Fashion designers are recognized for their craftsmanship, progressive ideas, and creativity. So, what happens when a designer stops thinking outside the box and starts thinking outside the industry? The answer is fashion designer hotels.
The first of these cross-industry ventures began in the year 2000 when velour tracksuits and bootcut jeans were all the rage. Since then, we’ve witnessed numerous fashion trends come and go; however, fashion designer hotels have only gone from strength to strength. So, with Fashion Week 2018 underway, we’ve picked 7 hotels and suites from around the globe that are worthy of any catwalk.
7 Fashion Designer Hotels and Suites
(Photo credit: Armani Hotel Dubai)
1) Armani Hotel - Giorgio Armani
Back in 2010, Armani decided to expand his empire by crossing into the hospitality industry and opening a hotel in his name. The chic hotel occupies the first 11 floors of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, while the signature suites are located on floors 38 and 39. With 7 restaurants (one on floor 122), a dedicated lifestyle manager for each guest, and the latest in hotel technology, it’s an impressive setup. The rooms are like Armani suits: stylish, minimalist, and comfortable. As GM Mark Kirby states, no detail is too small “each and every guest has to feel like Mr. Armani’s personal guest” this is why even the sugar cubes are stamped with an “A” for Armani!
? In true high-fashion style, the launch of the Armani Hotel Dubai featured a catwalk show!
(Photo credit: Bulgari Hotels & Resorts London)
2) Bulgari Hotels and Resorts
Where? - Milan, London, Bali, Dubai, Beijing & Shanghai
Italian jewelry and luxury goods brand, Bulgari (written as BVLGARI), was founded by a Greek man named Sotirios Boulgaris in 1884. Over the years, the brand has established itself in other industries, but it wasn’t until 2004, thanks to some help from Marriott International, that Bulgari moved into the hospitality sector. Bulgari Hotels and Resorts has six hotels in its collection and will be adding three more over the next four years. This expansion will mean an injection of investment into the communities in which the hotels are located, as well as offering job opportunities for hospitality professionals of the very highest level. Want an insight into what it takes to get hired by a Bulgari hotel? Watch our interview with Michael O’Neill, the director of human resources over at Bulgari London.
(Photo credit: Ritz Paris)
3) Coco Chanel Suite at the Ritz Paris - Gabrielle Chanel
Where? - Paris
Gabrielle Chanel came to the Ritz Paris for one night in 1937; however, she didn’t leave until 1971, 34 years later. She fell in love with the hotel and transformed her room into the ultimate high-fashion living space. The elegant suite is exquisitely decorated, overlooks the Place Vendôme, and contains exceptionally rare items that belonged to Chanel herself.
Did you know that Hosco has a partnership with the Ritz Paris? This means that you’re able to use our platform to land a job here and join its team of outstanding professionals.
➡️ Nowadays, the suite costs 18,000€ per night. So, if you’re planning on staying here for 34 years, you’ll have to shell out an eye-watering 223,380,000€!
(Photo credit: Patrick Hellmann Schlosshotel)
4) Grunewald Suite at Patrick Hellmann Schlosshotel - Karl Lagerfeld
Where? - Berlin
Karl Lagerfeld is the German creative director of Chanel and Fendi, two giant names in the fashion world. This venture saw Lagerfeld style and furnish the Grunewald Suite at the famed Berlin hotel that is owned by another German designer, Patrick Hellmann. The suite mixes classic furniture with the latest gadgets; furthermore, there’s a larger than life sized bed, hand-painted French tiles, and heated bathroom floor tiles. Lagerfeld will soon launch a string of hotels and resorts across the globe under his own brand. Keep an eye out for the first of them which will be in the booming city of Macau, southern China.
(Photo credit: Claridge’s)
5) Grand Piano Suite at Claridge’s - Diane Von Furstenberg
Where? - London
Diane Von Furstenberg is a Belgian-American fashion icon who is recognized for popularizing the wrap dress. Like Coco Chanel, she resided in an extraordinary hotel suite for over 30 years. Furstenberg chose the emblematic Claridge’s in London as her home. The suite features a marble fireplace, personal photographs from Furstenberg’s voyages around the world, and of course, a grand piano. To maintain the personalized experience at the Grand Piano Suite, guests are provided with Burberry trench coats for the duration of their stay to keep them warm and fashionable in the English capital.
(Photo credit: Hotel du Petit Moulin)
6) Hotel du Petit Moulin, Hotel Le Bellechasse, Hotel Notre Dame Saint Michel, & Hotel L'Antoine - Christian LaCroix
Where? - Paris
French fashion designer Christian LaCroix briefly switched his attention from the catwalk to hotel interior design in 2000. He was given free rein at four Parisian hotels and used it to the maximum. Using an assortment of materials and bespoke color schemes, LaCroix was able to create one-of-a-kind hotel rooms. Unlike many of the other fashionistas in this list who focused on hyper-luxury properties, LaCroix took to designing 3* and 4* boutiques.
? Hotel du Petit Moulin is built upon the site of Paris’ first ever bakery - how sweet!
(Photo credit: Palazzo Versace Gold Coast)
7) Palazzo Versace - Gianni Versace
Where? - Gold Coast & Dubai
Gianni Versace opened his first boutique in 1978 in Milan and quickly became a fashion sensation. Just 22 years later, he opened the world’s first fashion designer hotel on Australia’s Gold Coast. The lavish hotel features the best of Versace fabrics, Italian marble throughout, and an enormous mosaic driveway. Another Palazzo Versace opened in Dubai in 2015 to compete with the other big hospitality players in the city. And, the name is more than appropriate, it literally is like a palace.
?The chandelier that hangs in the lobby of the Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast weighs a whopping 1650 lbs!
Unlike last spring’s ready-to-wear collection, it looks like fashion designer hotels are here for the foreseeable future. Their brand leverage, use of the finest materials, and choice of only the most sophisticated and exclusive destinations prove to be a winning combination for investors and guests worldwide.
