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Month: October 2021

Casiraghi partners with luxury fashion brand Dior

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/10/2021

Pierre Casiraghi is continuing the Grimaldi family’s love affair with Dior that began with Princess Grace, becoming the French fashion house’s latest brand ambassador.

In a recent Dior press release, Pierre Casiraghi was called “an icon of elegance”. It added that the “The Monegasque businessman embodies the new facet of tailoring constantly reinvented by Kim Jones [creative of Dior’s men’s line], a timeless modernity.”
Dior has had links to the Princely family for decades. In 1956, his grandmother, Grace Kelly, wore a Dior dress on her first outing with Prince Rainier III. Christian Dior died the following year, but Princess Grace remained loyal to the brand, forming a 20-year bond with the house’s artistic director, Marc Bohan. A 2019 exhibition titled ‘Grace of Monaco: Princess in Dior’ revealed that a third of her personal collection at the Palace was created by Dior.
“Princess Grace was the most famous client of the house of Dior. She affirmed in the eyes of the whole world the image of a modern woman and committed to her time,” said Bernard Arnault, president of the fashion house, recalling this collaboration in a book named after the exhibition and published in 2019.
Pierre’s mother Princess Caroline wore Dior in her marriage to her first husband Phillippe Junot, while Princess Stephanie, Pierre’s aunt, worked as an intern to Marc Bohan in the 1980’s, further cementing the bond between the houses of Grimaldi and Dior.
Pierre Casiraghi is known for his ability to elegantly don a tuxedo for myriad charity events, though he is equally at home in t-shirts and shorts whilst manning sailing yachts. This versatility makes him an ideal brand ambassador, seen as  both accessible and regal all at once.
34-year-old Casiraghi is eighth in line to the throne of the Principality and is also a philanthropist, businessman and an accomplished sailor, acting as skipper of the Monaco Yacht Club’s Team Malizia. He is the son of Princess Caroline and Stefano Casiraghi, who was tragically killed in a speedboat accident when he was just three years of age. He is majority shareholder in the construction company founded by his father, Engeco.
This is not the first time Casiraghi has been selected as a brand ambassador. In 2013, he was photographed in a series of pictures by Jean-Baptiste Mondino for luxury shoemaker Berluti.
Now, he joins his wife Beatrice Borromeo as ambassador for French fashion house Dior, a title she was given in February of this year.
 
 
By Stephanie Horsman and Cassandra Tanti, photo Brett Lloyd, courtesy of Dior
 
 
 

Dominant Roca team bounce back against Dijon

by: Luke Entwistle
19/10/2021

AS Monaco Basketball managed to arrest their slide in form to register an impressive victory against Dijon in the Euroleague. Having lost in their previous two fixtures, both against Spanish opposition, a 93-73 victory for Zvezdan Mitrovic’s men got their season back on track.
The Roca team started the Euroleague season strongly, winning their opening two matches. However, Barcelona subjected them to their second consecutive defeat on Friday, after Real Madrid had humbled them just days before.
The Roca team’s loss on Friday came in dramatic circumstances, with Barcelona ultimately securing victory in overtime, when Monaco had been leading with only seconds on the clock.
Barcelona dominated in overtime and took the win 81- 85, largely thanks to an imperious display from Brandon Davies, who led his side with 27 points.
The Roca team returned to the Salle Gaston Médecin on Sunday with a determination to return to winning ways. Despite the importance of the fixture, Mike James, Monaco’s leading points scorer in the defeat to Barcelona, was rested.
In his absence, the rest of the squad stepped-up as the Roca team made a blistering start, taking the first quarter 23-18. Monaco weren’t content in simply consolidating their first-quarter domination, but sought to build upon it in the second. Taking the second-quarter 29-13, Monaco went in with an almost unassailable 52-31 lead at half-time.
For all of their dominance in the first-half, Monaco were in danger of throwing it away after a complacent first five minutes of the third quarter in which they failed to register a point. A comeback of sorts limited the damage, but Dijon still took the quarter 16-23.
If Monaco looked complacent in the third-quarter, they were anything but in the final. The Roca team reasserted their dominance, and with the help of Donatas Motiejunas, took the final quarter 25-19.
Motiejunas finished the game as Monaco’s leading point scorer with 16 points, and the 93-73 victory gives the Roca team elevates them to 10th position in the Euroleague table.
Mitrovic was impressed with his team’s performance, especially the way in which they started the match, saying: “The key was to start well and to conserve our lead… It is a good conclusion to an incredible week after all of these big matches, against a Dijon team for whom we have a lot of respect.”
Mitrovic will be hoping that this rampant victory against a strong side, will give them impetus for their next match – away at Baskonia this Friday.
 
 
Photo source: AS Monaco Basketball
 
 

Rampoldi celebrates 75 years with huge birthday bash

by: Cassandra Tanti
18/10/2021

Prince Albert joined in the 75th anniversary celebrations of Rampoldi on the weekend, one of the Principality’s oldest restaurants and “a part of Monaco’s history”.

