Their niece, Camille Gottlieb, also attended the annual event.
Click on the gallery for more images of the 2022 Red Cross Gala. Photos by Pierre Villard/Monte Carlo Société des Bains de Mer…
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene have welcomed guests to the Palace to celebrate and showcase a new jewellery collection by Van Cleef and Arpels in support of the Princess Grace Foundation USA.
The new creations, inspired by Princess Grace, were unveiled on 14th July, the same day the pieces became exclusively available in three boutiques in Monaco, Cannes, and Place Vendôme in Paris.
The new Van Cleef and Arpels collection features a Vintage Alhambra long necklace, a pendant, and a bracelet.
“With each piece of jewellery, the warmth of yellow gold unites with the iridescence of gold mother-of-pearl and the sparkle of diamonds. The reflections multiply from one motif to another, giving rise to creations imbued with a sunny elegance,” says the jeweller of its new collection.
The pieces will only be available for 18 months with a portion of the profits to be donated to the Princess Grace Foundation USA.
“In keeping with the organisation’s commitment to emerging artists, Van Cleef and Arpels reaffirms its dedication to the arts and to Grace Kelly’s majestic legacy,” said the company.
“Two years ago the Princess Grace Foundation USA launched Grace Influential with the goal of ensuring new generations continue to be inspired by Princess Grace’s ongoing influence and impact,” Brisa Carleton, CEO of the Princess Grace Foundation USA, told Monaco Life. “One of our proudest collaborations as part of this new initiative is our partnership with Van Cleef and Arpels. It’s been a privilege to work with such an iconic company and one that has such close personal history with Princess Grace and Monaco. We are delighted that proceeds from this exclusive collection will go directly toward continuing Princess Grace’s legacy supporting emerging artists in theatre, dance and film.”
Grace Kelly had an affection for the maison when she lived in the United States. In 1956, Prince Rainier III gave her a pearl and diamond set from Van Cleef & Arpels as a wedding present, which she kept for the rest of her life. The following year, as a result of that commission, Van Cleef and Arpels became the Official Supplier to the Principality of Monaco.
Princess Grace expanded her personal collection over the years with high jewellery creations, such as the diamond and sapphire Daisy clip (1956), as well as jewels she wore on a daily basis, including animal clips from the ‘La Boutique’ collection and various Alhambra long necklaces.
“Whether in yellow gold, white mother-of-pearl, onyx or malachite, this iconic creation adorned the elegant princess on various occasions in her public and private life,” reveals the house. “
“Today, the Maison maintains its relationship with the Principality of Monaco through prestigious commissions such as the Océan necklace, which can be transformed into a tiara; a gift from Prince Albert to his wife, Princess Charlene,” it added.
The Princess Grace Foundation USA is dedicated to honouring the legacy of Princess Grace of Monaco. Her commitment to advance the arts in the United States is sustained by the Princess Grace Award which supports and elevates extraordinary early career artists in theatre, dance and film through game-changing grants, and nurtures and supports Princess Grace Award winners throughout their careers.
Top photo by Eric Mathon/Prince’s Palace
Photographers are once again being encouraged to submit their photos for the RAMOGE – Man of the Sea competition, highlighting the relationship between human activity and the Mediterranean sea, in all their positive and negative dimensions.
‘RAMOGE – Man of the Sea’ (L’Homme et la Mer) international photography competition is on now until 30th September 2022, under the auspices of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP).
This year, it features an internationally renowned jury, composed of Riccardo Busi (President of FIAP), Greg Lecoeur (Nature Photographer of the Year – National Geographic, 2016), and Sergio Pitamitz (Environmental Photojournalist of the Year – NPPA, 2016).
As part of its awareness-raising activities, the RAMOGE Agreement invites all lovers of the sea and photography to highlight in their photos the relationship between human activities and the Mediterranean in its multiple aspects.
The ‘RAMOGE – L’Homme et la Mer’ competition is divided into three categories for adults: Free theme, L’Homme et la Mer, and RAMOGE Zone, as well as a category dedicated to young people aged under 21. The competition is free and open to all.
To participate, simply register and upload your photos on the RAMOGE website: https://ramoge.org/concours-photos/.
The RAMOGE Agreement is a scientific, technical and administrative cooperation tool between the French, Monegasque and Italian governments for the protection and conservation of the marine environment in the area of sea stretching from Marseille (France) to La Spezia (Italy). Since 1976, the RAMOGE Agreement has been organising awareness-raising initiatives targeting citizens and tourists on key environmental issues concerning the Mediterranean Sea, and is the promoter of this photo contest.
Photo of 2021 3rd place winner of the the ‘Man and the Sea’ category: “Pirate Slurp” by Giannicola Marello.
You don’t have to be a shoe lover to appreciate the brilliance of the Grimaldi Forum’s new summer exhibition. Every inch of the enormous space has been used to transport visitors on a fantastical journey through the mind, and extraordinarily creative career, of the world’s most famous shoe designer, Christian Louboutin.
After the first edition at the Palais de la Porte Dorée in Paris in 2020, ‘Christian Louboutin: L’Exhibition(iste), Chapter II’ opened to the public on Saturday 9th July at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco. The exhibition, redesigned by curator Olivier Gabet, Director of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, is devoted to the work and imagination of Christian Louboutin, a shoe designer and key figure in the world of fashion. It is based around themes that reveal Louboutin’s eclecticism – couture, travel, the extremes of fantasy and innovation.
