For its very first winter edition the event was held in the iconic EDEN ROCK of ST. BARTH, the unforgettable night featured a cocktail reception, a gala dinner and a live auction of exclusive items, artwork and experiences conducted by Michael Macaulay of Sotheby’s.
International celebrities, philanthropists and notable guests from all over the world attended the night and helped raise more than 4 million euros to support UNICEF’s work in providing care and protection to vulnerable children across the globe.
The event was hosted by Luisa Panconesi, President of LuisaViaRoma’s Event Committee, Kieran O’Brien UNICEF Global philanthropy, Tommaso Chiabra Fundraising Chairman UNICEF Italia, and the event’s Founding Partner, the London-based skincare company Augustinus Bader.
Unforgettable highlights of the event included a special performance by multiple Grammy-winning artist DUA LIPA as well as a live auction conducted by Michael Macaulay of Sotheby’s.
The attendance of notable guests made the evening even more special, amongst them: Leonardo DiCaprio, Dylan Penn, Izabel Goulart, Frida Aasen, Nina Agdal, Daniel Arsham, Dania Che, Jordan Barrett, Ernesto Bertarelli, Danielle Bernstein, Suede Brooks, Elen Capri, Hana Cross, Vanessa Fuchs, Marco Glaviano, Ophélie Guillermand, Michael Kagan, Valery Kaufman, Bianca Klamt, Kygo, German Larkin, Christophe Le Friant, Kailand Morris, Chantal Monaghan, Alec Monopoly, Valeria Nicov, Jenaye Noah, Andrea Panconesi, Annagreta Panconesi, Charles Rosier (CEO and co-founder of Augustinus Bader), Etienne Russo, Bob Sinclar, Antoine Verglas, Kasey Wamsher, David and Togzhan Wertheimer, Gabrielle Westbrook-Patrick, Domingo Zapata and more.
The night continued with a live auction with a variety of art pieces and one-of-a-kind luxury items and experiences, many of which were introduced by the celebrities in the room. Highlights of the auction included an incredible collection of signed instruments from some of the greatest icons in Rock and Roll history presented by Elvis Presley’s Harley Davidson, and an original painting from the “Mona Lisa” series by artist Domingo Zapata.
In support of the charity gala dinner, the Modenese atelier ARES gave the organizers three handcrafted vehicles for its auction. Guests bid for a Special Edition S1 Biposto supercar, which has been expressly designed for the occasion, a Land Rover Defender Spec 1.5 Cabriolet and a matching ARES Scrambler motorbike.
In past editions, LuisaViaRoma helped raise an astonishing total of 13 million Euros to support UNICEF’s programs in helping to make every child count.
“After four years of collaborating with UNICEF Italy, I am honoured to inaugurate the first LUISAVIAROMA for UNICEF Winter Gala on the gorgeous island of St. Barth. Our commitments, perseverance and efforts have shown that our union is strong and that we can achieve amazing results. We have been collaborating and working as a family for four years now, united by the same desire and goal: to support children in need around the world. I feel very lucky to be part of this ambitious project to support children worldwide. I sincerely thank UNICEF Italy, the entire production team involved in the event, and all of you for being here tonight. Let’s hold on tight and remain more united than ever as we work towards a better future for children.” – Luisa Panconesi – President of the Comitato Evento St. Barth Gala for UNICEF 2021
“The first edition of the LUISAVIAROMA for UNICEF Gala in St. Barth is an outstanding event with an even more outstanding purpose: to raise funds for UNICEF programs all around the world. This event is only possible thanks to the longstanding friendship and alliance between UNICEF, LuisaViaRoma and the entire Panconesi family. Thanks to the trust and support of all our partners and donors, UNICEF can continue to be a humanitarian organization ready to act, able to identify priorities and save millions of lives, without ever losing sight of our mission: to advance the rights of vulnerable children. A special thank you to everyone who made this event possible and to all our guests for being here tonight.” – Kieran O’Brien – UNICEF Global Philanthropy
“I am truly proud to stand with UNICEF both to help raise funds and increase global awareness for children in need. After personally visiting UNICEF projects in Africa and seeing the various types of fieldwork they do, I felt the need to bring this understanding of the work that needs to be done into everyone’s lives. I never thought that we would achieve the significant results we have seen since starting our gala in 2018 or building this priceless collaboration with our partner LUISAVIAROMA. I’m so proud of what we have built all together and I want to thank UNICEF for welcoming me into its family and introducing me to its tireless work in support of children.”- Tommaso Chiabra, UNICEF Fundraising Chairman
“Giving back has been a part of Augustinus Bader’s company mission since day one. Professor Bader, our founder, launched this company to further facilitate and fund research for burn and wound healing—for improving health through science and applied research. With our growth, we have expanded our charitable missions, and we, as a company, are deeply proud to partner with LuisaViaRoma and UNICEF on this remarkable, meaningful event,” says Charles Rosier, CEO of Augustinus Bader.
Party images: German Larkin
Video: Romain Reglade
