relationship is also a gaze, in this issue we turn our eyes to the sky to rediscover Dubai from above — between hot-air balloons and panoramic flights — letting ourselves be enchanted by a city that never ceases to amaze, just like a friendship that deepens over time.

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DUBAI PEOPLE

SEE YOU ON THE PLANE!

FROM MILAN TO THE REST OF THE WORLD WITH TRAVEL CREATOR FIAMMETTA GATTO

@FIAMMETTAFIORE_

I LOVE CULTURES THAT ARE DIFFERENT AND DISTANT FROM OUR OWN, AS THEY ALLOW ME TO LEARN SO MUCH AND BROADEN MY PERSPECTIVE

How did you manage to turn your passion for travel into a career?

Consistency, perseverance, and a desire to improve were essential. At first, it was just a hobby, but as my community grew and brands started showing interest, I realized it could become a real career. For a year and a half, I balanced both my corporate job and my role as a content creator, but eventually, I had to make a choice.

What are the key ingredients to becoming a successful travel creator?

Curiosity, initiative, and the drive to improve every day are fundamental. I love exploring new places and cultures, and I believe this curiosity shines through in my content.

How do you choose the destinations you visit, and what do you look for in a new journey?

Several factors come into play when choosing a new destination. I always put myself in my community’s shoes and try to understand what might interest them the most at that moment – or what they may not know yet but would enjoy discovering. I particularly love cultures that are different and distant from our own, as they allow me to learn so much and broaden my perspective.

Has there been a travel experience that changed you the most?

Japan. I love this country – it’s my favorite in the world – and after four visits, it feels almost like home. Yet, every time I go, I discover something new and wonderful. Their culture fascinates me deeply, and getting to know it better has helped me grow.

Have you ever been to the Emirates?

Yes, of course – both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

What was the most incredible experience you had in Dubai that you would recommend to first-time visitors?

Without a doubt, scuba diving with Deep Dive! They offer packages for both certified divers and first-timers. The instructors are extremely thorough, explaining everything in detail before the dive, so even as a beginner, I felt completely safe. It was an exhilarating experience that I will remember forever.

What did you enjoy about Abu Dhabi?

I was very impressed by the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the largest in the United Arab Emirates, dedicated to its founder. I also visited the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a museum with unmistakable architecture. It’s the first universal museum in the Arab world! I highly recommend visiting – it’s also captivating to see the play of light inside the building.

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cantori.it

DUBAI PEOPLE

THE ITALIAN SPIRIT IN DUBAI

ROBERTA DE SANTIS LEADS THE ITALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, COMBINING BUSINESS AND LIFESTYLE text Teresa Favi

@IICUAE

A BEAUTIFUL, ELEGANT AND MAJESTIC CITY, PERFECT FOR FAMILY LIFE AND FOR THOSE SEEKING STABILITY, BALANCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE

One year after your appointment as Director General of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the United Arab Emirates, what is the most significant achievement you have accomplished?

We have strengthened the image and role of the Chamber as a point of reference for Italian businesses, developing new institutional and strategic partnerships without staff turnover. We also expanded our focus to new areas such as industry, green business, and the Oil & Gas sector.

Which sectors of Made in Italy are experiencing growth in the UAE? The agri-food industry remains the cornerstone. Design and furnishings are expanding thanks to growing interest in Italian interior design across residential, hospitality, and industrial sectors, with a focus on sustainability. This diversification brings Made in Italy in the UAE to a contemporary, innovative dimension.

What are the future opportunities for bringing Italy and the UAE closer?

Strengthening the Chamber’s presence in Abu Dhabi to make it an even stronger point of reference for relations with Italy, creating concrete opportunities for meetings. We will focus more on young entrepreneurs, start-ups and female leadership, while investing in projects that unite education, tourism and culture.

Your Dubai in a roundup?

For shopping, Dubai Mall, the European-style City Walk and the new Dubai Hills Mall. For Italian cuisine, Il Borro Tuscan Bistrot, Roberto’s, La Bussola and Antica Pizzeria da Michele. To relax, the Jumeirah beach clubs or a stroll at La Mer. Dubai Creek Harbour shows the city’s vibrancy, while Dubai Sustainable City, Al Barari, The Farm and the green areas of Mushrif Park and Al Qudra reveal its sustainable side. I also deeply love Abu Dhabi.

The best guide to Dubai?

My Dubai by Hala Gorani, which describes the city through the people who live there and its cultural influences. For a practical approach, the Lonely Planet guides.

What place embodies the bridge between Italy and the Emirates?

The Opera District with the Dubai Opera Theatre and Palm Jumeirah, where the Italian presence is very strong.

What is the most relevant trend in Dubai?

The most iconic one: the weekend brunch. Outdoor activities along Dubai Marina Walk, or desert tours. Mindfulness activities in green spaces, such as Zabeel Park. All experiences that combine sports, networking moments and personal growth paths.

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VERSACE-CERAMICS.COM

IMAGINE YOUR SPACE

RAK Ceramics Design Hub RAKCERAMICS.COM

Building 3, Unit R07 – Dubai Design District designhub.dubai@rakceramics.com

IT OBJECT

SIMPLE Apparently this will be the next obsession: farewell to large, extravagant bags, hello to simple pouches carried in one hand. Casual, carefree elegance by Prada, seen on the runway and destined to take over the streets and our hearts. prada.com

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IT OBJECT

VOYAGE

Stefano Ricci travel bag, handcrafted using 100% calfskin with gorgeous tone-on-tone diamond motif.

The specific size and shape make this an unconventional choice for your travels. stefanoricci.com

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EXPERT IN TIME

DIRECT ACCESS www.monacolegendauctions.com

EXCLUSIVE TIMEPIECES

Speciali st

MONACO LEGEND GROUP is an auction house with a private sales department focused on exclusive and vintage watches. info@monacolegendgroup.com (+377) 97 77 53 35

IT OBJECT

SHINING

New style reflections are mirrored on sandals adorned with feathers, sequins, precious inlays and gold.

By Valentino, truly special sandals to light up the night. valentino.com

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IT OBJECT

CANDIES Practically candied, with lacquered beauty and stiletto heels to accentuate the contrast between seduction and pure colour. The Resort SS 2026 Collection from Chanel reinterprets the brand’s classic themes with a bright, playful slant. chanel.com

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The most prestigious Pegaso Etro Suite perched between sea and sky

Puntatragara.com

IT OBJECT

HERITAGE The Vara Bow is an expression of utter originality: created almost by accident from an idea

by Fiamma Ferragamo, in time it has become one of the label’s best-loved emblems.

Now it stars in a new celebratory project. ferragamo.com

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HOTEL DE LA VILLE ROME A ROCCO FORTE HOTEL

Unforgettable views of the Eternal City The De La Ville Suite is a spectacular art and antique-filled residence with a private dining room and two terraces overlooking Rome. It can be combined with neighbouring suites to form a six-bedroom duplex apartment, the perfect base for exploring the Eternal City.

HOTEL DE LA VILLE, VIA SISTINA 69 ROME, ITALY. RESERVATIONS.DELAVILLE@ROCCOFORTEHOTELS.COM +39 06 977 931 ROCCOFORTEHOTELS.COM

IT OBJECT

WILDLIFE

Slim-fit long-sleeved shirt in silk twill with Wild Cats print, a reinterpretation of an archive print depicting the animal kingdom, enriched with zebra and leopard patterns. Designed by Versace. versace.com

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IT OBJECT

H O T E L S AV O Y FLORENCE A ROCCO FORTE HOTEL

The renaissance of a Florentine classic The Duomo Presidential Suite is a light-filled residence with splendid views across Florence’s terracotta rooftops to Brunelleschi’s iconic Duomo.

HOTEL SAVOY, PIAZZA DELLA REPUBBLICA 7, FLORENCE, ITALY RESERVATIONS.SAVOY@ROCCOFORTEHOTELS.COM +39 05 5465 2165 32 ROCCOFORTEHOTELS.COM

IT OBJECT

THE ART OF FLOWERS

A vintage year for gardening. Flowers blossom even on the finest jewellery, with precious corollas, enamelled petals and rhinestone blooms. Gold ring by Dolce&Gabbana. dolcegabbana.com

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A TRIBUTE TO GIORGIO ARMANI THE MEMORY OF AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT AND A PRECIOUS CONVERSATION, OUR LAST INTERVIEW WITH GIORGIO ARMANI

Giorgio Armani (11 July 1934 – 4 September 2025) was an Italian fashion designer and founder of the Armani fashion house.

Widely regarded as among the most influential designers in contemporary fashion

xx

COVER STORY

35

One Night Only Dubai, in 2020: 10 years of Armani Hotels celebrated with a fashion show and an exclusive live perfomance by Chris Martin 36

COVER STORY

Giorgio Armani’s passing - just a few days before opening of the Armani hotels in Milan and Dubai, the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the on the occasion of Expo 2020.

Fashion House, with the exhibition at the Pina- “The Expo has always represented a boost to human coteca di Brera opening its doors to the fashion inventiveness: I witnessed it firsthand in Milan with the world for the first time and the sharing his extraor- inauguration of the Armani/Silos. dinary Archive - has left a void that goes far be- Now I am in Dubai: Expo again, but this time with the opportunity for me to celebrate the 10th anniversary of yond the universe he belonged to, fashion.

