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Fashion-inspired hotels are having a moment.
In recent months, a handful of fashion-forward brands have entered the hotel space, from island-inspired clothing brand Tommy Bahama, which is on track to debut at a Southern California resort later this year, to magazine fashion and beauty designer Elle, which recently opened its inaugural property in Paris.
Similarly, fashion brand Louis Vuitton, part of luxury goods powerhouse LVMH, outlined plans to jump into hospitality, and the company’s chief executive, Michael Burke, recently announced that Louis Vuitton’s Paris headquarters it will be transformed into a hotel and retail complex in the next few years.
The overlap between the spheres of fashion and hospitality is far from uncharted territory. Other high-profile fashion brands have similarly expanded into hotels over the years, including luxury brands like Missoni and Armani, which launched their first properties in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
Those forays, however, have been limited, spawning just a couple of properties, and in Missoni’s case, to no avail. There are still just two Armani hotels, one in Dubai and one in Milan, and Missoni’s venture was short-lived as the hotel project, which had locations in Edinburgh, Scotland and Kuwait, fizzled out in 2014.
However, this year’s crop of entrants appear to be particularly well positioned to not only succeed but potentially scale.
Although the details of Louis Vuitton’s hotel project have yet to be announced, LVMH is not a newcomer to high-end hospitality. The conglomerate’s holdings include the luxury hotel brand Cheval Blanc; high-end travel company Belmond, which has more than 30 hotels in its stable; and the luxury jewelry and accessories brand Bulgari, which has become firmly established with its subsidiary Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, launched through a partnership with Marriott International in 2003.
A rendering of the Bulgari Hotel Miami Beach, which is on track to open in 2025. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Bulgari Group
Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, in fact, may be the fashion world’s most successful hotel company to date. The brand currently has locations in Milan, London, Dubai, Bali, Beijing, Shanghai and Paris, with new locations in Rome, Tokyo, Miami, the Maldives and Los Angeles in the pipeline.
According to Bulgari Group Executive Vice President Silvio Ursini, part of the staying power of the hotel concept can be attributed to the fact that the Bulgari brand is already synonymous with beauty, exclusivity and glamour.
“As a luxury brand, we know how to pamper and build a true relationship with our clients,” Ursini said, adding that business across the portfolio has remained strong in recent years, thanks to increased demand for “ultra-luxury experiences.” .
As a bonus, Bulgari properties serve as effective showrooms for the brand’s jewelry and accessories. All Bulgari Hotels & Resorts have some Bulgari pieces on display in the lobby, while select locations, including the Bulgari Hotels in Paris, Dubai and Shanghai, are also home to a retail boutique.
“A hotel guest spends at least a day or two, if not more, [their] stay and have more time to observe and choose [a piece]Ursini said.
A rendering of the entrance to the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Miramonte Resort & Spa
Touches of Tommy Bahama
Tommy Bahama may not have the same ultra-luxury price tag as Bulgari, but the lifestyle and clothing brand will also lean into the luxury market with its Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California.
The resort’s launch builds on the success of the brand’s Tommy Bahama Restaurants & Marlin Bars arm, which is already booming with 21 locations across the US.
“Something we really focused on is not being ‘themed,'” said Doug Wood, CEO of Tommy Bahama. “Whether people know us because of our beach chairs, or they think they know us because their dad wore a flashy Hawaiian shirt, we want them to see us in a whole new light.”
That’s not to say that core brand elements will be completely absent. The resort will integrate “a bit of Tommy Bahama” throughout its décor, and its 215 rooms will be outfitted with pieces from the Tommy Bahama furniture line.
While there will be a retail component to the site, it will not be a traditional Tommy Bahama store. Instead, the luxury store will have Tommy Bahama brand items and a curated selection of local produce.
According to Wood, it’s part of an effort to prevent guests from feeling like the brand “is trying to sell you something the whole time you’re there.”
“That detracts from the experience,” Wood added. “Yes, I want to feel like there are touches of the brand. But I don’t want to feel like I’m bathing in it. We want it to be a relaxing resort experience that has a spa, a great pool, and good food and drinks, but it’s not there.” yelling ‘Tommy Bahama'”.
Elle’s debut Maison Elle hotel in Paris, which began welcoming guests last month, has similarly sought to strike a balance between showcasing its namesake newspaper and embracing a broader lifestyle hospitality experience.
When it comes to highlighting the fashion magazine, the 25-room boutique property has graced its walls with artwork from the Elle magazine archives. However, other fashion-oriented elements are more subtle, with the hotel’s interior design agency Laurent & Laurence drawing inspiration from legendary Parisian designers like Coco Chanel and Jean-Paul Gaultier through textiles and a mix of feminine aesthetics. and masculine.
On the expansion front though, Maison Elle is likely to take some cues from the versatility of the Elle brand, which publishes 45 issues worldwide.
“Each edition has its own signature style, based on local people and design,” said Laurent & Laurence co-founder Laurent Bardet. “So as it grows, the hotel brand can keep the same [influence]but we can change the way it is expressed.”
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Source: news.google.com