Silvia Damiani steps into the newly renovated boutique in Dubai Mall, wearing a Belle Époque masterpiece necklace. The vice president of Damiani Group is returning to a familiar place. The occasion is special – a celebration led by the Damiani family and attended by guest of honour Jessica Chastain, who is the house’s global brand ambassador and someone who embodies its values. “What I love about her is that she has her own personal elegance, is talented, intelligent and incredibly sensible. She’s an ambitious working woman and a very good mother. Being married to an Italian, she also understands our culture,” Silvia says while talking about the actress.
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele in Valenza hometown of the Damiani family
The newly renovated boutique feels more like a private home rather than a showroom. “We were very attached to our store’s original concept. But after more than 20 years we thought of changing it and integrating lighter colours. It’s a place where we display jewellery, but we wanted to give it a homey feeling,” Silvia explains. “The new space features simpler vitrines with a display that enables visitors to concentrate more on what they’re looking for, but at the same time enjoy the flow,” she continues. The VIP room is the highlight. It is built around discretion, especially in a region where privacy is part of the luxury language. “While buying jewellery, it is very important to have some privacy. We want this especially for our important customers from the Gulf,” reveals Silvia. The boutique is built around warmth and respect and a very specific kind of Italian excellence, one that extends beyond jewellery to craft and decor. “The concept is the same that we started to develop globally,” Silvia says while explaining the decor language across the boutiques. From the white/gold Calacatta marble for the flooring and columns to Rubelli’s beige Gong Wall and gold-coloured Eldorado Wall and Dedar’s Splendido Splendente interior fabrics for seating, every detail pays tribute to the maison’s quintessential Italian origins.