Heads of state, international entrepreneurs, celeb- my hotels with a special One Night Only. I am happy rities and fashion models from every era came to- and proud to be here now: the Middle East is the cradle gether around the family and the company, having of a new concept of luxury, synonymous with continuonly words of esteem and sincere admiration for ous evolution and experimentation, able to draw from the roots and the magic of a rich and profound culture him. to give life to a new creative A positive and touching energy,” Giorgio Armani wave, perhaps stronger said on the occasion of than the pain. And while the event. all communication chanThe One Night Only nels broadcasted his blue GIORGIO ARMANI HAD Dubai took place at the actor-like eyes, the impecArmani Hotel Pavilion; cable fashion shows, picFREED US FROM USELESS the fashion show was tures of Richard Gere’s EMBELLISHMENTS AND followed by a live perforoutfits in American Gigolo, EXTRAVAGANCES, BRIGHT mance by Chris Martin of we realized once again Coldplay. that Giorgio Armani had COLORS AND GLITTER, The event was conceived freed us from useless REPLACED BY A TIMELESS with the intention of creembellishments and exAND NEVER BORING ating minimal environtravagances, bright colors mental impact, in line and glitter, replaced by a ELEGANCE, AND ALWAYS with the philosophy of timeless and never boring PRIORITIZING THE PERSON Mr. Armani, who hoped elegance, and always priOVER FASHION to leave a mark defined oritizing the person over by ‘commitment, respect fashion. and attention.’

Something exceptional All things that are part of for a man who had made reality rather than fashwork his life, Giorgio Armani had chosen Dubai a long time ago, in 2010, for the opening of the Ar- ion. Mr. Armani succeeded, as he did with this mani Hotels in Milan and Dubai. In 2020, he retur- lovely June 2020 interview that we are publishing ned to Dubai after 11 years to celebrate, with a new again. stop of the One Night Only - a traveling event that Our way of celebrating the person and his unibrings the Armani universe to the most important verse, even bigger than the designer who made the cities in the world - the tenth anniversary of the world fall in love with the ‘Made in Italy’.

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2 1

1 4 1

1. 3. 6. The Armani/Archivio project 2. Giorgio Armani and Sergio Galeotti (courtesy of Giorgio Armani) 4. Richard Gere in American Gigolò 5. Giorgio Armani by Aldo Fallai

3 1 6 1

5 1

Giorgio Armani backstage 2002 (ph. Roger Hutchings) 39

The celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Fashion House, with the exhibition at the Pinacoteca di Brera

40th Anniversary Armani Silos

What vocation and what stimuli led Giorgio Ar- Milano: we would like to describe it now through mani to become the symbol of Italian design? your favorite places and your deepest passions I had no idea that I would become a symbol nor associated with the city. did I set it as a goal.

I was 14 years old when I saw Milan for the first time.

What I wanted was to My parents had decided to express the changing move there after the war times through fashion. to rebuild their life. Milan It was not simply a matrepresented the future, ‘THE MIDDLE EAST IS ter of introducing a new the many possibilities of THE CRADLE OF A NEW cut or new color trends, change, the hope that such CONCEPT OF LUXURY, but rather of identifying a metropolis, although in needs and accompanybad shape and devastated, SYNONYMOUS WITH ing change and the socould offer. I discovered CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION cial evolution that was the city and fell in love AND EXPERIMENTATION, taking place back then. with its culture and hisABLE TO DRAW FROM THE And this is, I believe, tory, its character. It’s the what I’m still doing toplace where I chose to live ROOTS AND THE MAGIC day. and where I invented my OF A RICH AND PROFOUND Who was your muse? job, starting from the RiCULTURE TO GIVE LIFE TO There is a type of womnascente period, when the A NEW CREATIVE ENERGY’ an – brunette, inquisitive, word ‘designer’ was hardly intense, with a deep gazeheard of. This is the place which I chose to repwhere the ‘prêt-à-porter’, which has made Italian resent the Armani style fashion known all over the world, was born. This is throughout the eighties.

I believe that she was the woman who inspired me the place where, in January 2021, I will bring high and had some characteristics that reminded me of fashion back, focusing all my attention on the initiatives which Milan is always able to offer. my mother.

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ECONOMY EVENT

The fifth edition of Investopia will take place in Abu Dhabi, from 31 March to 2 April 2026 42

VISIONS IN CONNECTION

THE WORDS OF HIS EXCELLENCY ABDULLA BIN TOUQ AL MARRI, UAE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY, IN MILAN DURING INVESTOPIA EUROPE

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ECONOMY EVENT

There is a fine – yet rock-solid – thread linking Italy An appointment that promises to be not only a foto the United Arab Emirates. It is the thread of ex- rum for debate, but a true global laboratory of incellence, born of the meeting between vision, beauty novation, championing sustainability, digitalisation and the ability to innovate. and inclusion.

Within this context lies Investopia, a global plat- And it is precisely in this spirit of openness to diform based in the UAE, dedicated to accelerating alogue that Investopia Europe was created, the platthe growth of the new economy and building bridg- form’s European extension, with a key role entrustes between investors, busied to Italy. ness leaders and institutions Since 2023, Milan has hostworldwide. ed the European edition of Launched in November 2021 Investopia, confirming the ‘ITALY IS A KEY

by His Highness Sheikh country’s strategic role as a PARTNER FOR US Mohammed bin Rashid Al crossroads between the MidON THIS JOURNEY Maktoum, Vice-President dle East and Europe. The OF TRADE EXCHANGES. and Prime Minister of the choice is no accident: Italy UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, has long stood as a model A DYNAMIC together with His Excellency of artisanal and industrial RELATIONSHIP Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, excellence, and a privileged THAT IS BUILT UAE Minister of Economy, interlocutor for Emirati culNOT ONLY ON TRADE, Investopia has quickly estabture, which has viewed ‘Made lished itself as a leading inin Italy’ for years as a natural BUT ABOVE ALL ON ternational reference point partner in beauty, design and MUTUAL INVESTMENT’ for economic and strategic innovation.

H.E. ABDULLA BIN dialogue.

The renewed agreement beThe mission is clear: accelertween the UAE Ministry of TOUQ AL MARRI ate global growth by fosterEconomy and EFG Coning partnerships and creating sulting, led by its Chairman connections between emergGiovanni Bozzetti, a strategic ing and established economarketing and internationmies. alisation consultancy, gave life to a new edition of The next stop on this journey will be Abu Dhabi, Investopia Europe, which returned on 16 May last in from 31 March to 2 April 2026, when the fifth edi- the prestigious setting of Palazzo Mezzanotte, home tion of Investopia will take place: three days devoted of the Milan Stock Exchange, in the presence of to ideas, projects and visions that look to the future UAE Ministers His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq of the world economy.

Al Marri and Her Excellency Alia bint Abdulla Al 44

H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, during Investopia Europe

From Investopia Europe 2025, in Milan: Giovanni Bozzetti, President EFG Consulting; H.E. Alia bint Abdulla Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship; Valentino Valentini, Deputy Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy; H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy

Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, ergy, AI, space, biotech and agritech are among the and the Undersecretary for Investment H.E. Mo- leading sectors in which the Emirati market is keen hammad Alhawi, alongside numerous members of to sign new partnerships; in recent years investthe Italian government. ments have also focused on logistics and aerospace.

“Italy is a key partner for us on this journey of trade “At the first edition in 2023, 400 people took part,” exchanges”, said H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Mar- the Minister concluded. “Last year we rose to 600, ri, UAE Minister of Economy, while in 2025 we reached 800 atduring the event in Milan, “and tendees. This year, too, our delour presence here today demonegation met many Italian comINVESTOPIA strates and confirms our companies, but we look to the whole mitment and our determination continent, and for this reason IS A BRIDGE: to strengthen and expand this Investopia, where representatives A PLACE WHERE partnership. A dynamic relafrom across the European Union INSTITUTIONS, tionship that is built not only on are present, is an important ENTREPRENEURS trade, but above all on mutual event, since the union is a strateinvestment. We are also pleased gic partner with whom we wish AND INVESTORS to work together on next-generto strengthen cooperation.

MEET TO BUILD ation priorities such as digital“Investopia in Milan”, comments CONCRETE isation and artificial intelligence.

Giovanni Bozzetti, Chairman SYNERGIES Our shared goal is not only to of EFG Consulting and among talk about opportunities, but the leading experts in internato generate them. The UAE is tionalisation strategies towards choosing to build bridges, not the Emirates, “is increasingly barriers, precisely through our global economic an essential meeting point for pursuing concrete partnerships.” The relationship between the United business and investment opportunities. We are honArab Emirates and Italy continues to grow, thanks oured that this renewed synergy with the UAE Minto common factors that “have enabled our exchang- istry Of Economy is becoming ever more a driver of es to rise to 14.1 billion”, the Minister continued. En- development and economic growth in our markets.”

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Auro Montanari, a point of reference on the collectible vintage Haute Horlogerie scene (ph. Andrea Dughetti)

COLLECTORS WATCHES

TIME AS A FORM OF BEAUTY THE GURU OF INTERNATIONAL COLLECTING AURO MONTANARI OFFERS US AN UNFORGETTABLE LESSON ON THE VALUE OF VINTAGE TIMEPIECES

49

Some moments from Time on Show 2024 exclusive event at the Bologna Fair, held on the same days as the Auto e Moto d’Epoca exhibition

4 1

4 1

COLLECTORS WATCHES

Auro Montanari stands as a pivotal figure in the world of son in the art of vintage watch collecting. collectible vintage haute horology. Since the 1970s, he has You used to be an engineer with a passion for watches. pursued watch collecting with a passion guided by aes- How would you define yourself today? thetics and an unwavering quest for quality. His expertise I’m a pensioner with a passion for watches! (smiling, ed.). allows him to fully appreciate the timeless elegance of What do you think about collecting today? the most prestigious pieces by Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Today there are three different types of characters: the Cartier. With his clear vision and profound knowledge of collector, the investor and the collector-investor. The rethe field, he is regarded as one of the most authoritative ality is that increasingly higher values are at stake, and watch collectors on the global rightly so, you also have to be stage. careful about how you ‘invest’ In 2023, together with Pier Luyour money. Furthermore, preigi Santi and Paolo Borgomanecisely because of their value, ro, he brought to life an exclulately it has also become diffiTHE FAMOUS ITALIAN sive fair dedicated to vintage cult to wear some particularly COLLECTOR AURO watches: Time on Show. This well-known models. The secuMONTANARI TOGETHER niche event – partnered with rity issues are the same in every the emblem of top-tier yachting, part of the world.

