Let’s be frank: in the relentless sunshine of Dubai, another day of luxury can sometimes feel like… well, another day. But some events are not merely entries in a diary; they are declarative statements. They are the days for which your best linen suit was tailored, the reason you acquired that vintage Patek, the moment your social currency appreciates. Mark 21 November 2025 in something more permanent than ink. This is the day the Polo Xperience – The Legacy Cup arrives, and Dubai’s social calendar receives a masterclass in orchestrated excess.
The overture begins at the hallowed grounds of the Al Habtoor Polo Club. At 3pm, the air, thick with the scent of crushed grass and anticipation, is already humming. By 3:30pm, the thunder begins – not from the sky, but from the hooves of pristine ponies as the Monte-Carlo Polo Team, an institution of Monegasque elegance, faces off against the formidable Mahra Polo Team. This is not merely a sport; it is a kinetic sculpture of power and strategy, a game where the term ‘horsemanship’ feels almost too rustic. Founded by the inimitable Captain Rommy Gianni, the Monte-Carlo team carries the nonchalant swagger of a squad that has conquered the impossible, including a historic Triple Crown at the Snow Polo World Cup in St Moritz. They are, in essence, the Cartier Tank of polo teams: timeless, precise, and undeniably chic.
As the final chukka concludes and the golden hour gilds the field, the scene softens into an aperitivo hour scored by a discerning DJ set. This is the crucial intermezzo, where the adrenaline of the match mellows into the sophisticated buzz of pre-evening conviviality. It’s a Slim Aarons tableau come to life – all tan lines and tinted lenses, the clink of glasses echoing the subtle jingle of tack. But the night is a creature that refuses to be caged by dusk.
By 8pm, the caravan of the cosmopolitan elegantly shifts its gravitational pull from the verdant pitches of Al Habtoor to the gleaming, brand-new temple of nocturnal spectacle: Billionaire Dubai at the Mandarin Oriental Wasl Tower Downtown. This is the Official Polo Xperience Gala Dinner, hosted by the Big Art Festival, and it is here that the evening truly sheds its skin. Since its inception by Flavio Briatore, the Billionaire brand has operated on a simple, irresistible premise: that dinner should be a theatrical siege on the senses, not just a meal. The Dubai outpost, audacious and impeccable, is its latest manifesto.
View this post on Instagram
The gala is the brainchild of Berin Iglesias Art, the shadow architects of luxury for a global elite who consider a private Robbie Williams concert a Tuesday. Their signature Big Art Festival is less an event and more a vortex of high-octane talent and immersive wonder. This evening’s headliner is Zivert, the Russian pop phenomenon whose anthem “Life” has become a millennial credo. Her performance – a fusion of soaring vocals, kinetic dance and visual bravura – is the kind of high-energy catharsis that defines a generation’s idea of luxury: experiential, shareable and intensely memorable. “We are truly excited about this collaboration between The Legacy Cup by Polo Xperience and the Big Art Festival here in Dubai. It marks not only a significant partnership but also the beginning of a new chapter at this remarkable new Billionaire venue, created for a world-class audience. This event promises to be outstanding, unforgettable and a milestone in bringing together sport, art and luxury lifestyle on an unprecedented scale,” said Maxim Berin, president of Berin Iglesias Art and founder of the Big Art Festival.
Underpinning this symphony of sport and spectacle is a foundation of formidable partnerships. The Caroli Group, a name that has literally shaped the skyline of Monaco, lends its weight as the event’s cornerstone, a testament to the calibre of legacy in play. It’s a synergy that speaks to an event built not on sand, but on the bedrock of genuine influence. “My first visit to Dubai was in 1996, when I was graciously invited by the Al Habtoor family to join them for a polo event. Little did I know then that it would mark the beginning of a long-lasting friendship and a shared passion that continues to this day. I am truly looking forward to reuniting with the Al Habtoor brothers and our partner Big Art Festival, playing at their club and hosting a special event where we can come together to celebrate our love for polo alongside family, friends and esteemed guests,” said Rommy Gianni, president of the Monte-Carlo Polo Federation and captain of the Monte-Carlo Polo Team.
As Captain Rommy Gianni himself reflects, this is a homecoming of sorts, a reunion of a passion for polo and partnership that began with the Al Habtoor family back in 1996. It’s a full-circle moment that adds a layer of soul to the sheen. Maxim Berin, the visionary behind Berin Iglesias Art, sees it as the start of a new chapter – a fusion of sport, art and luxury lifestyle on an unprecedented scale.
So, consider this your summons. The Legacy Cup is more than a polo match followed by a party; it is a curated journey through the strata of modern refinement. It is the day when the dust of the polo field settles on your suede loafers, only to be replaced by the glitter of a Billionaire stage. It is where the disciplined silence of a strategic play gives way to the euphoric roar of a Zivert chorus. In a city that trades in the extraordinary, this is the day that raises the stakes. Dress to impress? No. Dress to comprehend.
