Visiting The Desert Oasis
In a whirlwind visit to the Middle East, Caroline Castigliano showcased three spectacular fashions shows over two days. We were invited, along with Jimmy Choo Couture, as VIP guests of the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts to present at their bridal events in the Middle East.
When doing fashion shows, there is no such thing as travelling light! We left London with 35 gowns packed in 15 large boxes. After a smooth eight hour flight from London on Oman Air, we safely landed at Muscat Airport in the Sultanate of Oman, to a warm and sunny 30 degrees.
The Oman landscape was fascinating. Majestic and jagged mountain ranges stretch out for miles against a crisp blue sky. And the views from our hotel rooms at the Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Muscat were breath-taking to say the least.
After hours of dress fittings and intense rehearsals, our models confidently strutted their stuff on the catwalk in two crowd pleasing shows. Then it was a mad rush to pack our gowns (and our models) in order to fly out to Dubai, bright and early the next morning.
As VIP guests arrived at the Shangri-La Hotel Dubai to the flashes of paparazzi, our models were being made up by experts from Bobbi Brown and hair set in rollers by the ladies at Carla K Styling.
Then it was lights, camera action! The show begins (again) with models gliding through the tables amongst excited guests mesmerised by the beautiful gowns. By midnight, everything was boxed up and ready to be loaded on a flight black to London Heathrow. It was indeed an amazing, whirlwind experience!
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