Personalizing Ornaments for Dolce & Gabbana’s VIP Clients
For companies and brands, the holidays are the best time to give back to their customers. Sure, it’s a great opportunity to offer deals and make sales, but your customers will love something that’s just for them and shows them that you care.
During the most recent holidays, I had the amazing experience of attending a two-day event for the Bal Harbour Dolce & Gabbana location. The team there curated a beautiful event for their VIP clients, and I was on hand to personalize holiday ornaments for the clients to take home.
The event was a great example of raising the bar with a holiday activation. The attendees didn’t just get to take home keepsakes, but the ornaments also served as works of art.
If you’re new here, hi! I’m Sanique. A Miami-based calligrapher and engraving artist. I specialize in bringing a personal, elegant touch to events and brand activations. Whether it’s hand-lettering on glass ornaments, engraving fragrance bottles, or customizing leather goods, I help brands (and couples) create memorable, one-of-a-kind experiences for their guests. My work blends timeless craftsmanship with modern luxury, and I love collaborating with companies and couples to help their guests feel seen, celebrated, and truly special.
Read on to hear how this Dolce & Gabbana event came together! As a Miami calligrapher, I love working with brands during the holidays and throughout the year. If you’re interested in offering unforgettable live engraving services for your next event, let’s chat!
The Event
The Bal Harbour Dolce & Gabbana team hosted a two-day holiday event on location. They invited their VIP customers to shop, celebrate the year and receive a token of appreciation in return.
It was a festive event that felt special from the start. Instead of just offering a discount or something typical for the holidays, it allowed their customers to come together and feel extra special (and who wouldn’t want to attend a Dolce & Gabbana party?)
Creating a Special Experience for VIP Guests
During the event, I personalized glass ornaments with the Dolce & Gabbana logo as well as the guests’ names, pet names, and special messages. The guests loved getting personalized gifts to take home, but they also had a great time watching the entire process live. They especially enjoyed seeing the Dolce & Gabbana logo added to the ornaments by hand.
Some guests even shared that they planned to hang the ornaments in a special place all year round—not just during the holidays—because they were so beautiful and meaningful. It was incredible to see how a name written in elegant calligraphy could spark such joy and connection.
Not only was it a great way to provide branded and personalized gifts for the attendees, but it also engaged all of the guests. The live calligraphy allowed them to see an artist at work–it gave the event a fun activity and something that the guests talked about long after they left.
There’s something magical about watching a custom piece come to life right before your eyes. It turns a simple object into a story that guests can retell every time they hang the ornament or show it off. Personalization makes people feel seen, and that kind of emotional connection can’t be replicated by mass-produced gifts.
How Live Calligraphy Creates Stronger Customer Loyalty
People love attending events, sure, but they don’t always remember a brand event. If you’ve been to one, you’ve practically been to them all–guests know to expect wine, cheese, chatting, and maybe a free koozie or something similar.
Live event calligraphy is a great way to turn your brand event into something much more unique than the norm. Your guests won’t get bored, and they’ll leave with a branded item that actually gets used (because let’s be honest–we all have way too many branded water bottles at this point!).
With such an engaging event, you’ll also build more customer loyalty. Your guests will appreciate that you went above and beyond to offer much more than the typical experience, and it will end up being much more memorable. Plus, having that personalized, branded gift to take home means that you’ll be more top-of-mind when it comes time to make a purchase again.
Especially during the holidays, customers are bombarded with marketing and advertising from so many different companies. You need something unique to stand out and show why you’re a great option for holiday gifts and beyond!
Other Gifts You Can Personalize for Your Holiday Event
The Dolce & Gabbana team went with personalized ornaments for the holidays, but there are so many options you can choose!
In my experience, I’ve offered live event calligraphy and engraving for all of the following gifts:
Leather goods, like , luggage tags, wallets and journals
Candles
Beauty products
Silverware
And more!
You can also choose in-studio personalization rather than a live event activation. Don’t get me wrong–live personalization is a great way to excite your guests, but in-studio services are a great option as well.
I usually recommend in-studio hand engraving if you have a smaller budget, you have a big guest list (so there isn’t enough time to offer live personalization for everyone), or the gifts you choose are too big or bulky.
With in-studio personalization, I’ll take care of everything in advance, and you’ll still have personalized gifts ready to send your guests home with.
Offer an Unforgettable Experience at Your Next Event!
From the glittering ornaments to the heartfelt reactions, this Dolce & Gabbana holiday event was a shining example of how meaningful personalization can transform a brand experience. Thoughtful touches like live calligraphy don’t just enhance the ambiance—they create lasting memories and deeper emotional connections with your clients. In a season filled with noise, offering something bespoke and beautiful helps your brand stand out in the most elegant way. If you're looking to bring this kind of magic to your next event, reach out today to learn more about live calligraphy and engraving options that will truly wow your guests.