The guests were taken to the al fresco setting of the fashion show by a short ride in a club cart through the lush gardens of the hotel. The beautiful people of the beau monde mingled at the pre-show cocktail reception.
The weather was pleasant and the backdrop of the brightly lit hotel
made for a glamorous setting. The sea shore a few meters away completed
the ambiance truly befitting a Valentino show.
At exactly 8.45 pm the show opened to about 700 guests including VIPs
and member of the media. That is when things went downhill. Firstly,
the noted Italian fashion maestro could not be at the show.
The collection on display seemed bland at best compared to the line he
had displayed in Dubai at a previous fashion show. It was either the
comparison to the Valentino show in Dubai or the astoundingly beautiful
setting of the Emirates Palace hotel or perhaps both, but the
collection at the ADFW somehow seemed pale considering the anticipation
it whipped up. Save for a couple of numbers, it largely lacked in
colour, sparkle and pizzazz, the hallmark of Valentino creations.
The lack of post-show organisation too left a bitter taste in the
mouth. The club carts that were to take guests back to the hotel
entrance for the after party were no where in sight. The large crowd of
guests and journalists was left in the lurch trying to find
transportation, many of whom finally gave up and decided to hoof it
back to the hotel lobby.
