'Dubai Mall is the most important shopping destination in the world': Dolce & Gabbana Beauty chief executive

On Wednesday, Dolce & Gabbana unveiled its first stand-alone beauty boutique in the UAE, a gleaming white-and-gold jewel box in Dubai Mall.

Glittering and impossible to miss, the new space stands out across the concourse and signals the brand’s arrival in a new category with characteristic flourish. Gianluca Toniolo, chief executive of Dolce & Gabbana Beauty, explains the design simply: “Gold is the DNA of this region and of Dolce & Gabbana. We call it our jewel.”

The location, he notes, was a deliberate choice. “Dubai Mall is, I would say, the most important shopping destination in the world.” Filled with perfumes, make-up and the brand’s newly launched skincare, the golden boutique makes its intentions clear. “If you want to stand out, you need to play where the big brands are playing,” he adds. “This is why we created this unique jewel here.”

Dolce & Gabbana's beauty store in Dubai Mall is part of a their growth strategy for their beauty business, which was brought in-house four years ago. Photo: Dolce & Gabbana

The significance of the moment becomes even clearer an hour later when Stefano Gabbana himself arrives to cut the ribbon. At only 100 square metres, the store may be compact, but it has been crafted with care – private rooms at the back allow for make-up trials or perfume exploration in an indulgent, velvet-lined chamber kept intentionally colder to heighten the olfactory experience.

In the main area, an entire wall is devoted to a vast digital screen – a Middle East first – flanked by rows of fragrance bottles. The installation encourages clients to experiment with scent layering, an art long embraced in the region.

Sensors hidden in the velvet b