In their traditional Christmas card, issued on Friday, December 22, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene and their children, hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, wish everyone a Merry Christmas and beautiful festive season.
Photo: Vanessa Von Zitzewit /Palais PrincierPhoto: Vanessa Von Zitzewit /Palais Princier
Photo: Facebook Eric Mathon/Palais Princier de Monaco
On Wednesday, December 20, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene warmly welcomed young Monegasques for the traditional Christmas celebration at the palace.
After watching a performance of Palladienne dance in the palace courtyard, with Santa in attendance, some 500 petite guests, aged 5 to 12, attended a magic show in the throne room, where they were also treated to a snack.
They youngsters also received Christmas gifts from the princely couple, and the children of Princess Stephanie, Camille Gottlieb and Louis Ducruet.
Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, who celebrated their third birthday on December 10, did not attend the festive events as they, reportedly, have a touch of the flu.
Albert Croesi, General Commissioner of Monaco Pavilion and HE Reem Al Hashimy, Director General of Dubai World Expo 2020. Photo: DR
Monaco has officially formalised its participation at the Dubai World Expo 2020 with the signing of a contract, earlier this month in the UAE, by Albert Croesi, General Commissioner of the Monaco Pavilion, and HE Reem Al Hashimy, Director General of the Dubai World Expo 2020.
During the six months of the exhibition, Monaco will highlight its position as a true meeting place to connect ideas, people and technologies.
Under the theme, “Monaco 360°– A World of Opportunity”, the Monaco Pavilion will showcase, through conferences and exhibitions, the Principality’s many areas of excellence – art, culture, science, gastronomy, hospitality, luxury, research, environment, industry and new technologies.
It was in 1900 that Prince Albert I committed the Principality of Monaco to the Universal Exhibition in Paris. Since then, Monaco has been present at all Universal and Specialised Exhibitions, and is particularly delighted by this participation in the very first exhibition organised in the Middle East.
Visitors to the Monaco Pavilion at the 2020 Dubai Exhibition will be able to discover what makes Monaco, one of the smallest countries in the world, unique, and particularly how it is looking to the future.
Monaco’s criminal court has upheld the acquittal of two Italians accused of a major fraud against Monaco Telecom, local French-Language daily Monaco-Matin reports.
The two defendants were suspected of having benefited from a loophole in the Monaco Telecom system in order to receive a partial repayment of the sums generated by premium calls. The Monegasque operator also lost its claim for substantial damages and costs of more than €1,000,000.
The alleged fraud by an entity called Publiweb was reported to the Monaco Police in September, 2011, and involved a total of 2,329,882 minutes of premium-rate phone calls for which Publiweb received a rebate of €0.435 per minute.
One of the accused, a resident of Turin, said that he used Monaco Telecom because it was cheaper than Orange, but that there was nothing illegal about the operation. His co-defendant said that the large amount of money found on his bank account had come from selling apartments in Italy,
Lawyers acting for Monaco Telecom had claimed that the mass re-routing of premium rate calls broke a signed contract the telecom provider.
Thursday 6 PM. Monaco is a buzz. Around the Place du Casino men and women in dark suits, sensible shoes and expensive briefcases pour out of office buildings and into buses and taxis ready to head home let their hair down and unwind.
Just down the street another buzz is happening. A Black Maybach, and then a Bentley Bentayga followed by cars of increasing value pull up outside 2 Blvd des Moulins. Car doors are opened. A glittering high heel peeks out. One by one, immaculately groomed women emerge from backseats, some accompanied by equally preened children. They approach the door, invitations are shown, names are checked by a charming young man named Raymond and, occasionally, some are rushed straight inside. Everybody seems to know everybody. Welcome to the Dolce & Gabbana universe.
Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco Life
Another night means another party. Tonight we are celebrating the brand new Dolce & Gabbana boutique in Monte Carlo designed by renowned architect Eric Carlsonas part of the brands #DGEvolution project with the aim of the different stores around the world taking on their own identity in harmony with whichever city it is in. Upon walking in the new space, one can’t help but stand in the centre and take a moment to take it all in. It’s a cavernous affair. Three floors of marble, mirrors and gold: it’s excessively gorgeous and gorgeously excessive … Monaco in a condensed form.
Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco LifeLouis Pisano, Monaco Life Style Editor. Photo: Monaco Life
After my state of transfixation is broken with the arrival of a glass of Ruinart champagne, I venture downstairs from where I can hear the music pumping. English, French and Russian is in the air. It smells like Dolce & Gabbana The One … and money. While I’m playing “guess the season” regarding several guests in head-to-toe Dolce & Gabbana looks, I hear a familiar voice, “What are you doing in my house?” I turn around coming face to face with the original Dolce & Gabbana muse and Alta Moda Global Ambassador, supermodel Marpessa Hennink – also, on more than a few occasions, my dancing partner at Club Plastic in Milano. She flits off to say hello to friends across the room in a gorgeous FW 17 lace floral dress, and eyes follow. In this DG world she’s the OG.
Marpessa Hennink. Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco Life
Ruinart is still flowing freely and I’m lost in the dazzle of crystals. I’m eyeing up a 3-piece purple suit in the men’s area when luxury influencer Tom Claeren pops over to says hello dressed in said suit. With his videographer and personal assistant tagging behind we chat quickly about the sheer size of the boutique in comparison to the usual retail spaces in Monaco. Then again this is Dolce & Gabbana. Go big or go home.
Tom Claeren. Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco Life
A sales associate rushes past with a pair of glittering cross earrings on a velvet tray. Behind me a group of women huddle together clutching their glasses of champagne. “Cheers to your new earrings,” one whispers to another.