WITH PIER LUIGI the Italian house Riva – draws Then there is a blurred line SANTI AND PAOLO the world’s leading collectors, between investment and specBORGOMANERO, who vie for some of the finest ulation. and rarest timepieces, driven by The bubble we saw in recent THEY BROUGHT TO LIFE a passion for beauty that defies years is deflating and we are reAN EXCLUSIVE FAIR time and, indeed, gains strength turning to normality.

DEDICATED TO VINTAGE and allure from it, carrying with Is vintage taking a sort of ‘reit a story.

WATCHES: ‘TIME ON SHOW’ venge’ on contemporary modOriginating in Bologna – a els? beautiful and strategically sigIn the end, vintage collection nificant Italian city long attenhas always remained fairly stative to luxury, quality, and detail ble if not growing, even during – as a spin-off from the country’s longest-running classic other ‘crises’ - from the 2007 financial crisis to that at car and motorcycle fair, Time on Show quickly captivated the beginning of the 1990s, which involved the collecting Paris and New York, where it is poised to debut in part- of period models. I remember a friend of mine used to nership with the Rétromobile Salon. A global showcase say “buying Patek Philippe is like buying Generali shares: with international partners, the fair transforms, each they are stable and grow slowly, but they grow”. time, the very spring of collecting into an extraordinary Maybe it’s also the story of the Daytona that has seen experience of encounters and commercial exchange. constant growth since the 80s?

We meet this remarkable ‘guru’ for an unforgettable les- Even the Daytona has had its moments of decline, but it 51

Paolo Borgomanero, Pier Luigi Santi and Auro Montanari (ph. Andrea Dughetti)

Breguet, retrograde perpetual calendar, white gold

Auro Montanari, with his Berneron Mirage (ph. Andrea Dughetti)

Rolex Chronometer Kew teddington

COLLECTORS WATCHES

is undeniable that its growth has been continuous and Your first ‘little watch’? that even today it is experiencing a decidedly interesting I still have the first watch I bought by myself from an moment. antiques dealer in Bologna, a chrono with three Art Daytona or Speedmaster?

Deco lugs, a reference 3835. New, with just one previI like the Speedmasters, I find them more classy. ous owner. I used my pocket money and it cost me Nautilus or Royal Oak? 550,000 lire. Today it’s worth about 40/50,000 euro.

Royal Oak, always. It was my first luxury watch when An anecdote related to that period?

I was very young. I bought it as a boy, used, in steel, My father who said “Listen to me, buy only Patek the first reference released, Philippe and Rolex, they’re paying one and a half million serious brands. Don’t buy lire for it. It was the end of the Cartier, they’re hairdresser’s 70s and I saw the Nautilus as a watches”! Luckily, I didn’t folSwiss-German model. low his last piece of advice, STARTED IN ITALY Was that Royal Oak already a and today I have some fantasAND MADE IT TO PARIS, collector’s item back then, or tic Cartiers in my collection.

DUBAI, AND NEW YORK did you use it normally?

Do you see young people apI used it normally because it proaching the world of watch ‘TIME ON SHOW’ was and still is a very beauticollecting?

CELEBRATES THE ful, pleasing watch to wear on Italians, even if they want to, ENDURING BEAUTY the wrist, moreover it is the often can›t afford them. I was one that ‘best supports’ comin Singapore at a talk orgaOF VINTAGE WATCHES plications. It is no coincidence nized by some friends. Shortly — WHERE PASSION, that we’ve seen everything after, all these guys arrived RARITY AND TIMELESS inside its case, from the chrodriving their Lamborghinis nograph, to the tourbillon, to in the most absurd colours, ELEGANCE MEET the minute repeater... it has wearing €5,000 sneakers, Subecome an extra-thin, one preme t-shirts... One of them, Grand Complication has even wearing a Richard Mille with hosted comic strips! The Naua confetti-coloured dial, looks tilus gives its best exclusively in the time-only version. at my wrist and asks: What is this? I answer: An old When did you begin collecting?

Patek Philippe! From that moment on, we stayed in In 1978. At that time, my parents, collectors of ancient touch and after a few months he wrote to me: I also art, took me with them to the various fairs held in Eu- bought myself an old Patek Philippe, do you like my rope. I was bored to death and so every time, to cheer 1518? me up, my father would say: have a look around and One last question: what are you wearing on your buy yourself some “little watches” if you want, they’re wrist today? cheap enough now with the arrival of quartz.

A 1970 white gold Tank Cintrée by Cartier London.

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BEYOND THE DUNES A JOURNEY ALONG DUBAI’S NORTHERN COAST, WHERE CULTURE, NATURE, AND TIMELESS BEAUTY MEET BY THE SEA text Cecilia Berardi photo Marco Morelli

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CITY ITINERARIES

Just a short drive from Dubai, the road opens to a dif- past. The Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization ferent rhythm. As you head north, cultural richness invites visitors on a journey through centuries of and natural beauty reveal what happens when hu- knowledge and artistry. Astrolabes, manuscripts, ceman craftsmanship meets heritage, creating wonders. ramics, and ancient coins all compete for your atAs you head north, you will be surprised by how tention, but a few treasures stand out: the gold-emmuch green can thrive within lands mostly known broidered curtain that once adorned the door of for their desert landscapes. So sit back and relax, this the Ka’ba, and the breathtaking mosaic beneath is a journey through time, into landscapes that tell the central dome, where the zodiac constellations their story. At the first stop, what shimmer in eternal motion. Lose will immediately strike you is how yourself among its galleries, and Al Noor Mosque shines as one of knowledge will quietly open its the most iconic landmarks in the doors to you.Leaving behind the area. Rising beside Khalid Laechoes of the past, the road leads FROM SHARJAH’S goon, the mosque stands sereneto the vibrant heartbeat of modLUMINOUS MOSQUES ern Sharjah. At Al Majaz Waly by the water’s edge. CommisTO ITS MUSEUMS sioned by Her Highness Sheikha terfront, the city opens up in a Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qadifferent light: cafés spill onto OF WONDER, THE simi, wife of the Ruler of Sharflower-lined promenades, joggers NORTHERN COAST jah, Al Noor Mosque draws inspimove along the lagoon’s edge, UNFOLDS STORIES ration from the timeless elegance and the scent of the sea mingles OF FAITH, ARTISTRY, of Ottoman architecture, echoing with the rhythm of everyday life. the grandeur of Istanbul’s Blue As the sun sets, fountains dance AND HERITAGE Mosque. Two slender minarets to music and lights shimmer on IN EVERY CURVE rise 52 meters high, framing the the water. A few steps from the OF ITS SKYLINE entrance like silent sentinels of lively rhythm of Al Majaz, the faith and beauty, while a cascade pace slows and the sounds softof 34 domes crowns the structure, en. Welcome to Al Noor Island, culminating in a magnificent an oasis of peace devoted to what central dome that soars above the restores the spirit and the mind: prayer hall, a luminous symbol of art and grace. nature and art. Here, the Butterfly House shimmers Still along what is known as the Sharjah Corniche, like a glass cocoon, while art installations such as. the city’s scenic waterfront promenade, stands one Torus by David Harber, Flutter by Chris Wood, and of the emirate’s cultural gems. Here, a small piece of OVO by ACT Lighting Design emerge among palm Arab history, and therefore of our own, is enclosed trees and sculptural cacti. within the corridors and halls of this temple of the The Butterfly House stands out as a luminous glass 61

An extraordinary view over the Al Noor Isalnd (Sharjah) a scenic destination that offers a perfect blend of nature, art and entertainment through unforgettable experiences

AL Majaz Waterfront covers an area of 231,000 square feet, featuring stunning scenery overlooking the Khaled Lagoon

HIDDEN MASTERPIECES

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization

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1. Al Noor Mosque 2. The Butterly House 3. Al Majaz Waterfront 4. Al Noor Island 5. Mangrove Beach 6. Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization

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Al Noor Island

HIDDEN MASTERPIECES

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Meandering Bridge a pedestrian bridge from the Al Noor Mosque in the Buhaira Corniche area to the Al Noor Island

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pavilion where hundreds of butterflies flutter among tropical plants and filtered sunlight. Stepping inside feels like entering a living artwork. It’s a place that invites stillness and wonder, where nature’s most delicate creatures remind us of beauty’s fleeting perfection. It’s surprising how a place so close to the city can feel worlds away as a green sanctuary, where time slows down and serenity takes the lead.

Continuing our journey and leaving Sharjah behind, our eyes fill with green at the sight of Mangrove Beach, a long stretch of sand overlooking Al Yafra Creek and gently blending into a forest. This area has an ecosystem of its own, sustained by the very presence of the mangroves, home to flamingos and herons that glide gracefully above the water.

The true experience here is to circle the area by kayak and take it all in from the creek. At sunset, this expanse of calm water turns pink and red, mirroring the glow of the setting sun.

In this corner of the coast, there’s a place for those moments when you need to slow down, clear your thoughts, and breathe in the sea air. Umm Al Quwain Kite Beach is a serene and unspoiled haven, a favorite among kite surfers yet still peaceful and authentic.

