It’s not enough today to have a beachfront location, caviar-topped churros, and rosé all day. It’s not even enough to have a DJ who knows his way around a turntable and can create the vibe for a perfect beach day. Nowadays, you have to have a top fashion house design your beach club. Who knew that Dior designed beach loungers, and Missoni did umbrellas? Well, they do, as do a slew of other fashion designers who created this year’s top beach clubs around the world.
The Beach Club: Dior at NAMMOS
The Location: The Four Seasons Jumeirah, Dubai
The sister of the celebrity-famous beach club in Mykonos, NAMMOS Jumeirah brings a Mediterranean vibe to the bigger-is-better city of Dubai. Naturally, this designer beach club set up shop right where all the famous people party. Between late October and March 2022, guests had the opportunity to shop Dior’s Dioriviera collection alongside their exclusive redesign of the beach club sun loungers and umbrellas. The pop-up shop took place inside two large 3D printed cylindrical installations made from recycled materials, which showcased Men’s and Women’s resort collections, as well as the famous Dior bags and jewelry.
The Beach Club: Gucci at Loulou Ramatuelle Beach Club
The Location: Plage de Pampelonne, France
Do you know what pairs well with a Michelin-starred chef? Gucci. And its designer beach club. Because after what’s left of the truffle pizza gets cleared away, it’s time to dance on the tables. Guests of Loulou’s dress appropriately to go from sun lounging to partying, and nowhere outfits anyone better than Gucci resort wear. Plus, Gucci’s decorated umbrellas and sun loungers are really fun to match with for that Instagram pic. Until September 2023, Gucci’s Summer Stories collection, and a specially designed collection inspired by St. Tropez, can be found at Loulou. The famous Gucci logo adorns stunning woven bags, espadrilles, polo tees, and 50’s inspired hats and wraps.
The Beach Club: Dolce and Gabbana at Ortea Palace
The Location: Syracuse, Italy
D&G has multiple popups at beach clubs around Europe, but none so spectacular as their hotel popup at Ortea Palace last year. The hotel’s glamorous Sicilian ambiance caters well to a luxury store, as a rooftop restaurant and private beach provide ample opportunity to make a statement with one’s outfit. Dolce and Gabbana also held their Haute Couture catwalk at the hotel in July which had celebrities like J-Lo and Beyonce in attendance. While this year’s popups are doing what the others are — redecorating the beachfront — the Ortea Palace popup brought the drama of fashion-centered events that communicated the message of the Sicilian brand. Designer beach clubs demonstrate how summer spots are becoming more than just places to lounge and party.
The Beach Club: Dior at Ember Beach Club at One&Only Desaru
The Location: Johor, Malaysia
Dior in Dubai is cool, but in order to get to Ember Beach Club in Malaysia, Dior will have you ride aboard a Dior-branded ferry. Upon arrival, a luxury car takes guests to the Dior café, where a French-Mediterranean menu specially designed for Dioriviera gets served. Circling the café is Dior’s collection of pattern-adorned chairs and cushions. And the centerpiece is the boutique designed to look like a sand castle with shapely animals and trees molded into the walls outside, in and around the clothing and jewelry collections. It’s a designer beach club with an immersive edge. And in addition to the sun loungers, Dior has also branded table tennis, mahjong, and other games. Ember Beach Club is known for creating a fun vibe with as many water sports as menu options. From June to August, Dior takes advantage of this incredible place and creates a whole lifestyle.
The Beach Club: Valentino at Palazzo Avino
The Location: Amalfi Coast, Italy
At Palazzo Avino, Valentino leans into homeware, transforming the beach club into their iconic red. Everything down to the club’s speedboat interiors boasts a recognizable hue. At the resort, a boutique displaying the Escape collection has all the Valentino caftans and summer dresses one could ask for. Palazzo Avino makes for the perfect location to hold a popup, as well, as the hotel resides within a 12th-century private villa. With Valentino’s Italian tradition, the Neopolitan vibe blends perfectly with Rossellini’s, the Michelin-starred restaurant, to the heated pool. While brands like Dior are going big with futuristic installations, Valentino remembers an era of luxury for the Dukes and Duchesses of the world.
