LuisaViaRoma’s Capri Gala: Leonardo Dicaprio had a secret yacht party, JLo went disco diva and Haim are the ultimate party guests.

Let me set the scene: you’re pulling up to the lavish island of Capri in a speedboat, a helicopter flies over you transporting valuable cargo - rumour has it that it’s either JLo or Leonardo Dicaprio - and all you can see for miles is a brigade of luxury super yachts. This was the introduction to Italian retail store LuisaViaRoma’s sixth annual gala with UNICEF, and boy did they pull out all the stops. 

The gala was kicked off by Jamie Foxx schmoozing the crowd. “If anyone needs a plus one, I am available,” he teases, complimenting women on their dresses as they swoon past the DJ decks. As the night proceeded (and the gargantuan bottles of Belvedere vodka dwindled) guests were treated to a number of performances as well as a a live auction of a variety of art pieces and one-of-a-kind luxury items and experiences presented by special guests, including Vanessa Hudgens, Haim and Carolina Kurkova. Sidenote: Haim were sat on the table next to us and were extremely nervous before presenting their auction slot. A drunk editor walked up to them with a bottle of Belvedere and insisted that they do shots to calm their nerves. The professionals that they are, they obliged but said that they’d wait until after going on stage.

In attendance were the likes of Spike Lee, Leonardo Dicaprio, Khaby Lame, Lara Stone, Sangiovanni, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ed Westwick and Ashley Park. The star of the event, however, was miss Jennifer Lopez who treated guests to a 45 minute set including a disco medley.

The event welcomed 1,000 guests from all over the world and the auction raised £8 million to support UNICEF’s work providing care and protection to vulnerable children across the globe. In particular, funds raised during this 2022 edition in Capri, will support UNICEF Emergency programs, with a focus on the Ukrainian and Syrian emergencies. “Thanks to LUISAVIAROMA for once again being by our side,” notes Paolo Rozera, Executive Director of UNICEF Italia. “Every year, UNICEF faces more and more emergencies and works to ensure not only a peaceful present but also a better future for every child. This is a great challenge that we can only overcome thanks to the contribution of those who choose to get involved with us, supporting our work and donating. These events are precious as they help keep the spotlight on emergencies and situations that we cannot forget and support children in need. Thank you everyone." 

All in all the event was a raging success and up until the flight home, I couldn’t have wished for anything more. That was until I found myself sat next to the husband of LVR’s CEO. He noticed I was wearing the wristband from the gala and asked me if I’d had fun. Upon asking him the same question, he told me that the gala was great but that the night before had been better. “There was a private yacht party, so I was feeling a bit fragile on the night of the gala.” There had been mutterings of a secret party on Leonardo Dicaprio’s yacht. “It wasn’t…Leo’s party was it?”. He smiled a mischievous smile. I could tell that a lot of fun had been had. “We had to put stickers on our phones. It was good fun. Leo wasn’t wearing a cap, he was a lot more relaxed.” I asked him if he had managed to take any sneaky photos. He showed me a photograph that he had taken of the yacht exterior as he was leaving. Yes, it had a helipad. 

“Capri truly is,” as Andrea Panconesi told me the day before the gala, “La Dolce Vita.”