Its charm lies in its simplicity, marked only by the inviting Kite Beach Center, where guests can stay overnight or spend the day enjoying cabanas, shaded lounges, and an easy tropical rhythm. At the Beach

Restaurant & Café, dishes crafted by the resident chef celebrate the finest local ingredients, sourced in close collaboration with regional growers, a tribute to freshness and authenticity, served just steps from the waves.

The journey finds its perfect conclusion at the Arabian Tea House Restaurant, a small temple of culture where Levantine and Mediterranean influences intertwine both in the cuisine and in the design. Its turquoise benches, lace curtains, and white rattan chairs create an atmosphere of timeless charm. Here, flavors tell stories: fragrant biryanis, fresh salads, and mezze platters come together with regional spices and Mediterranean notes, reflecting the crossroads of cultures that define the Emirates. More than a restaurant, it’s a place where hospitality becomes an art, a space to slow down, share, and savor the essence of this land. Sitting here, amid the soft chatter and the aroma of cardamom tea, it’s easy to see how daily life and tradition blend so effortlessly. This quiet corner captures what this journey has been all about: connection, and the simple beauty of slowing down.

Sometimes, to truly know and experience this place, all it takes is to get in the car and drive- towards the mosques of Sharjah, the mangrove forests of Umm Al Quwain, to breathe in its culture and walk along its shores. That’s how Dubai and the Emirates are truly discovered.

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FASHION CATWALKS

New Age Haute Couture A new era is upon us, one that looks at the essence of an art which transforms dreams into extraordinary garments, while adapting to today’s needs. A precious fashion expressed in fabrics, workmanship, embroidery and cuts. Bold and rigorous.

Fall Winter 2025/26

Feature by Marta Innocenti Ciulli

Rami Al Ali

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xx Maison Margiela

Dolce&Gabbana

Ronald van der Kemp

Chanel

Armani Privè

Dior Haute Couture

Iris van Herpen

MADE IN ITALY FASHION

G N A DURIN EN N O C I A foulard is an extraordinarily versatile square of lightweight fabric which can be tied and worn in countless ways: around the neck, as a head covering, a top or a belt, or as a luxury addition to a handbag.

In the past two years it has returned to centre stage, stage, appearing in every collection as a genuine emblem of brand style.

The word foulard comes from the Provençal word foulat , which in turn is derived from the verb foular or follar follar,, a technical term indicating a specific process to render the fabric more compact and resistant.

But let’s take a look at the history of this ubiquitous accessory. Foulards have been around for a very long time, as we know from discoveries in ancient Oriental civilisations, where experts have spotted them in a number of Chinese sculptures dating back to 1000 BC. Meanwhile, in the Western word, foulards were worn by female farmers and rice workers as protection from the sun. They were also used by several armies as a sign of membership or rank.

Over the course of time, the foulard began to be used as a symbol to identify and distinguish the wearer’s social status. Reli-

gion played a large part in making it a distinctive accessory: the obligation to wear one during church services actually led both men and women to seek out increasingly attractive foulards, not merely to cover the neckline or the hair, but also to embellish the Sunday outfit and as a form of personal decoration. decoration. The modern foulard – used not only for practical purposes but also as an accessory for more elegant, sophisticated looks – emerged in the 20th century, and in particular from the 1930s onwards. Hermès was the first fashion house to commercialise it, and in doing so became the quintessential creator of iconic foulards. In Italy, versions by Gucci, Ferragamo and Roberta di Camerino were celebrated from the outset. And the fashions of the 50s and 60s confirmed the foulard’s popularity, thanks to stars such as Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Catherine Deneuve and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who famously wore it knotted under the chin and paired with sunglasses. The following pages present a gorgeous roundup of this season’s Made in Italy foulards.

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MADECOVER IN ITALY STORY FASHION

FENDI

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PRADA

MADE IN ITALY FASHION

PUCCI

CITY DISTRICT

Founded in 1998

by Marco Palmieri (here), the luggage brand Piquadro has transformed travel accessories into objects of contemporary high engineering 86

FASHION EXPERIENCE

DOUBLE YOUR PERFORMANCE

IN A WORLD WHERE SPEED IS SYNONYMOUS WITH EVOLUTION, PIQUADRO EMBODIES THE MOST REFINED ESSENCE OF PERFORMANCE

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Backpacks, trolleys, and work accessories are transformed

by Piquadro into indispensable companions for those who live on the move, combining performance and style.

For the second consecutive year, Piquadro is the Official Luggage Partner of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team

FASHION EXPERIENCE

Each of its creations is born from the encounter between design and engineering, between aesthetics and functionality, between the precision of a technical gesture and the lightness of a creative intuition. Founded in 1998 by Marco Palmieri, Piquadro has transformed travel accessories into objects of contemporary high engineering.

Backpacks, trolleys, and work tools become allies for those who live in motion, capable of combining technology, comfort, and style in perfect balance.

But behind every clean line and functional solution lies a responsible vision: Piquadro is carbon neutral for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and subjects every product to rigorous quality and durability tests.

An approach to design culture that blends sustainability and precision, with the same rigor that defines the engineering mindset.

RACING BEYOND LIMITS: PIQUADRO X VISA CASH APP RACING BULLS In the world of Formula 1, where every second is a victory and every detail a matter of precision, Piquadro defines performance beyond the track.

For the second consecutive year, the brand is the Official Luggage Partner of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team, an alliance that celebrates the same drive for excellence that powers the fastest cars on the planet.

Across a calendar spanning four continents and twenty-four races, travel becomes an extreme test of efficiency and endurance. The Piquadro backpacks and trolleys, developed in collaboration with the team, are designed to withstand continuous travel with lightness, durability, and impeccable organization ,the same philosophy that drives Formula 1: optimizing every gram, every shape, every function.

“We are honored to be partners of the Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team because we share a deep affinity for the same values: constant research, precision, and the determination to surpass every limit,” says Marco Palmieri,

founder and President of Piquadro. “Creating products that travel alongside a Formula 1 team means measuring ourselves against extreme standards and proving that quality, functionality, and style can coexist harmoniously.”

THE GRAND PRIX LIVERIES: SPEED AS DESIGN INSPIRATION Every new special livery of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team becomes, for Piquadro, a project dedicated to the drivers, a visual and material reinterpretation of speed. For each signature race of the season, the brand creates exclusive gear inspired by the car’s graphics and colors, turning the energy of the track into functional design pieces. From the vibrant Miami livery, to the bold Austin Edition celebrating the spirit of Texas, up to the spectacular Las Vegas design, the last special livery of the year, each product tells a story of movement, power, and style.

Every item created for the drivers is a tangible extension of the racing spirit precision, strength, and elegance in motion.

PIQUADRO X DUCATI: TWO SOULS OF THE MOTOR VALLEY Alongside Formula 1, Piquadro expands its vision of movement through a collaboration with another icon of speed, Ducati. In 2025, the two Italian excellences presented two exclusive capsule collections, celebrating the mechanics of performance and Italian design.

Backpacks and crossbody bags in water-resistant rubberized fabric, along with trolleys in polycarbonate and a limited aluminum model numbered to just 300 pieces, reinterpret Ducati’s identity with the precision and functionality typical of Piquadro.

Every detail is a tribute to dynamism and balance, blending energy and discipline, form and function.

“I am particularly proud of this collaboration that unites two brands symbolizing Italy’s Motor Valley,” says Palmieri.

“We wanted to create products that interpret movement as freedom and passion.”

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SHOES MUST

CHANEL Strange days chanel.com thedubaimall.com

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GUCCI Logo shoes gucci.com thedubaimall.com

VERSACE Almost classic versace.com

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EMPORIO ARMANI Style and seduction armani.com thedubaimall.com

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AS YOU WISH

SNEAKERS AT THE GOURMET RESTAURANT, SPARKLING ACCESSORIES DURING THE DAY, FUR AT THE PARK, FLOWERS IN THE OFFICE… FREEDOM IS THE LATEST TREND THIS SEASON

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LORO PIANA Ladylike loropiana.com

SPORTMAX Red detail sportmax.com

FERRAGAMO Flowers ferragamo.com thedubaimall.com

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ERMANNO SCERVINO Doll-like ermannoscevino.com thedubaimall.com

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TREND MUST

CHANEL Three threads of pure joy chanel.com thedubaimall.com

CAMMILLI Sculptural design cammillifirenze.com thedubaimall.com

LANCEL Travel attire lancel.com

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MAX MARA Not just a dress maxmara.com

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COLORFUL WINTER

A RAINBOW OF COLORS TO WEAR, HERE WHERE WINTER HAS THE ENVELOPING TASTE OF SUMMER

VALENTINO GARAVANI Cherry valentino.com thedubaimall.com

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PRADA With wings on their feet prada.com thedubaimall.com

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7 8 DOLCE&GABBANA Gems dolcegabbana.com thedubaimall.com

FENDI Yellow attire fendi.com thedubaimall.com

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BAGS MUST

GIORGIO ARMANI Lace effect armani.com thedubaimall.com

DIOR Blue Power dior.com thedubaimall.com

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DOLCE&GABBANA Details dolcegabbana.com thedubaimall.com

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GUCCI Logo bag gucci.com thedubaimall.com

SOMETHING NEW INSPIRATION FROM THE PAST, GLANCES INTO THE FUTURE. EAGERLY-AWAITED REAPPEARANCES AIN SHORT, THERE ARE PLENTY OF SURPRISES!