For three quarters of a century, Rampoldi has been an emblem of Monte-Carlo’s fascinating lifestyle, welcoming the Princely family and Monegasque personalities into its warm embrace.

Since 2016, Chef Antonio Salvatore has been at the helm, keeping this Monegasque institution on its path of producing fresh, Italian cuisine using iconic produce from southern Italy and scents of the Mediterranean.

On Saturday 16th October, guests were invited to celebrate the important milestone with Chef Salvatore and his team. The gold-speckled champagne flowed as the chef welcomed Prince Albert to the celebration, presenting him with a copy of the Rampoldi book published in commemoration of the restaurant’s 75 years.

Prince Albert thanked the crowd for “celebrating this wonderful place that is a part of Monaco’s history.”

Chef Antonio Salvatore presents Prince Albert with the book commemorating 75 years of Rampoldi during Saturday night’s celebrations, photo by Monaco Life

With its Carrara marble, Murano lighting, crystal chandeliers and mirrored arches, Rampoldi has “just the right amount of Monegasque bling-bling”, according to the coveted Michelin Guide.

In 2021, La Table d’Antonio Salvatore, located underneath Rampoldi, was awarded its first Michelin star just a year after opening, marking a new chapter in the restaurant’s history.

Top photo by Monaco Life 

Interview: The artful eye of Sabrina Monteleone-Oeino

by: Cassandra Tanti
18/10/2021

A flair for fabric surely courses through the veins of Sabrina Monteleone-Oeino, the founder and CEO of Sabrina Monte Carlo… her mother was a seamstress and her father a tailor.  

Founded in 1999, Sabrina Monte-Carlo is the go-to interior design studio for anyone (or yacht) looking to add a touch of ‘je ne sais quoi’ to their interior or outside spaces. The company has three showrooms in Monaco and another at Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat which had a brand new makeover in May this year. Each offers a selection of luxury furniture, fabrics, tableware and accessories and are the kind of places design devotees might hope to go when they die. Sabrina Monte-Carlo was founded by Monteloene Oeino in 1999.

A purebred Monégasque, Sabrina Monteleone-Oeino studied fashion and business and began a retail career selling luxury clothing brands such as Burberry, Alberta Ferretti and Valentino here in Monaco.

She then branched out into selling outdoor furniture and that move is where her artful eye and talent for design began to bear fruit. She says, “I always enjoyed the world of interior design and when I looked at the outdoor furniture on terraces, at villas or on board yachts, I thought it looked very basic. So, I started selling a range of outdoor furniture and moved on from there to interiors selling fabric, table decoration and now children’s furniture since November 2020.” So, she started outside and then went in. The range spans the length and breadth of every corner of home or garden.

Says Monteleone, ‘When we opened the kids boutiques last year our customers loved them. It gave them a chance to escape into the make-believe after a difficult year. In fact, we have been decorating and furnishing nurseries for some time but only our customers who asked us to create children’s rooms knew about it. It’s a niche market in furniture and there are not many boutiques that do it. Much of our furniture is custom made and created in our workshops.’

Photo by Yvan Grubski

Inspiration comes from the design team’s imagination: steamship desks, dolls house wardrobes, little drawing tables. She adds, “We’ve also created a collection of custom designed headboards for beds, things like princess castles, helicopters or fire-engines. The headboards are best sellers, not many people do them.”

Sabrina Monteleone-Oeino is also well known for her talent in styling deck areas and yacht interiors, and she has notched around 150 yacht interiors including the likes of Kismet, Silver Fast, and the 70m Skat. The style and taste of the work she does onboard the boats depend, of course, on the owners’ tastes, and are all very different she explains.

Sabrina Monte-Carlo helped create the laid back Mediterranean atmosphere on board the recently launched 60m MY Cloud 9 with a spray of colourful cushions, coral sculptures and Lalique vases on the main deck.

Photo by Yvan Grubski

The company also selected and designed the outdoor theme and furniture at the Gala for Planetary Health 2021, memorably attended by Sharon Stone in that perfect puff of purple. 

Says Monteleone-Oeino, “I am so into really light tones at the moment, like ‘off-white’, ‘plaster’, or ‘bone’ combined with really cosy, warm fabrics. I would say my favourite design style is contemporary/cosy with a touch of colour and beautiful artwork.”

And her favourite design period? “I adore the 60’s. The ‘pop’ colours and wallpaper patterns. I am also using a lot of fabrics with flower and parasol patterns at the moment. Right now, we are really into designing games rooms in private residences – that’s where we can really let our imagination take hold and create fabulous worlds of fantasy.” 

The 30-strong team of Sabrina Monte-Carlo has evolved into very much a family affair: Sabrina’s sister Sophie heads up the interior design crew and her two daughters, Manola and Carla, are respectively interior and graphic designers.  

For readers who feel somewhat lacking in the art of bringing glamour to a table, or into every possible corner of the home, Monteleone-Oeino gives the following advice: “You need to create a story. Accessorise, for example, your table with napkin rings, vases and ornaments all based on a particular theme.”

She recommends a common thread, a harmony, to the story you are creating. “Add touches of colour, artworks, beautiful fabrics, plants, flowers – add life!”

