Daniela Gagliano'

A T E L I E R / S T O R I E S

Atelier / Stories is a representation agency dedicated to collectible design, contemporary art, and visionary creators. We connect global artists and collectible brands with the UAE and GCC, building bridges between heritage and innovation and curating cultural value for luxury residences, hospitality, and institutions.

What we do:

- Represent international artists & collectible brands across the UAE & GCC

- Curate art and design for landmark residential and hospitality projects

- Advise architects, designers, and developers on cultural strategy & storytelling

- Design and manufacture bespoke furniture & FF&E with Italy’s finest artisans

- Elevate brands through creative direction, narratives, and cultural positioning

Our mission is to place collectibles at the heart of culture in the Middle East—transforming objects and spaces into legacies that endure.

Co-Founder

Co-Founder @ ATELIER&STORIES | Visionary Entrepreneur | Luxury Interior Design | F1 Driver Husband 🏎

For me, art is the essence of being human—it shapes how we experience the world, how we connect with beauty, and how we leave a mark that lasts. Luxury design has never been about chasing trends; it’s about finding pieces that carry meaning, beauty, and value over time. 

That’s what I do today: I help people discover those kinds of pieces.

I work with architects, designers, collectors, investors, and galleries who want something more than the usual. I take the time to really dig in and uncover artworks and collectible designs that others might miss. It’s not about following what everyone else is doing—it’s about connecting people with what is truly unique, meaningful, and enduring.

Over the years, I’ve seen how these choices can transform collections and even businesses.

A gallery I advised increased sales by 30%.

A private collector I worked with grew their portfolio by 40% in just two years.

For me, the most rewarding moments are seeing people light up when they connect with something rare and lasting—because these pieces are not just objects but expressions of our humanity.

With over two decades in this world, I’ve built a global network and close relationships with artists, ateliers, and makers. That gives my clients access to pieces that aren’t on the market—objects you simply wouldn’t come across without someone opening those doors.

Here’s what I can offer:

_Bespoke curation of art and collectible design for private collectors, galleries, and investors.

_Access to exclusive pieces through my global network of artists, designers, and ateliers.

_Advisory for galleries and institutions to grow sales and visibility through unique selections.

_Portfolio building and strategy for collectors who want both beauty and long-term value.

_Custom sourcing and creation of one-of-a-kind furniture, lighting, and design objects from Italy’s finest makers.

If you’re looking to build or elevate a collection with works that stand apart—and that will continue to resonate for years—I’d love to have a conversation. After all, art is not just decoration, it is what makes us fully human.

Founder

Bespoke business advisory for creative organisations.

I spent years curating collections before I ever touched the material supply side. 


People ask if that was a detour. It wasn't. It's the foundation of everything I do now.

Curation taught me something most suppliers never learn: it's not about the object. It's about what the object represents to the person living with it.

When someone commissions art, they're not buying a painting. 

They're buying a reflection of who they are or who they want to be. Their taste, their values, their story.

Stone is the same. 

A marble lobby isn't a specification decision. It's an identity statement.

So I don't lead with technical specs or price per square meter anymore. I ask different questions. 

What should this space feel like? What matters enough to last? What story is this building trying to tell?

That shift came directly from curatorial work. 

Understanding that every choice is personal, even when it looks commercial.

The art world also taught me to trust slower processes. 

You don't rush a collection. You build it over time, with intention, letting each piece earn its place. 

That patience transfers. 

The best projects I've worked on took time to develop the right material approach, not just execute the fastest one.

Here's what I stand for: materials should have meaning beyond their function. Craft matters. Authenticity matters. The story behind what you're specifying matters just as much as how it performs.

Where I'm going is building a practice that treats specification as curation. Where suppliers act as cultural translators, not just vendors. Where the conversation elevates from logistics to legacy.

I communicate differently because of this background. Less industry jargon, more honest questions. Less convincing, more understanding. I'd rather have a real conversation about what belongs in a space than close a deal on something that doesn't.

The curator in me won't let me sell something just because I can.

That discipline, that insistence on intention over transaction, is what bridges my past and my present. It's what makes the work meaningful instead of just commercial.

How does your background outside your current field shape how you approach it now?

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮: As an entrepreneur, I know the importance of having a clear vision. That's why when I moved to Dubai, I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunities here. 

And what better way to do that than by helping others grow their businesses?

I'm a consultant who helps luxury and creative entrepreneurs achieve their business goals. Whether it's improving your marketing strategies, expanding to new markets or connecting with the right clients, I can help you grow in ways you never thought possible.

Living in Dubai has definitely enhanced my vision and helped me become even more successful in my field.

 If you're looking for someone who can help your business thrive, then let's connect.

I promise you won't be disappointed!

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐞: After working in the interior design industry for over 10 years, I've discovered the secret to success. It lies in the five pillars of massive growth: social media, marketing, automation, delegation, and technology. By focusing on these areas, any business can achieve amazing results.
I’m married to an ex-Formula 1 driver, which means I’m used to a fast-paced lifestyle. 
When I’m not helping businesses grow, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends in the beautiful Dubai.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤: THE SECRET FORMULA - A CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL'S GUIDE TO MORE SALES, MORE CLIENTS, AND MORE SUCCESS!

𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭: Vishen Lakhiani, Tony Robbins, Frank Kern, Russel Brunson… just to name a few.

𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞:The most successful people in the world take the straightest route to achieve their goals.  My mission is to guide entrepreneurs on the shortest path to a more thriving business.

𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞:
Email: daniela@bluerivierastudio.com
Email: daniela@atelierandstories.com

Art & Collectibles Advisor | Co-Founder, Atelier / Stories | Sr. Partnership Manager, Tectónica UAE

Maison Margiela announced 25 exclusive villas on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai.


Carlo Colombo designed them. Travertine, optical resin, gold details, vintage mirrors. Margiela style, but with sea views.

And I keep asking myself the same questions. 

What are we actually buying here? A home? Or a brand extension?

Fashion houses entering real estate isn't new. 

We've seen Armani, Bulgari, Versace. But something about the acceleration of it feels different now. Like we've crossed a threshold where living spaces have become another product line.

Margiela built its reputation on deconstruction. On questioning what luxury means. On rejecting obvious branding. And now they're branding villas.

I'm not saying the villas won't be beautiful. Carlo Colombo understands materials. The craftsmanship will be unique. But I'm wondering about the shift underneath.

When fashion brands design residences, are we getting design innovation? Or are we getting lifestyle packaging?

Because there's a difference between a space designed around how humans live and a space designed around how a brand wants to be perceived.

The Margiela customer buys into a specific aesthetic vocabulary. The deconstructed tailoring, the anonymous luxury, the conceptual edge. When you translate that into residential architecture, what remains? The philosophy or just the finishes?

I think about the clients who'll buy these villas. Are they buying because the design genuinely serves how they want to live? Or because owning a Margiela residence signals something about their taste, their status, and their identity?

Maybe both. 

Maybe that's always been true of luxury real estate, and I'm overthinking it.

But watching fashion consume more territory, moving from what we wear to where we live, feels like it's worth pausing on.

Palm Jumeirah already looks like a catalog of branded living. Adding Margiela to that landscape doesn't diversify it. It intensifies the idea that everything, even home, is a brand decision.

I worry we're losing sight of what makes spaces actually meaningful. 

The things that can't be branded. The way a home holds your life, not just your aesthetic preferences.

Margiela villas will sell. 

They'll photograph beautifully. 

They'll signal exactly what they're meant to signal.

But I'm left wondering if we're building homes or building identities. And whether we still know the difference.

When you choose where to live, how much is about the space itself versus what it says about you?

Maison Margiela

NOMAD  Abu Dhabi closed yesterday. Here's what stayed with me.


NOMAD wrapped at Terminal 1 yesterday, and I keep thinking about why they chose that space.

An old airport from 1982. A building made for people passing through, rushing to catch flights, never staying long. Now it just hosted furniture and objects meant to last generations.

That's the whole tension right there.

We build so fast here. Everything is about the next project, the next tower, and what's coming after this. Stopping feels like you're being left behind.

But collecting asks you to do exactly that. Stop. Experience. Feel. 

Terminal 1 made that tension physical. A place designed to move thousands of people quickly, asking you to slow down and pay attention to individual pieces.
It's a smart choice for this market.

Our challenge isn't that we can't access good design or afford ambitious projects. We can do both easily. The harder question is knowing what actually matters enough.

NOMAD putting the fair in that specific building feels intentional. Like Abu Dhabi saying design is more than just looking expensive or on trend.

The real test is whether anything changes after this. Whether we start asking different questions about what we're building and why.

Because we're really good at creating things here. We're still figuring out what's worth holding onto.

What lasts when everything's designed to be replaced?

#nomadabudhabi2025

I've been thinking about why marble feels different now than it did five years ago.


Not the material itself. That hasn't changed. Marble is still marble.

But what people want from it has completely shifted.

Five years ago, conversations started with aesthetics. 

Which finish looks best? What veining makes the right statement? How does it photograph?

Now the first question I hear is different. 

How does it feel to touch? 

How does it age? 

What does it do to the space emotionally, not just visually?

People aren't just specifying materials anymore. 

They're trying to create a feeling.

And honestly, most of the industry hasn't caught up to that yet.

I see it in how projects unfold. 

Clients are asking for something that feels grounding, warm, and alive. Then, getting presented with samples based purely on technical specs and price points. The conversation stays transactional when what they're actually asking for is sensory.

There's a gap between what people need from materials now and how we're still talking about them.

The projects I remember are the ones where we slowed down enough to ask different questions. Not just what performs well, but what supports how people want to feel in the space. What adds weight without heaviness? What brings calm without coldness.

Materials have always shaped experience. 

But we're finally admitting that out loud. 

The stone you choose affects more than maintenance schedules. 

It affects whether a space feels like shelter or just expensive surfaces.

The old language doesn't work anymore. Premium, luxury, high-end. 

Those words don't tell you anything about whether a material will make you want to stay in a room or leave it.

The best architects and designers are asking about texture now. About how light moves across the surface. About whether something feels authentic or performed.

I'm bringing Spanish marble from Tectónica to the UAE because this shift demands it. 

Because the conversation here is changing, and the market needs materials that understand the difference between looking expensive and actually creating meaning. 

Because Spanish craft holds knowledge about stone that goes deeper than specification sheets. 

And because the projects worth building now require partners who speak the language of feeling, not just finish.

If you're working on something where materiality matters beyond the spec sheet, I'd be interested in exploring how we might approach it differently together.

taplio

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