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VERSACE Animalier versace.com

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VALENTINO GARAVANI Seventies valentino.com thedubaimall.com

PRADA New style prada.com thedubaimall.com

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GIORGIO ARMANI Slipper armani.com thedubaimall.com

HIM MUST

BOSS Blues brothers boss.co,

LORO PIANA Old gentleman loropiana.com

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FERRAGAMO Not only office ferragamo.com thedubaimall.com

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MEN IN BLACK

A NON-COLOUR FULL OF CHARM AND APPEAL FOR MEN WHO MOVE EFFORTLESSLY FROM BUSINESS TO LEISURE

PRADA Western prada.com thedubaimall.com FENDI Details fendi.com thedubaimall.com

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GUCCI Ivonic gucci.com thedubaimall.com

Officine Gullo presents Ocean Flow an exclusive collection which redefining the concept of the kitchen and bar area in the world of luxury yachting

CLASS DESIGN ITALIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP AND CONTEMPORARY VISION TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT ONCE AGAIN AT DUBAI

by Teresa Favi

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HOME DECOR

Natuzzi Italia

Memoria by Karim Rashid reshapes the reassuring lines of the past into an even more comfortable ergonomics.

Every detail of this sofa warmly invites you to sit and relax, in a heartfelt tribute to Mediterranean hospitality that extends gracefully into the night area as well.

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HOME DECOR

Savio Firmino

The coffee table 3694, feature natural brass and exclusive Calacatta Macchia Vecchia marble, whose pure white background is adorned with veins ranging from orange to gold.

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HOME DECOR

Valcucine and Nice

Alongside Valcucine, Nice brings its elegant and intuitive smart home into a collaboration where design and technology become allies of everyday well-being, offering solutions that combine aesthetics, functionality, and innovation.

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Kartell

The new Albert table emerges from Ludovica Serafini and Roberto Palomba’s intention to pay homage to the past.

The table’s design is inspired, infact, by the theme of the sinuous leg, pioneered

by André Charles Boulle, a French artisan from the late 1700s.

Ethimo

Patio collection designed

by Zanellato/Bortotto expresses outdoor living through the art of weaving, combined with the authentic beauty of natural teak.

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HOME DECOR

Minotti

A distinctive silhouette, characterised by overlapping rounded volumes with a clear 60s and 70s influence, brings the Coupé seating system by Giampiero Tagliaferri to life. The reference to the aesthetics of 20th-century modernism is encapsulated in the soft forms, and in the precious couture-inspired details, such as the longitudinal stitching, intentionally tone-on-tone.

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HOME DECOR

Cantori

Cantori, in collaboration with Cantiere delle Marche, interprets three iconic spaces of a Flexplorer 146 yacht. The theme From Land to Sea guided the design process, inviting a translation of domestic comfort and aesthetic language onto the water. The result is ten projects of outstanding quality, capable of blending functionality, aesthetic research, and storytelling. This lounge, conceived as an embrace, is part of Progetto CMR – A Journey Home, inspired by the myth of Ulysses and Penelope.

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HOME DECOR

Interni Now

Spheric armchair is the reslut of a continuous search for balance between lightness and fullness, significant volumes and sinuous shapes that become the common thread of the entire collection.

Here, Carrara marble takes centre stage, assuming characteristics that do not naturally belong to it.

Porada

Comfortable and functional, Koji sofa is a modular sofa with linear, soft and generous shapes; each volumes, which allow for multiple configurations, are aesthetically characterised by a solid wood detail that becomes the main element of the product.

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Desalto

Clip family consisting of chaise longue, armchair and ottoman. All converge on a single guiding principle: designing the essential.

Upholstery designed to last thanks to the straps that weave into a durable inner frame that provides the necessary support, while their elasticity ensures maximum comfort.

Poltrona Frau

Leplì is the new collection of chairs by Poltrona Frau designed by Kensaku Oshiro, who wanted to blend the brand’s sartorial workmanship with couture suggestions.

What distinguishes these chairs and armchairs with a romantic allure are, in fact, the classic stitching and soft pleats, which enhance the cozy shapes of Leplì, which seems to fall just like a dress on feminine curves.

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HOME DECOR

RAK

Calacatta Gold Lux reinterprets the world’s finest marbles with exceptional elegance and refinement. Its glossy surfaces and golden veining transform any setting into a timeless expression of luxury.

It combines the natural beauty of marble with the superior performance of porcelain stoneware — offering resistance, durability, and easy maintenance for interiors of sophisticated and contemporary style.

MisuraEmme

Shibuya is a sideboard of sophisticated charm, where elegance and lightness meet in perfect balance. Inspired by the refined atmosphere of the 1970s, it embraces precious materials and luminous details in a design that evokes the pleasure of ritual and hospitality.

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HOME DECOR

Illulian

Taraxacum is the carpet born from the collaboration with the Fondazione Achille Castiglioni. It rug is named after the iconic 1988 lamp and pays homage to the creative brilliance of Achille Castiglioni, one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Italian design. The rug’s floral motif and dynamic play of light translate the lamp’s essence into a textile masterpiece.

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(Design by Studio Marco Piva)

HOME DECOR

Rever

Levante collection combines metal, fabric, and ropes in a design with an international look and an Italian soul.

Its colors and unique shapes evoke the quiet magic of dawn.

Simple and clean, Amanda is a comfortable chaise longue designed for reading, sleeping, and relaxation.

Villa Project designed

by Olsen&Partners and deliverded by If Hub.

Devon&Devon

Precious and elegant, The Thirties bathtub is destined to grace the bathrooms of the most luxurious hotels, as well as the most exclusive private residences.

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Serafini

Piano revolutionizes the entire concept of traditional aesthetics and functionality, offering an innovative and captivating design experience.

By breaking conventional patterns, this sink transforms the bathroom into a futuristic and surprising space.

Antonio Lupi

Oasis is a complete project, which just as the name indicates, fits within a built space offering relaxation and well-being.

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HOME DECOR

Llardó

This global leader in artistic porcelain, introduces Cascade, its new lighting collection created in collaboration with renowned British designer Lee Broom.

Dolce&Gabbana Casa

ph. Mattia Aquila

The famous Italian fashion house launches a line of bed linen featuring animal prints, including leopard patterns and other nature-inspired designs. These products stand out for their bold and luxurious aesthetic, in keeping with the renowned style of the brand.

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Flou

Toshi is an elegant and refined bedside table, part of a collection designed to enhance the bedroom with harmony and contemporary style. Its soft, rounded shapes blend with clean lines and balanced proportions. The polished metal rings — available in gold, black nickel or chrome finishes — set between the drawers create a refined play of depth and reflections.

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Dubai Design Week, over a decade of global success as the region’s premier design festival

INCUBATOR OF IDEAS THE 11 11TH TH EDITION OF DUBAI DESIGN WEEK: A CELEBRATION OF CREATIVITY AND CULTURE text Francesca Lombardi

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The 2025 edition of Dubai Design Week explores a central theme of ‘Community’, in response to the UAE’s wider ‘Year of Community’ initiative

KIDS EXPERIENCES

Dubai Design Week celebrated its 11th edition in No- PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS vember 2025 coincided with the UAE’s Year of Com- Urban Commissions munity.

Urban Commissions is Dubai Design Week’s annual The event is held in strategic partnership with the competition open to proposals from global practices, Dubai Design District (d3) and this year’s programme giving international architects and designers the opreflects this theme through a focus on social cohe- portunity to shape public spaces through thoughtful, sion, participation and shared experiences. Design community-driven design. Under the theme ‘Courthas been explored not only as a practice of innova- yard’, Urban Commissions called on practitioners to tion, but as a social connector, and as a civic and cul- reflect on this shared spatial form and explore its multural tool that can shape how we live together, com- tifaceted role as a gathering place and community-led municate, and build lasturban infrastructure. ing systems of care. Since Abwab 2025 2015, Dubai Design Week Abwab, meaning ‘doors’ in has grown into a global Arabic, is a long-running platform with a strong emfeature at Dubai Design DUBAI DESIGN WEEK phasis on cross-cultural Week. Newly expanded to BRINGS TOGETHER exchange and on ampliwelcome applicants from DESIGNERS fying voices from West across West, South and East and South Asia, as well as Asia, as well as the African AND CREATIVE the wider Global South continent, it reflects an onPRACTITIONERS (encompassing coungoing commitment to surTO EXCHANGE IDEAS, tries across Africa, Latin facing design perspectives America, most of Asia and that can be often underCOLLABORATE Oceania). Through exhibirepresented on global platAND EXPLORE tions, fairs, large-scale informs. This year’s theme, ‘In THE EVOLVING ROLE stallations, talks and workthe Details’, invited practishops, the festival engages tioners to create immersive OF DESIGN IN SHAPING with the narratives of our spatial experiences, explorA BETTER COLLECTIVE time, creating a space for ing ornamental details and FUTURE dialogue, experimentation engaging with historic culand progress, harnessing tural forms. The winners its position as a regional of this editions were Latifa melting pot and creative Alkhayat and Maryam Aljohub. Key venues are locatmairi, architects and founded across d3, a global creative ecosystem dedicated ers of Maraj, an architecture and design studio to design, fashion, architecture and art. In line with Exhibitions, Installations, Workshops, Activations, Dubai’s position as the leading business destination Marketplace for the region and beyond, d3 is an industry-pioneer- The Festival’s programme of exhibitions serves as a ing concept that enables people and businesses to platform for cultural organisations, educational instigrow and co-create whilst simultaneously providing tutions, collectives and individual designers to express a solid platform for creativity. Strategically located in unique cultural, social and environmental perspectives, the heart of Dubai, d3 is one of the city’s lifestyle and showcasing cutting-edge design solutions across disbusiness districts that challenges thousands of people ciplines. Outdoor installations from designers, archito rethink the regular. tects, collectives, creative practitioners, and design-led 113

FOOD ITINERARIES

Downtown Design, the Middle East’s leading fair for high-quality and contemporary design

brands, will explore design’s potential to foster inclusive, community-focused environments through the use of sustainable and socially responsible methods and materials. Independent makers and cultural and educational institutions will host the festival’s programme of workshops held at Maker Space, offering visitors of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to engage and experiment with a diverse range of artistic mediums.

