“I keep expecting Jennifer Coolidge to pop up,” one guest whispered over a golden hour aperitivo. Given the setting—Sicily’s cliffside Belvedere Gardens at the famed San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel—it wasn’t far-fetched. While there were no apparitions of Tanya McQuoid, Mytheresa and Dolce & Gabbana conjured a Taormina takeover worthy of The White Lotus itself.
Now in its ninth annual edition, Mytheresa’s summer getaway saw the luxury e-tailer partner once again with the Italian masters of maximalism, this time celebrating their latest capsule collection on home turf. Past editions have whisked guests to Capri, Portofino, and Miami, but few destinations rival the romance and cinematic grandeur of Sicily—particularly the hotel immortalized in White Lotus’s second season. Even Beatrice Grannò, who played Mia in the series, joined in.
On Friday evening, guests floated through the reimagined 14th-century convent in floor-sweeping chiffon gowns and printed kaftans. Aperol Spritzes in hand, they soaked in the sunset—looking, frankly, like they belonged on screen.
Two long al fresco tables were set with Dolce & Gabbana’s signature flair: Taormina-printed tablecloths, ceramic pinecone vases, fresh oranges and cacti, tapered candles, and Casa plates—each detail a love letter to Sicilian style. Phones “ate” first, naturally, with Leonie Hanne, Alton Mason, and Meadow Walker snapping photos against a cotton-candy sky and the glittering Ionian Sea. Dinner followed: a summery trio of salad, seafood risotto, and carrot cake.
But the night didn’t end there. At 10:30 p.m., the revelry continued inside the Sala Ionio bar, where guests enjoyed live piano music and more pours of Ruinart and Sicilian whites. For the dance-inclined, an after-party awaited at Morgana—a Wes Anderson-worthy lounge where the facade gets a seasonal redesign. This year’s all-pink version set the tone for a night of Britney, Italian disco, and ‘70s hits.
Saturday brought a cryptic invite to a midday market experience. Once again dressed to the nines—in lemon-print skirts, bustiers, and striped minis that nodded to Sicilian folk attire—guests paraded through the town en route to Piazza IX Aprile. Locals paused their lunches to take in the spectacle.
It was Dolce & Gabbana’s world, and Taormina was merely playing host. The Baroque square transformed into a scene straight from a campaign shoot: white canopies, lemon trees, trays of tennis ball-sized arancini, and generous spreads of bread, cheese, nuts, and cannoli.
Then came the pièce de résistance. Models dressed in the capsule collection emerged from all corners—Mocambo bar, vintage Fiats, and even traditional donkey-drawn carrettis—bringing the clothes to life amid the hubbub. They were joined by a troupe of local folk dancers who twirled around a maypole and swept guests into their choreography. Among the spirited participants were Emma Winder, Ola Farahat, Jihoon, Aweng Chol, and Kit Price—proof these pieces were made for living la dolce vita. Mytheresa’s Tiffany Hsu’s toddler son Justice also joined the fun, dancing with delight.
Buzzing on endorphins and cannoli, guests retreated to the hotel’s infinity pool—now rebranded for the weekend with Dolce & Gabbana towels, umbrellas, and surfboards. There, spritzes in hand, they toasted to a weekend well spent. As one guest mused, Tanya would’ve killed to be here.
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