 

 

Top photo by Guillaume Plisson 

 

 

 

Nice Carnival roaring back to life in 2022

by: Stephanie Horsman
18/10/2021

After a year-long postponement due to the global pandemic, the Nice Carnival will be back in 2022 under the theme ‘King of the Animals’, with the promise of more of just about everything.

Covid may have wrecked last year’s party, but this coming year the fun is returning. The Nice Carnival has announced its February line up which will include some fun new features and all of the old favourites.

Under the theme ‘King of the Animals’, the event will take place from 11th to 27th February, just in time to kick away any late winter blues.

Preparations are already well underway, the extra year giving organisers plenty of time to pull out all the stops. There is even a chance for a sneak peek at the carnival’s workshops where the festival plans are well underway.

New for this year there will be an election of counts and countesses to complement the king and queen, a series of masterclasses that give the public a chance to learn about the behind-the-scenes machinations as well as the history of the carnival, and guests in the form of the Belgian Carnival for added entertainment.

Traditionalists need not worry as all the classic aspects will be returning as well, such as the flower battles, the crowning of the king and queen and the lighted parades. Additionally, for those who want to take home a bit of Nice Carnival history, a website is under construction to sell old carnival heads.

The designers have been working on the floats for months already and a few of the treats in store have been revealed. There will be penguins lounging on a Venetian gondola, cute for sure, but also a nod to climate change. They are currently working on the moving parts which will transform them into moveable creatures, and the workers say they are on track for February.

The schedule of events will include an hour-long opening ceremony, free to all, starting at 6:30pm in Place Massena. This kick-off to the 149th edition will feature the king and queen, flower strewn floats, the carnival’s herald, standard bearers, musical entertainment, dance troupes, special guests and a sound and light show.

There will be a carnival village set up for the duration of the event in the Jardin Albert I which will host entertainment, gourmet stands, conferences and shows as well as the ticket office. The Théâtre de Verdure will also host shows throughout the festival for added amusements.

Before each parade, the public will be able to get a closer look at the floats near Place Massena, where they will be exhibited and additional grandstands will be set up along the Avenue de Verdun.

The illuminated promenades will start at a more kid-friendly 8pm rather than 9pm, and will run for roughly 90 minutes.

Flower battles, always a big draw at the carnival, will be set up in the middle of Place Massena and, for the first time ever, all the flowered floats will participate in the Grand Corso on the evening of 12th February.

The spectacle ends on the 27th where the public are invited to come see the king’s cremation. This is always a popular event and will be in conjunction with a party in the streets open to all.  

Nice Carnival attracts more than 200,000 visitors and is one of the biggest events the city puts on each year.

 
 

 Photo by Syl Lerou Henaff – 2019

 
 
 

AS Monaco's unbeaten run halted at Lyon

by: Luke Entwistle
18/10/2021

AS Monaco have succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, bringing an end to a month-long unbeaten run in all competitions. The defeat also dealt a heavy blow to ASM’s Champions League ambitions, with Lyon, a fellow contender for the European places, moving above them in the table.
ASM went into the game in strong form, having won their previous three Ligue 1 matches in emphatic style. This, however, was a much more difficult challenge and Lyon, buoyed by a raucous home crowd, started the game strong.
Lyon dominated possession and territory early on without creating any chances of note. However, by midway through the first-half, ASM were under the cosh, with Lyon fashioning opportunities at will.
Toko Ekambi, who netted twice in last season’s fixture, forced Nübel into two good saves, the second save a spectacular dive across the goal to prevent the ball nestling into the corner.
As the half progressed, the absence of the suspended Tchouaméni became more and more apparent. Fofana, brought in for the press-resistant Tchouaméni, was caught in possession close to his own goal, leading to a glorious opportunity for Aouar who, unpressured within the box, could only place wide.
ASM, who failed to muster any clear-cut chances, were lucky to go into half-time level. However, Nico Kovac’s side started the second-half much stronger, managing to exert sustained pressure on the Lyon goal.
Gedson Martins forced Pollerbeck in the Lyon goal into a smart save, as he got down low to his right to force the shot around the post, when it looked destined for the corner.
The introduction of Lucas Paqueta for Lyon turned out to be the decisive moment of the game. His presence in the midfield provided Lyon with a cutting edge, and only moments later, they had a glorious chance to open the scoring.
Lyon captain Dubois, felled in the box by a strong challenge by ASM defender Disasi, was awarded a penalty. Toko Ekambi, Monaco’s nemesis in last season’s fixture, sent Nübel the wrong way to put Lyon in front.
The victory was assured by Denayer in the 90th minute, slotting into an empty net after Emerson, who had received the ball from an audacious Paqueta no-look pass, played the ball across the face of goal.
Kovac struck a determined tone in the post-match conference, saying, “We lost tonight, but life goes on… in the last six games we have had a series of positive results. We will get back up and continue to progress.”
Kovac will hope that his side bounce back strongly in their upcoming mid-week clash away to PSV in the Europa League.
 
 
Photo source: AS Monaco Football Club