Alongside this, the activations programme unveiled innovative and immersive projects, cross-disciplinary collaborations, pop-ups, and special presentations.

Marketplace offered a curated retail experience featuring high-quality and original products by the region’s finest artisans, entrepreneurs and small businesses, alongside food experiences, children’s activities and live performances.

Downtown Design Downtown Design, the Middle East’s leading fair for high-quality and contemporary design, returned to the d3 Waterfront Terrace, showcasing the latest collections and design innovations from around the world.

Returning exhibitors including Lasvit, Kartell, Poltrona Frau, Obegi Home, Venini, and Vitra presented new concepts alongside new participants Roche Bobois, Stellar Works, FRAMA, Porada and Desalto. At the heart of Downtown Design, the UAE Designer Exhibition, supported by Dubai Culture, returned with an evolved format after five editions of significant

growth, expanding mentorship for emerging creatives and international showcase opportunities. Details will be announced in September.

Editions Art & Design Following a successful debut in 2024, Editions, the region’s first fair dedicated to limited-edition art and design, taked place in the same days of the fair, at the d3 Waterfront Terrace. Editions presented 50 local and international galleries, design studios, and collectives across a diverse range of mediums including: artist multiples, ceramics, photography, works on paper, prints, editions, and contemporary design. Editions joins an expanding creative ecosystem that enhances access to quality art and design through varied price points and mediums, and engages the region’s collector network through disciplines not widely showcased in the region. d3 Architecture Exhibition The 2025 d3 Architecture Exhibition, organised by d3 in partnership with Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) aligns with Dubai Design Week’s theme in response to the UAE’s wider ‘Year of Community’ initiative and taked place in a dedicated space in the creative district. Rooted in the UAE’s values of resilience, ambition, and openness, the Year of Community is dedicated to fostering a united and empowered society. It aims to inspire behaviours that strengthen family and social ties, encourage shared responsibility, and unlock potential for sustainable growth.

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1. 2. 3. Dubai Design Week. This year’s festival will also see the return of the Abwab and Urban Commissions initiatives, designed to foster emerging talent and new voices in design and architecture.

4. 6. Editions, the region’s first fair dedicated to limited-edition art and design, taked place in the same days of the fair, at the d3 Waterfront Terrace 5. Marketplace offered a curated retail experience featuring high-quality and original products by the region’s finest artisans

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DUBAI, A SPECTACLE FROM THE SKY BREATHTAKING EXPERIENCES TO EXPLORE THE CITY FROM NEW HEIGHTS text Virginia Mammoli

With The Dubai Balloon you can experience the thrill of flying silently over the city (courtesy The Dubai Balloon at Atlantis, The Palm)

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1. A taste experience at The View Palm Jumeirah 2. A view from Dubai Frame 3. Aura Skypool is the world’s highest 360° infinity pool, located 210 metres up on the 50th floor of The Palm Tower 4. Inside Burj Al Arab opens the doors of one of the world’s most recognisable symbols 5. Sky Views Observatory offers the once-in-a-lifetime experience of walking above the city

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CITY EXPERIENCES

Everything in Dubai reaches upwards. This is a city that ence opens the doors of one of the world’s most recoghas learned to work with the heavens, mirrored in the nisable symbols, where luxury meets myth, but also fabusea, its glass skyscrapers reflecting the light of the desert. lous views: every step, every window and every angle ofSeen from above, Dubai reveals its most astonishing side: fers a privileged perspective over Dubai and the ocean. perfect geometrical shapes, curves that extend to the ho- The guided tour takes guests on an exclusive route that rizon, islands designed as works of art. Every visit to the begins at the private bridge before ascending to the 25th city merits at least one experience of awestruck silence floor, where you can admire the Royal Suite and visit the suspended between architecture and the clouds.

Experience Suite, which tells the inside story of this engiAlongside rooftop lounge and panoramic hotel suites, neering marvel in interactive visual installations, its huge there are a number of ways to get a bird’s eye view of the windows wide open on the most iconic skyline in the city. Observatories, infinity pools, helicopters and hot air Middle East. The tour lasts 60 or 90 minutes, including balloons: each reveal a different angle of Dubai, all are the ascent in the panoramic lift, and can be extended with equally thrilling. a series of special experiences Seeing Dubai from above is (open every day from 10 am to much more than a mere tourist 7 pm, from AED 249 adults and attraction, it’s access to the viAED 99 children aged 4-12). sionary heart of the city, where SKY VIEW DUBAI SEEN FROM ABOVE, every experience is designed to 219 metres above the ground on challenge the limits of imaginafloors 52 and 53 of Address Sky DUBAI REVEALS tion.

View hotel, the 46-metre-long ITS MOST ASTONISHING Don’t miss the opportunity to glass floor of the Sky Views ObSIDE: PERFECT look up and let the Dubai skyservatory offers the once-in-aline tell you its story, the story lifetime experience of walking GEOMETRICAL SHAPES, of a place that learned to dream above the city (open every day CURVES THAT EXTEND vertically. from 10 am to 9 pm, AED 80 TO THE HORIZON, BURJ KHALIFA adults, AED 65 children aged At 830 metres and 163 storeys, 3-8). And if that’s not exciting ISLANDS DESIGNED Burj Khalifa is the tallest buildenough, there’s the glass slide, a AS WORKS OF ART ing on the planet. The journey transparent tube connecting the up is a trip to the future, on two floors, a thrill that’s only for board one of the world’s fastest the truly brave (AED 25 supplelifts. Depending on your ticket, ment). But most extreme of all is you can visit the Observatory on The Edge Walk: harnessed and the 124th and 125th floors at 456 metres (At The Top ex- hands-free, you’re literally walking on the edge of the sky, perience, open every day from 7 am to 11 pm, AED 179), with nothing between you and the urban landscape (10.30 ascend to the 148th floor at 555 metres (At The Top Sky, 9 am to 9 pm, AED 499). An experience to set the legs tremam to 11 pm, AED 399), or treat yourself to the thrill of the bling and the heart pounding. record-breaking Lounge on floors 152, 153 and 154 (The AURA SKYPOOL VIP Lounge, 9 am to 11 pm, AED 769). Each level offers Swimming among the clouds, literally. Aura Skypool is 360-degree views, with outdoor terraces where the breeze the world’s highest 360° infinity pool, located 210 metres tastes of altitude and freedom. And the scenery? Simply up on the 50th floor of The Palm Tower. Here water and spine-tingling. horizon merge in spectacular views of Palm Jumeirah, the BURJ AL ARAB Persian Gulf and the Dubai skyline. Ticket prices depend A journey into a legend. The Inside Burj Al Arab experi- on the time of day, each with its own appeal (AED 225 119

CITY EXPERIENCES

from 6 to 9 am or 8 to 11 pm; AED 250 from 10 am to 2 pm; through time, from the Dubai that was once a dream to AED 300 from 3 to 7 pm; AED 875 for the whole day, from the real-life city of today (open every day from 8 am to 9 10 am to 7 pm), and the experience you choose, including pm, AED 50 adults, AED 20 children aged 3-12, free for the relaxing Wellness in the Sky (Monday, Friday, Saturday under-3s). and Sunday, AED 180). This place encapsulates the very THE DUBAI BALLOON essence of Dubai: elegant, sensuous and indefinable.

Looking for freedom without wings? The Dubai Balloon THE VIEW PALM JUMEIRAH is the city’s only flying 360-degree observatory, rising to 240 metres above the ground, the 52nd floor of The Palm 225 metres, approximately the height of a 75-storey buildTower offers the most spectacular view of Palm Jumei- ing. Located near Atlantis, The Palm, it offers spectacular rah. From above, the famous artificial archipelago makes views of Palm Jumeirah, the iconic skyscrapers and the a perfect fan shape in the blue sea, set between the Per- Gulf. Balloon rides are available with options including sian Gulf and the sky and traversed by the monorail that the classic 10-minute experience (Regular Pass, AED 195 runs from one end to the other. adults, AED 95 children aged Entry includes the Palm Jumei3-11, free for under-3s), exclurah Exhibition, a tribute to the sive VIP rides (Private Flight, boldness and vision that gave price on request) and special THERE ARE A NUMBER rise to this wonder (AED 110 early-morning trips (Sunrise OF WAYS TO GET A BIRD’S adults, AED 75 children). For a Pass, AED 220 adults, AED 120 more exclusive experience, head children aged 3-11, free for unEYE VIEW OF THE CITY. up to The Next Level at 250 meder-3s).

OBSERVATORIES, tres (AED 185 adults, AED 125 The flight engages all the sensINFINITY POOLS, children), or treat yourself to a es: the wind in your face, the gourmet coffee (open every day scenery unfolding in every diHELICOPTERS from 9 am to 3.30 pm and 7 to rection, the city laid out below AND HOT AIR BALLOONS: 7.30 pm, AED 150 adults, AED in all its glittering movement.

EACH REVEAL 115 children), brunch (Friday and The experience is suitable for Saturday from 12 to 2 pm, AED everyone: families with kids, A DIFFERENT ANGLE 365 adults, AED 200 children) couples in search of sunset OF DUBAI, ALL ARE or lunch (open every day from 12 magic, photographers looking EQUALLY THRILLING to 3 pm, AED 240 adults, AED to immortalise the scenery from 205 children) with a view at Lolli above and anyone wishing to restaurant or Madeleine et Marturn a special moment into an cel coffee shop. unforgettable memory.