It is a fun and sophisticated odyssey through 30 years of prolific creativity, a journey in which emotion and expertise intermingle with his love for performance and a sense of humour.
But chapter two of this artistic venture goes one step further in Monaco. Louboutin the designer becomes Louboutin the curator as he showcases carefully selected art works and sculptures, and reveals his friendship with artists.
The journey begins in a room bathed in red, before moving onto a church-like space showcasing where it all began for Christian Louboutin. The black room, highlighted by incredible, large stained-glass windows specially designed by Louboutin, features the first shoes that he ever designed and made himself – ingenious, humorous shoes that reveal the boldness of those initial stages of his creative career, and that won clients over at Louboutin’s first boutique in Paris, from Madonna to Princess Caroline of Monaco.
In inventing the red sole, Christian Louboutin found his signature that was to be recognised the world over.
Then, from room to room, visitors are taken on an elaborate journey through the artistic mind of the designer; they are given the opportunity to witness his most iconic creations, chosen from a corpus which today constitutes thousands of designs – some one-offs, others templates for series that would continue for decades.
One room is a veritable treasure chamber, the circular space evoking a catacomb where the designer – who is still very much alive – becomes a deity, immortalised and revered, and sent to the gods surrounded by gold, silver, and his iconic creations. Is the blood splattered cavity with an apocalyptic pair of men’s golden Louboutins a clue as to how he came to his demise?
The journey moves from genius imagination to fantastical reality, where whimsical videos feature a mini-Christian Louboutin following the process of handmade shoe making, before it reaches a charming old granny’s house in a typical British street, in which the knick knacks, upon close inspection, reveal works of photographer Pierre Moliniere (1900-1976), who used to transform himself into a hypersexualised woman.
“This audacious ‘period room’ shows how much the ideas we have about shoes are shaped by projections and suggestions that are often a long way from reality, and sometimes more obvious,” we are told in one of the written guides that accompany each room.
The exhibition also reveals Louboutin’s love of music and dance, which he has had from an early age, being a child of the famous Paris nightclub Le Palace. A large number of pieces related to this domain have been brought together within a theatre set that has been specially created by Bhutanese artists in the grounds of the royal palace in Thimphu, including carved wooden elements that Louboutin devised in collaboration with the artisans.
The “imaginary museum” is a personal tribute to the artists and artworks that have been Christian Louboutin’s constant companions since his teenage years, serving as the inspiration for his eclecticism, from queer culture and Gandharan art, to photography and contemporary African art.
The tour ends as it began – a Pop Corridor bathed in red, a “passageway between two worlds”, where portraits of celebrities in music and cinema intertwine with magazine covers, extracts from television shows and social media posts, each serving as a reminder of how much Christian Louboutin’s work has been embraced by the talents of our time, all making his name legendary in contemporary design and fashion culture.
Christian Louboutin: L’Exhibition(iste) is open at the Grimaldi Forum until 28th August.
Click on the gallery below for more pictures of Christian Louboutin: L’Exhibition(iste)…
Photos by Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life…
Princess Charlene gave tourists to the Palace a thrill as she stopped to chat and take photos with them on Wednesday, a lovely gesture that will create a lifetime memory for those she met.
Prince Albert joined Monaco Ambassadors Club members for a summer party with Bohemian vibes at La Vigie Lounge and Restaurant on Wednesday, reaffirming the event as a highlight on the club’s busy social calendar.
As the fresh sea breezes drifted in from the Mediterranean, members and guests of the Monaco Ambassadors Club (MAC) gathered on Wednesday 6th July at the farthest end of the Principality for one of the biggest parties of the year. The event was organised by the staff of the Monaco Ambassadors Club including General Secretary Alessandra Sparaco, Club Manager Catherine Bernaz, and Event Manager Manon Delpont.
Rattan rugs, wicker chairs, and a sea of pink flowers set the boho scene for guests, who also dressed in theme for the joyful occasion.
It was a packed house as guests mingled and networked over cocktails before heading to their tables to enjoy a sprawling buffet dinner prepared by the chefs at La Vigie Restaurant.
Prince Albert was presented with a box of Ortigia products by Ben Ashworth, Brand Director at Ortigia, and Benedetta Bizzini from Ortigia retailer Eleven Monte-Carlo. The luxurious Italian soap and fragrance company also gifted guests with their own Ortigia goodie bags. The company’s stunning silk kaftans were worn by the night’s models and hostesses.
Figuière was also a sponsor of the summer party, allowing guests to enjoy their trio of Cuvée Premiere wines for the evening. Figuière is a family-owned Domaine located in the French Riviera and has been producing organic wine for almost 40 years. Château owner Magali Combard joined in the festivities of the night.
A DJ set the party ambiance as guests danced late into the night.
The Monaco Ambassadors Club was created in 1973 under the direction of Princess Grace, and Prince Albert II of Monaco is now its Honorary President. The club has enjoyed a renewal in recent years, organizing a series of events and galas throughout the year.
The club has a network of exclusive members who share a common belief in l’art de vivre (the art of living), and new members are always encouraged to join and be a part of this exciting and dynamic community.
The next event on the calendar is an Evening Cocktail at the Wine Palace in October, combing business and art, followed by Thanksgiving dinner in November.
See more images from the MAC Summer Party below…
SEE ALSO:
PHOTOS: JOHN CHRISTODOULOU AWARDED GOODWILL AMBASSADOR 2022
Top photo: Prince Albert surrounded by the MAC Board of Directors and executive MAC team, by YG courtesy MAC
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