The New Cavalli Club in Dubai

The designs of Roberto Cavalli embody sophistication, confidence, and worldliness.  They are a reflection of the designer’s lust for lavishness and the jet set lifestyle which he originally catered to in the 1960s and 70s.  If the success of Cavalli’s fashion designs is anything to go by, his latest ventures in the entertainment industry are sure to impress his most loyal of clients. 

“I want to enjoy everything I do,” Cavalli once remarked. “Everything has to bring me happiness, enthusiasm, life.”  In recent years, Cavalli has shared his enjoyment of life with others through countless ventures, lending his name to everything from vodka to cafés in Milan and Florence. Extravagance epitomizes the Roberto Cavalli brand, so it is only natural that his latest club has opened in the city that has become synonymous with excess: Dubai.

Among other attractions, Dubai is home to the Palm Islands; the tallest building in the world, the Burj Dubai; and the Burj Al Arab, the world’s first seven star hotel. Yet beneath its preened and glossy surface lies a crumbling economy that is prompting a mass exodus of (formerly) wealthy expatriates, raising doubts as to whether Cavalli’s extravagant concept of luxury will continue to remain relevant.

Club Cavalli opened at Dubai’s Fairmont Resort three weeks ago, showing promise of becoming a fixture on the international nightclub circuit.  The décor is in the trademark Cavalli style–complete with animal prints and Swarovski crystals–pieces of which (such as lamps and cutlery) are available for purchase within the on-site boutique, which also sells jewellery and gourmet food. If, as Cavalli asserts, “excess is success,” then it would seem that his brand has limitless potential. 

In the words of Josh Silver, Vice President of Public Relations at Hype Energy Drink, the club is “opulent, sexy, futuristic, and artistic. The first thing you notice when walking in is the dark tunnel sprinkled with purple lights that lead you up the stairs to this magnificent club. There is a wall of signature vodka bottles, all bearing Roberto Cavalli’s name, and if you want to see the real Roberto, just look up above the crowd to what looks like a mini flying saucer, but is actually his private table.”  Within this opulent oasis, it is easy to forget the dire economic troubles of reality, yet with few places hit quite as hard as Dubai, is it realistic to expect people to let loose and be merry?

Dubai’s frail economic health is a direct result of the incredible rate at which this metropolis expanded: foreseeing an inevitable shortage of oil which made the Emirates wealthy in the first place, officials concentrated on attracting international investors and tourists. Attractions such as the artificial Palm Islands were built to lure wealthy people from across the globe, and with laws obliging international developers to work with domestic counterparts, the plan to increase the flow of wealth into the region appeared flawless. Until the recession hit, that is. 

So what place does a venue like Club Cavalli have in this new, less extravagant Dubai? Is Roberto Cavalli demonstrating optimism about the future or simply denying reality? In this current recession, alcohol sales have increased as people look for quick and easy ways to disconnect, yet it is the smaller bars, and not the larger clubs (which rely heavily on table sales) that are reaping the profits. Is it wise to open a club of such proportions during a time when people are downsizing rather than upgrading? Perhaps it will simply cater to the super-rich, those lucky few who have remained relatively unaffected by the credit crunch. Yet should the club fail, it will serve to illustrate the reluctance of consumers to flaunt their wealth and of their changing attitudes that place discreetness at the centre of everything. 

Those who attended the exclusive Dubai opening described the Cavalli Club experience as an exciting preview of the future to come, but only time will tell whether it will indeed withstand the shaky economy and the evolving concept of luxury.