DUBAI FRAME HELICOPTER FLIGHTS OVER DUBAI A gigantic golden structure 150 metres tall in the heart If you’re looking for an adrenaline-packed high-altitude of Zabeel Park frames the city: ancient Dubai from one experience, there’s nothing more spectacular than a heside, the modern metropolis from the other. In this ex- licopter tour. Pass close to iconic sites including Burj perience past, present and future intertwine, beginning Khalifa, Burj Al Arab and The World Islands, and explore with the ground-floor museum devoted to the city’s his- Dubai from an unprecedented angle. tory, and then travelling to the panoramic observatory in a The leading operator, HeliDubai, offers a range of differlift that covers 48 floors in 75 seconds, before descending ent routes and durations (from AED 710 for a 12-minute the other side of the rectangle to another museum that flight). imagines the Dubai of tomorrow. Crossing the glass walk- A spin of the propellers and the city becomes a mirage way suspended between the two towers feels like walking between the desert and the ocean.

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Above: The View Palm Jumeirah is on the 52nd floor of The Palm Tower (240 metres above the ground) Below:Dubai Frame is a gigantic golden structure 150 metres tall aaa in the heart of Zabeel Park

CITY EXPERIENCES

A spectacular view of Palm Jumeirah, from The View Palm Jumeirah 122

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Bab Al Yam, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab

HOSPITALITY ITINERARIES

DREAM BREAKFASTS WHERE TO START THE DAY AMONG LAVISH BUFFETS, SIGNATURE DISHES AND SWEEPING VIEWS OF THE ARABIAN GULF text Martina Olivieri

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Above: Jou Jou Brasserie, Four Seasons Resort Below: Bab Al Yam, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab

HOSPITALITY ITINERARIES

Between glittering skylines, golden beaches and FOUR SEASONS RESORT DUBAI peerless vistas over the Arabian Gulf, the city’s AT JUMEIRAH BEACH hotels turn breakfast into an experience to re- On Saturdays, Jou Jou Brasserie at Four Seasons member – where discreet luxury meets culinary Resort Dubai turns into an ode to taste and ease creativity. with its iconic Saturday Brunch. Sunlit interiors From grand buffets to sky-high spreads, from with a Mediterranean touch open onto a greenerybohemian nooks by the sea to refined Mediter- lined terrace, setting the stage for generous buffets ranean settings, each hotel and made-to-order plates: offers a journey through premium cuts of meat and international flavours, artifish from live stations, unsanal pâtisserie and signaexpectedly moreish aranIN A CITY ture plates, celebrating the cini, family-style pastas cosmopolitan lifestyle that and silky risottos. To finish, THAT NEVER STOPS makes Dubai unique. a show-stopping spread of SURPRISING, JUMEIRAH pastries and desserts by BREAKFAST TURNS BURJ AL ARAB Chef Nicolas Lambert. Live INTO A FEAST At Al Bab Al Yam, inside music underscores the the Jumeirah Burj Al mood, elevating the occaFOR THE SENSES Arab, breakfast becomes sion from a simple meal to – A MOMENT OF LIGHT a full-sensory ritual with a chic, vibrant and unforAND FLAVOUR AMONG a front-row view of the gettable weekend ritual.

PANORAMIC VIEWS, Arabian Gulf. Reserved ARMANI HOTEL DUBAI exclusively for in-house At Armani Hotel Dubai, MEDITERRANEAN SCENTS guests, the restaurant welbreakfast is a study in style AND COSMOPOLITAN FLAIR comes you into a bright, and flavour. At Armani/ polished space where the Lounge, minimalism and open kitchen deftly blends finesse meet cinematMiddle Eastern and Euroic views over the Dubai pean influences. Between abundant buffets and à Fountain. The à la carte menu focuses on light, la carte options, every bite feels like a small mas- wholesome plates, artisanal pastries and expertly terpiece: think caramelised French toast and lobster prepared coffee – perfect for easing into the day vol-au-vent, Egg Truffle Toast and a delicate Truffle between relaxation and urban contemplation. Next Feuilleté. Here, breakfast is not simply the first door, Armani/Mediterraneo stages a pan-Meditermeal of the day – it is a ceremony of comfort, craft ranean breakfast journey: seasonal fruit, freshly and quiet indulgence. pressed juices, artisanal baking, live cooking and 127

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1. 5. Cordelia The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm (ph. Rinu Anantharaman) 2. Jou Jou Brasserie, Four Seasons Resort 3. 4. Armani/Mediterraneo, Armani Hotel Dubai 6. French Riviera Beach, Jumeirah Al Qasr

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Above: Armani/Lounge, Armani Hotel Below: French Riviera Beach Jumeirah Al Qasr

FOOD ITINERARIES

Casa Amor, Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah

generous buffets spanning Italian, Greek and Le- made for slow beginnings and quiet pleasure. This vantine favourites. Both venues embody Armani’s bohemian beachfront corner blends dining, art timeless elegance, turning every morning in Dubai and entertainment in an atmosphere that is lively into a moment to savour. yet laid-back.

JUMEIRAH AL QASR From Friday to Sunday, guests can enjoy oven-fresh At French Riviera Beach by Jumeirah Al Qasr, viennoiserie, signature dishes, aromatic coffee and breakfast invites you to start the freshly squeezed juices – just day in a state of unhurried calm steps from the water’s edge of – sun warming the sand, waves the Arabian Sea. Every detail is providing the soundtrack. Exdesigned to transform waking pect just-baked breads, Bircher up into an elegant, evocative ritSKYLINE muesli, Avocado Toast and signaual where flavour, outlook and MORNINGS, ture creations such as Pain Perlightness meet for a daybreak to du Crème Brûlée or Norwegian remember.

SEASIDE FLAVOURS: Salmon Benedict; pair with fresh THE ST. REGIS DUBAI, DISCOVERING juices or coffee for a gentle lift.

THE PALM DUBAI’S MOST This season, the experience At The St. Regis Dubai, The is elevated by Balloons at the Palm, breakfast is a moment of BEAUTIFUL HOTEL Palace, a pop-up suspended understated luxury framed by on the hotel’s fifth floor, where the infinity pool and the city breakfast floats between charm skyline. Open to hotel guests and wonder: warm pastries, seaonly, the buffet at Cordelia ressonal plates and breathtaking taurant balances comfort, qualpanoramas that turn each morning into a polished ity and a touch of timeless elegance. Those cravadventure. ing an even gentler start can linger by the poolside MANDARIN ORIENTAL JUMEIRAH beverage area with coffee and fresh juices, bathed On Dubai’s immaculate shoreline, Casa Amor at in morning light and the incomparable views of Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah offers a breakfast Palm Jumeirah.

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The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm

Above: Bvlgari Caffè, Bvulgari Resot Dubai Below: Riviera by Jean Imbert, The Lana

One Za’abeel

refined awakening, accompanied by morning light BVLGARI RESORT DUBAI At Bvlgari Caffè within the Bvlgari Resort Dubai, that plays across the glittering water. At Riviera, breakfast is a ritual of Mediterranean elegance breakfast becomes a sensory tableau where taste, poised between sea and sky. Overlooking the pri- view and a distinctly Mediterranean atmosphere vate marina of Jumeira Bay Island, the caffè wel- combine for a chic start to the day.

ONE ZA’ABEEL comes guests with natural High above the city at The light, pale woods and signaLink in One Za’abeel, breakture Italian design. Luxury fast – and brunch – scale new here reveals itself in simplicheights. Among nine culinary ity: perfectly frothed cappucICONIC HOTELS, concepts, the lifestyle café cinos, flaky croissants and PANORAMIC NETTE by Haider Madani tropical fruit, served on terstands out, uniting French races that seem to float above BRUNCHES and Japanese sensibilities the ocean. With yachts glintAND ARTISANAL in wholesome, finely tuned ing in the sun and a soft Gulf PASTRIES TELL plates: think soy-glazed ribeye breeze, it is the place to begin THE STORY with noodle salad or tomatoyour day – Dubai at its most ponzu gel brightening a delisophisticated and serene.

OF DUBAI’S MOST cate dish. At the Coffee Lab, THE LANA REFINED LIFESTYLE specialty brews, artisanal pasRiviera by Jean Imbert restries and distinctive beverage taurant at The Lana pours – Spanish cortado, coconut Mediterranean charm along latte – complete the morning the shores of Marasi Bay Mawith flair. From a thoughtful, rina. Breakfast – served daily – celebrates freshness and lightness, weaving inter- sustainable approach to carefully sourced ingredinational influences with the flavours of the Middle ents, every detail turns breakfast into a moment of East. From classic continental choices to local spe- poised, contemporary ease – with a sweeping view cialities, each plate is crafted to deliver an elegant, of Dubai’s ever-evolving skyline.

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Alessandro Miceli (above and below), chef at MamaBella, brings the warmth of Italian cuisine to Dubai, turning every dish into a story of flavors and memories

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TASTE INTERVIEW

A TASTE OF HOME

ALESSANDRO MICELI TALKS ABOUT MAMABELLA, A PLACE WHERE WHOLESOME INGREDIENTS, FAMILY RECIPES, AND CONVIVIALITY CREATE A LITTLE CORNER OF ITALY text Martina Olivieri

Alessandro Miceli, chef at MamaBella, brings the warm authenticity of Italian cuisine to Dubai, transforming every dish into a story of flavours and memories. With select ingredients, family recipes, and a touch of international experimentation, MamaBella is more than just a restaurant: it’s a laboratory of conviviality, a little corner of the Italian home in the heart of a cosmopolitan city, where culture, flavour, and emotion meet.

How would you describe the philosophy that guides MamaBella in a few words?