Descending the marble stairs, I spot two familiar faces from the Parisian influencer scene. Brazilian blogger Hannah Romao of Avec Hannah and Caroline of Pardon My Obsession, sporting total Dolce looks, who spent a good portion of the evening stationed on a large pink and gold sofa on their phones, perhaps as a testimony to Hannah’s bag that proclaimed across it: “All I need Is Love and Wifi”.
Hannah Romao. Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco Life
Lost in a section of cute silk cat print pyjamas I watched two older women perhaps Millenials at heart take drunken snapchats of each other while donning their sunglasses inside.
Isabella Marino. Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco Life
Restaurateur Riccardo Giraudi stopped by to check out the FW 17 offerings on hand. He said it was hot. I thought he was talking about the collection. He was talking about the temperature.
Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco LifeRiky Cort. Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco Life
Still stuck amongst the cat print items with Dolce & Gabbana Senior PR Manager Elena Radice in between discussing the importance of social media and the fashion industry, she points out as they walk past, their special clients. It’s easy to tell, to be honest, by the way the other women scan their outfits. It’s one thing to be able to buy designer off the rack, it’s another to have it made exclusively for you by Stefano and Domenico.
Hannah Romao and Tom Claeren. Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco Life
The party is winding down, the Rolls Royces and Maybachs are pulling up as the women slip out, no doubt rushing off to dinner down the street at Cipriani or Sass Café, the jewels on their dresses catching the street lights. In the front window display I spot one of the men’s crowns and the now off-duty Raymond fetches it for me. It weighs more than I thought it would and I have a little Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Lisa Vanderpump moment with her tagline: “The crown is heavy, darlings, so just leave it where it belongs.” With a price tag of more than €3000 I’ll leave it on the mannequin thank you. However, I have my eye on a funny little fox print T-shirt I’ll probably go back for this weekend. The space is a store at the core, but it feels different; it’s a place that you want to spend time in, it’s warm and welcoming.
#DGEvolution was about creating spaces where experience and storytelling are the protagonists and one definitely can feel that in Monaco. Bravo Dolce & Gabbana.
Emma Louise Smith. Photo: Louis Pisano/Monaco Life
HE Claude Cottalorda, Ambassador of the Principality of Monaco in France and Christophe Crovetto, Counsellor at the Embassy, with the two young winners of the quiz.
Young Monegasque students living in Paris and Ile-de-France were invited to the Residence of the Ambassador of the Principality in France, for the annual Christmas reception on December 18.
Some forty young people, including several resident students of the Monaco Foundation at the Cité Internationale Universitaire in Paris (CIUP), shared a convivial evening with HE Claude Cottalorda, his wife, and the diplomats of the Embassy.
Ambassador Cottalorda expressed his wishes for happiness and success to all those present. The evening continued in a joyous atmosphere with a musical game in the form of a quiz.
Eva Roje, Olga Barrale, Iliyan Popova and Tina Lyberaki at LULL’s Monaco Shopping Guide Crème de la Crème: La Condamine launch
Last night, tucked back on the Rue de Millo in the newly revamped LULL showroom boutique, the Monaco Shopping Guide Creme de la Creme: La Condamine launched.
Olga Barrale, the glam PR behind some of Monaco’s coolest events, and Yannick Barrale of LULL Boutique played host for the evening as guests perused the racks of Maison Noir fur coats and vintage Levi’s.
The Crème de la Crème guide is a comprehensive shopping guide with a directory of La Condamine’s best addresses from boutiques to nightlife and restaurants in the quartier, to interviews with Monaco notables in French and English. This edition features Chantal Thomas fashion designer/founder of her eponymous lingerie brand and the mind behind MONARK club, and Michelin starred chef Xavier Mathieu of RICE in Les Halles Gourmandes.
The cover created by Kemsky features Grace Kelly in traditional Monaco red and white with her namesake Hermes bag, sauntering through the street, shopping bags in hand, while Princess Caroline and Karl Lagerfeld chat in the background.
Yannick Barrale between Thomas and Anthony from Emilys CookiesYana Weiman
Among the champagne sipping guests was Miss Vice-Russia and L’Officiel cover star Yana Weiman in a blush coloured perforated MAJE brand dress that complimented her summer tan. Yana accessorised with classic Valentino Rockstud sandals and a gold Chanel mini.
Checking out the carefully-curated offerings in LULL Boutique, I spotted web influencers and reality stars Martika Caringella and Julian Guirado from Moundir et les Apprentis Aventuriers 2, who dished to me about starring in the upcoming television show Les Marseillais VS Le Reste du Monde 2, and Martika’s upcoming jewellery range “Pieces of My Religion”.
The model donned a gold necklace from the collection featuring religious symbols from different religions with a printed ALLYSON dress while Julian kept it simple with a white shirt, fitted trousers and Gucci slip-ons.
Reality stars Martika Caringella and Julien Guirado
During the evening I had the chance to chat with Olga, notably clad in total Chanel while balancing her young daughter. I asked her about her luxury blog entitled “HAUTE TODAY” which she described to me as just a collection of things that she is interested in. From cars with artificial intelligence to the latest Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda collections and to the promotion of Mexico City in Monaco as a luxury destination during the Grand Prix, Olga Barrale has her eye on innovation in the luxury sector.
Showing me how she and Yannick transformed the boutique into a multi-purpose space complete with a multimedia production studio and tailoring area they are blazing a trail in Monaco when it comes to creating “shopping experiences”.
A favourite of Monaco hotel concierges, you can get your copy of Crème de La Crème on Monaco newsagents, the tourism office, and Condamine shops.
