The stars are abroad! And if you too are venturing to a European spot known for its August influx of the one per cent — from Palermo (Dua Lipa) to Mallorca (Hailey Bieber) and Ibiza (everyone else) — it’s essential to differentiate yourself from the tourists; certainly if you want to get invited onto a yacht for after-dinner dancing, anyway.
Henry Conway, socialite, writer and not a shy holidayer, offers some soothing words of advice. “Always be prepared. It’s essential to bring enough formal clothes, lovely dresses if you’re a girl, a good jacket and stiff collar if you’re a boy. You’ll inevitably end up going to swanky dinners, and I tend to travel with something that can be turned into black tie, as you just don’t know what will happen on a trip — certainly if you’re rubbing shoulders with the international elite.”
And as for the house rules, “always put on a shirt for lunch — we’re not animals”, he says. “Use kaftans to make it flow and don’t forget jewellery — huge jewellery! Be Liz Taylor. Massive bangles. Gigantic rocks. This is your moment to be really outré!” You don’t want to miss it. Here is how summer’s best dressed celebrities are navigating the seas this summer. Do take notes.
How to dress on a superyacht
Do not: Stand at the port waving like a madman, before making the crew (and boat owners/renters) sob as you march on board with black-soled shoes (you’ll mark the freshly polished floor) or a hard, wheeled Rimowa. The LVMH-owned, super-expensive suitcase brand is not the flex you think it is at sea. The wheels will ruin the wood; the hard sides certainly leave their mark on the walls. Stick to soft — preferably buttery leather — duffles.
Do: Follow Naomi Campbell and Janelle Monáe’s lead, as they boarded the epic Luminara, the newest ultra-luxury superyacht from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, in July (alongside Tom Brady, Sofía Vergara and Kendall Jenner). Monáe opted for barefoot (preferable) while Campbell slipped on calfskin Hermès Oran sandals (£610, hermes.com), which you can get away with. Also hunt for standout bikinis that make for conversation starters and please the eyes of your hosts: Dua Lipa, who flaunted a spaghetti strap, glittering leopard-print two-piece from Oséree (where bikinis start at £97, oseree.com) while on board the Goldfinger yacht, should work for your mood board. Note she polished this all off with two asymmetric, gold Elsa Peretti bone cuffs from Tiffany. If more-is-more is not your style, follow Jackie Apostel (who has enjoyed jaunts around St Tropez on a £16 million boat with boyfriend Cruz Beckham and his family, sans Brooklyn), who has a penchant for summer blacks. Strappy gothic frocks from Simone Rocha (£495, libertylondon.com) and Marjolaine (£310, harrods.com) will see you sail by.
How to dress for Ibiza
Do not: Channel the viral “Ibiza Final Boss”, or the heavy logo, bright neon or slider looks that tend to frequent establishments run by Wayne Lineker. Doing Ibiza well is an art, and it starts with getting the tone of your garments right.
Do: Opt for IYKYK (if you know, you know) labels that the high-society Ibiza set will compliment you on, rather than double down on gauche luxury ones. The best place to start for that is the Annie’s Ibiza Old Town boutique, founded by Annie Doble in 2018. It plays host to the hottest designs beloved by Kate Moss, Margot Robbie, Cara Delevingne, Sienna Miller (name an It girl, they likely love Annie’s). Last week she hosted a summer party with Conner Ives, the London-based American designer behind the booming “Protect The Dolls” T-shirt (£75, connerives.com) and party piano shawl halter mini dresses (£1,595, anniesibiza.com). The pair welcomed Lady Lola Bute, Lila Moss and Liv Banks who proved naked, vintage chainmail dresses (Moss, pictured, wears 1920s Egyptian Black Diamond Mini Dress, £4,500, anniesibiza.com) and tousled blonde locks are still on trend on the party island, despite falling out of favour on the red carpet circuit. Also look for Bute and half-sister Jazzy De Lisser’s label Debute, De La Vali and Clio Peppiatt dresses in store if you want to turn heads during sundown at Jondal (followed by a late night at Amnesia).
How to dress for six-star hotels or private villas
Do not: Sit for lunch topless, or with cleavage bursting out onto the dining table. You’ll give any elderly guests a stroke and likely have to deal with uncomfortable eye contact from friends, guests, your father, etc. Also avoid wandering down for dinner in sun cream–soaked T-shirts, a towel, or flip flops. The owners of the villa have invited you to bring glamour and entertainment; it’s rude to spoil everyone else’s pictures at the hotel bar.
Do: Smart loafers from the likes of Tod’s (£550, tods.com) will do men well in evenings, especially in Italy, while a private villa is a great place to try out full stilettos again (if you missed the headlines, yes: high heels are back). You can simply take them off at any time. A pair from Jimmy Choo’s reissued archive collection is a fantastic idea (£775, mytheresa.com). Meanwhile, check for branded events or sponsored sunloungers at destination hotels — and why not have fun and lean in. The Standard Ibiza, which has been taken over by Burberry this summer, was graced by Jodie Turner-Smith in full nova check. Elsewhere, Dolce & Gabbana has taken over the Twiga beach club in Forte dei Marmi, Dior has the Jumeirah Capri Palace and Jacquemus has gone large at Monte-Carlo Beach Club. See you on the sunlounger.