MamaBella stems from a desire to bring the authenticity of Southern Italian cuisine — and beyond — to the table, emphasizing simplicity, quality ingredients, and a passion for authentic flavours. We want to tell stories through our dishes, making every guest feel at home.

Our space is a small workshop reminiscent of a home kitchen, where you can cook together, eat, or simply enjoy a coffee together and experience the warmth of Italian conviviality also in Dubai.

In a cosmopolitan city like Dubai, how important is it for you to bring the authenticity of Italian tradition to the table?

It’s essential. In an international city like Dubai, offering authentic, simple dishes creates a bridge between cultures and offers a warm experience. Italian cuisine, with fresh ingredients and traditional techniques, conveys emotion and family ties. The difference is made by the ingredients and the knowledge handed down by our grandmothers and mothers: gestures and products still little known here, which allow diners to discover new flavours and enhance cultural diversity.

You’ve worked in Italy, London, and Dubai: how is this experience reflected in MamaBella’s international menu?

Each experience has enriched my vision: Italy gave me

roots and tradition, London taught me innovation and openness to an international audience, while Dubai represents the meeting of different cultures. In MamaBella’s menu, all of this translates into light, contemporary dishes that are authentic yet refined, able to surprise without losing the warmth and familiarity of home cooking.

MamaBella also aims to be a meeting place for cultures.

What culinary influences do you enjoy exploring?

I’m fascinated by subtle influences, those that enrich without distorting the identity of Italian dishes. I love experimenting with spices, herbs, or cooking techniques from other traditions, while always maintaining a balance of flavours. The goal is to create a dialogue between cultures, offering new experiences without losing our roots.

The Cucina Mamma experience brings together women from diverse cultures to share their recipes. How did this idea come about, and what message does it convey?

The idea originated with a desire to bring to light the flavours and emotions of home kitchens, involving the true protagonists of our lives: mothers, grandmothers, and even fathers. We want to create a space where recipes, memories, and loving gestures can be shared. The goal is to help customers relive those authentic feelings of home.

How do you select and deliver Italian products to Dubai, and what role do small producers play in your culinary story?

We work directly with Italian suppliers and small producers, because quality comes from those who put heart and dedication into their food. Every ingredient tells a story: from flour to mozzarella, from tomatoes to preserves. Bringing them to Dubai means bringing the authenticity of our land to life and creating a bridge between cultures.

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Alaya

FOOD ITINERARIES

THE ART OF DINING A GUIDE TO DIFC’S MOST ICONIC RESTAURANTS WHERE CUISINE MEETS ARCHITECTURE ALLOWING YOU TO DISCOVER THE CITY THROUGH ITS FOOD text Martina Olivieri

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Above: Amazónico Below: Alaya

FOOD ITINERARIES

In Dubai’s most iconic district with its modern and top AVLI BY TASHAS design architecture, the world of dining takes on new An oasis of warmth and authenticity where Greek traforms. The Dubai International Financial Centre is a dition is combined with Mediterranean cuisine followcosmopolitan melting pot of styles and flavours, a place ing a contemporary touch. Inspired by the Athenian where many restaurants — each with its strong identity roots of its founder Natasha Sideris, the Avli by Tashas — tells the story of distant cultures with a contempo- offers dishes prepared with passion and love for her rary touch. Here is a list of the best ones. country of origin such as the meze and slowly cooked ALAYA fish and meat dishes, as well as iconic desserts such Located in the heart of the DIFC, Alaya offers cuisine as Baklava Sundae. The design evokes Mediterranean which combines the Mediterranean and the Middle courtyards with steel arches, terrazzo floors and unique East in a perfect mix of flavours, artistic details. The ideal choice fragrances and design. The restaufor a business lunch or dinner rant features an elegant balance with friends. The Avli celebrates of art deco and Middle Eastern the culture, art and soul of Greece, details: the ideal location for a turning every meal into a convivial FROM FINE DINING style of cuisine that celebrates the occasion.

TO FUSION best of two worlds. Dishes such as CIPRIANI DUBAI CONCEPTS, THE DIFC Wagyu Carpaccio or Chilean Bass Cipriani Dubai has brought the Spetsiota recount stories of distant elegance of Venice directly to IS WHERE GLOBAL lands, and their desserts ranging Featuring polished wood GASTRONOMY MEETS Dubai. from Kunafa to Alaya Tiramisu are interiors, steel finishes and brown CUTTING-EDGE the perfect sweet ending to the leather seats. The restaurant is a dining experience. blend of nautical style and a reDESIGN AMAZÓNICO fined vintage atmosphere evoking Three levels of pure energy and the 1950s and 1960s. The cuisine tropical charm: Amazónico is one celebrates Italian tradition: fresh of the most iconic locations of local ingredients and products DIFC offering Latin American fine dining in an Am- imported directly from Italy to create simple, perfect azonian rainforest setting. Amidst lush plants, exotic and timeless dishes. From the famous Carpaccio alla furnishings and warm lighting, the dining experience Cipriani to the iconic desserts, each dish is homage to becomes a real sensory journey. The menu showcases the original Harry’s Bar opened in 1931 by Giuseppe Amazonian culture with vibrant dishes from sushi to Cipriani in Venice. grilled meats and fish, with strong flavours and colour- GAIA ful food presentation. Choose the first floor to admire Gaia makes its guests feel like they are in Greece with the chefs at work thanks to the open kitchen design an experience that combines warmth, elegance and or the beautiful terrace with breathtaking views of the harmony. From the lounge with its soft lighting to the city for an aperitif with Latin music in the background. frenetic open kitchen, each area is a tribute to Mediter139

Above: Cipriani Below: Il Gattopardo

Above: Zuma Below: Chic Nonna

Above: Avli by Tashas Below: Gaia

La Petite Maison

ranean conviviality. Reserve the 12-seater Chef’s Table for an exclusive experience between authentic flavours and a family atmosphere. The main room, illuminated by the light coming from the wood fire oven enriched by a creative beverage corner and fresh fish display, celebrates the joy of the dining experience. Between sunny terraces and rooms furnished with great attention to detail, GAIA is a cosy restaurant where every meal becomes a convivial occasion to discover the authentic essence of Greek cuisine.

CHIC NONNA Chic Nonna brings to Dubai all the elegance and flavor of fine Italian dining. In a refined setting that blends classic design with contemporary touches, the restaurant offers a gastronomic experience that celebrates tradition with an innovative spirit. The expertly crafted menu features fresh pasta, premium meats, and exquisite seafood prepared with top-quality ingredients.

Each dish pays homage to Italian culinary culture, complemented by a curated selection of fine wines.

Perfect for a romantic dinner or a special occasion.

LA PETITE MAISON As soon as you enter La Petite Maison, you will feel like you have reached a mini Côte d›Azur in the heart of Dubai: a terrace scattered with bougainvillea and olive trees where the hustle and bustle of the financial centre seems to be light-years away. The menu features fresh and natural ingredients, combined with creativity: shared dishes enhancing authentic and surprising flavours. The beverage area occupies almost the whole

wall and is a real attraction to discover a variety of unique terroirs. LPM is an invitation to relax and enjoy the flavours and pleasure of the meal in an atmosphere of Mediterranean refinement and conviviality.

ZUMA DUBAI At the Zuma Dubai in the dynamic centre of DIFC, dinner becomes a multi-sensory experience where Japanese tradition meets contemporary creativity. Located on two levels with a modern lounge and an elegant dining room, the restaurant offers dishes to share prepared in three different kitchens: the main one, the sushi worktop and the robata grill. Authentic and original, each dish is prepared with quality ingredients and decisive flavours to offer a unique dining experience rich in style, taste and conviviality.

IL GATTOPARDO Located on the fifty-first floor of the ICD Brookfield Place, Il Gattopardo enhances the art of Italian cuisine with breathtaking views of the Dubai skyline. Opened after the success of the Mayfair in London, the restaurant is a refined tribute to Italy, a location where elegance and passion are in perfect harmony. The menu is a gastronomic tour of the Italian regions with many great classics reinterpreted with contemporary taste and authenticity. From an aperitif at sunset to a business lunch, from the lively dinners to the late night events with DJ sets, Il Gattopardo is a place where time seems to stop and every moment becomes an occasion to celebrate life — as living here really feels like La Dolce Vita.

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SHOT ON SITE

Roberto Girombelli

Alessia Forcelati, Lorenzo Triniterra, Edoardo di Luca

Gabriella Bjersland, Jorge Lorenzo Chiara Ghinolfi, Fabrizio donia, Natalia Tso

Alex Vittorio Lana, Matteo Parigi Bini, Roberto Girombelli

Victoria Kiper

Layal Hamdan e Karolina Charnashei

DUBAI ITALIA EXPERIENCES ISSUE PARTY Mercury Rooftop at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, with its breathtaking views of the city, was the scene for a very special evening to launch the new number of Dubai Italia Experiences, Experiences, with an exclusive tasting of beverage from Mazzei.

Yulia Sivan, Christine Panagi, Karolos Konstantinidis

Giovanni Bozzetti, Ludmilla Voronkina Bozzetti

Angela Sidran, Francesco Mori Iryna Holovan, Mauro Marzocchi

Luana Zillio, Federica Sorgi

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SHOT ON SITE

Aurane Magry

Maha Mansy, Sherneal Joseph

Isabella Arlt Kim Kelaita, Roman Yazbeck

Frank Golden, Alessio Bellone

Chicco Merighi, Angelika Benskaya

Stefano Ravara, Gianluca Bonotti

Sendy Zeffer, Matteo Parigi Bini, Salman Almulla

Maurizio Baldassarini

Laura Bonanome

Irem Kinay, Leonardo Baiocchi, Alex Vittorio Lana

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BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

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