As the engines roar on the famous Monaco Grand Prix Circuit in May, another symphony of opulence unfolds in the shadows of the Principality’s glamorous skyline.
Here, amid the pulsating rhythm of the Formula One race, lies a parallel universe of indulgence and extravagance: the legendary parties that rival the race itself. In exclusive venues and aboard magnificent super yachts, Champagne flows like a river of liquid gold, DJs spin electrifying beats, and celebrities and formula one drivers mingle effortlessly with the public, their laughter and whispers adding to the intoxicating atmosphere.
For the past two years, there’s been a newcomer to the party scene… a pair of young French entrepreneurs, Hugo Dutheil and Adam Demarle, who are on a mission to curate over-the-top luxurious experiences at the Fairmont Hotel, bringing together some of the most influential players in the music world.
Lilly’s Club Co-Founder Adam Demarle tells us more about how to throw an extravagant party in the playground of the privileged.
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Monaco Life: Tell us what is happening at Lilly’s Club this year … who’s actually locked in to perform?
Adam Demarle: This year, Lilly’s Club Monaco is hosting, on the Thursday night, the Martinez Brothers, Rampa from Keinemusik on Friday night, and Peggy Gou on Saturday. Sunday, we have not announced yet.
This is the biggest lineup we have pulled out so far, so we are very proud of that. And there are many surprises coming, so stay tuned.
Tell us exactly where the idea for Lilly’s Club came from, because this is your third Monaco Grand Prix, is that right?
Yes, so basically we got approached by someone who works at the Fairmont to host like a restaurant that we had at the time in Paris during the Monaco GP. When we arrived and looked around the Fairmont Hotel, we didn’t feel that it was right for the restaurant but we saw they had this huge room and it was free to use for the Grand Prix. So, we said we wanted to produce a huge event there.
You guys are based in Paris, but this was an idea that was born in an unusual circumstance about 10 years ago with your co-founder Hugo. Tell us more about that…
We had just finished our baccalaureate and Hugo and I met just before producing our first event in the club my family owns in Paris, because they own a hospitality group in France, so we were around 18 years old, and it went great. Hugo went to London to work, but we still produced events between London and Paris, and now here we are.
What do you enjoy about organising events and hosting celebrity DJs like you are for the Monaco Grand Prix?
Hugo and I always said that we want to produce the kind of parties that we like to attend. We love traveling, we love what we do, and we just go around the world and out to restaurants, to cultural events, to Art Basel Fashion Week, stuff like that. Then we grow our ideas of how we want to do it. Monaco Grand Prix was perfect because we don’t want to just do a club, we want to do a cultural experience with many different aspects. And in Monaco, we have been able to have many partners to produce something that is more than a party in a club.
How do you get access to those A-list DJs and performers?
Around five or six years ago, I was working at the club I mentioned where Hugo and I did our first event, for four or five years. I started at the bottom and worked my way to the top, working with the artistic director of the luxury Casablanca brand. So I learned some great things from him. We produced huge parties, hosting celebrities for things like Paris Fashion Week. Meanwhile, Hugo was travelling London, and we met so many people and, like we always say, we want people who hang with us to have a great time. We make connections, they trust us and they call us.
Anybody who knows the Monaco Grand Prix knows that it is as famous and enjoyable for the parties as for the race itself. So, was that a drawcard for you? And how do you plan on standing out in place a like Monaco where there are so many incredible parties?
We came in just after Covid, so it was pretty quiet, but we had something to say; we were new with a new vision. I think we knew what we wanted to do, but obviously Monaco inspired us because it’s a beautiful country, it’s amazing, and the parties there are legendary. We would hear about these parties when we were younger. So it inspired us, and made us want to go to the top because every party in Monaco is amazing.
Obviously Monaco and the Monaco Grand Prix are synonymous with luxury and prestige. So, how are you incorporating those elements into Lilly’s Club?
That was the challenge. This year we partnered with huge brands like Baccarat, who are trusting us with their 260th anniversary. This year we have introduced Lilly’s Lounge by Baccarat. It will be another section of the club, just behind the VIPs, a little speakeasy-vibe bar with one of the 50 best bartenders in the world, caviar dishes by our partner Malakhoff Caviar, who supplies the caviar to Alain Ducasse restaurants. So, we have very high-end partners who will help bring the experience to another level.
How many people are you expecting? How many people can you fit in there?
We can fit around 1,000 people in the club, and around 30 in the speakeasy. So the Baccarat Lounge will be very exclusive.
You have Peggy Gou on Saturday – she is huge right now and partnering with some of the biggest names in the industry…
Yeah, it’s been quite a few years since we have been in touch with her team and we are finally able to bring her in, so we are very proud, it is going to be an amazing party.
Where do you go from here? Are there plans to take Lilly’s Club to other venues and other places throughout the world?
Of course. We always plan big for Lilly’s, and we want to go all around the world with it and follow all the big cultural events like Art Basel, Paris Fashion Week, etc. But obviously, if we go international, we want it to be as good as Monaco, we don’t want to propose something that isn’t amazing for our clients, so we will take our time.
Adam, you are of the younger generation, so what fresh new dynamic, if any, do you bring to events here in Monaco?
I think we bring a younger vision, and in working with brands like Baccarat – which is a 260-year brand – it balances out. We are able to modernise the way people party and this year we are going to have many surprise at Lilly’s Club. It will be like a festival, not just a club.
For tickets to Lilly’s Club, visit the website: https://lillysclub.com/event
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