Trend-inspired accommodations are having a second.
The final a number of months have seen a handful of fashion-forward manufacturers getting into the lodge house, from island-inspired clothes model Tommy Bahama, which is on observe to debut a Southern California resort later this yr, to vogue and wonder journal Elle, which lately opened its inaugural property in Paris.
Likewise, vogue label Louis Vuitton — a part of luxurious items powerhouse LVMH — outlined plans to leap into hospitality, with the corporate’s CEO, Michael Burke, lately asserting that Louis Vuitton’s Paris headquarters shall be remodeled right into a lodge and retail advanced within the coming years.
Overlap between the style and hospitality spheres is much from uncharted territory. Different high-profile vogue manufacturers have equally expanded into accommodations through the years, together with luxurious labels like Missoni and Armani, which launched their first properties in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
These forays, nonetheless, have been restricted — spawning only a couple properties — and in Missoni’s case, unsuccessful. There are nonetheless solely two Armani accommodations, one in Dubai and the opposite in Milan, and the Missoni enterprise was short-lived, with the lodge endeavor — which had areas in Edinburgh, Scotland, and in Kuwait — tapering off by 2014.
This yr’s crop of entrants, nonetheless, appears significantly well-positioned to not solely succeed however probably scale.
Although particulars on Louis Vuitton’s lodge undertaking have but to be introduced, LVMH is hardly a newcomer to high-end hospitality. The conglomerate’s holdings embrace luxurious lodge model Cheval Blanc; high-end journey firm Belmond, which has greater than 30 accommodations in its secure; and luxurious jewellery and equipment label Bulgari, which has carved out a stable foothold with its Bulgari Lodges & Resorts offshoot, launched through a partnership with Marriott Worldwide in 2003.
A rendering of the Bulgari Resort Miami Seashore, which is on observe to open in 2025. Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Bulgari Group
Bulgari Lodges & Resorts, in truth, could be the vogue world’s most profitable lodge enterprise so far. The model presently has outposts in Milan, London, Dubai, Bali, Beijing, Shanghai and Paris, with new areas in Rome, Tokyo, Miami, the Maldives and Los Angeles within the pipeline.
In line with Bulgari Group government vp Silvio Ursini, a part of the lodge idea’s endurance could be attributed to the truth that the Bulgari model is already synonymous with magnificence, exclusivity and glamour.
“As a luxurious model, we all know the right way to pamper and construct a real relationship with our clients,” stated Ursini, including that enterprise throughout the portfolio has remained sturdy lately, because of elevated demand for “ultraluxe experiences.”
As an added bonus, the Bulgari properties function efficient showrooms for the model’s jewellery and equipment. All Bulgari Lodges & Resorts have a couple of Bulgari items on show within the foyer, whereas choose areas — together with the Bulgari accommodations in Paris, Dubai and Shanghai — additionally home a retail boutique.
“A lodge visitor dedicates a minimum of one or two days, if no more, to [their] keep and has extra time to watch and select [a piece],” Ursini stated.
A rendering of the doorway of the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, Calif. Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Miramonte Resort & Spa
Touches of Tommy Bahama
Tommy Bahama could not play on the similar ultraluxe worth level as Bulgari, however the clothes and way of life model may also skew upmarket with its Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, Calif.
The resort launch builds on the success of the model’s already-booming Tommy Bahama Eating places & Marlin Bars arm, with 21 areas throughout the U.S.
“One factor we’re actually targeted on is just not being ‘themey,'” stated Tommy Bahama CEO Doug Wooden. “Whether or not folks know us for our seashore chairs, or suppose they know us as a result of their dad wore a loud Hawaiian shirt, we would like them to see us with a complete new lens.”
That is to not say components of the core model shall be solely absent. The resort will combine “just a little little bit of Tommy Bahama” all through its decor, and its 215 guestrooms shall be outfitted with items from the Tommy Bahama furnishings line.
Whereas there shall be an on-site retail part, it will not be a standard Tommy Bahama retailer. As a substitute, the upscale store will inventory each Tommy Bahama-branded gadgets and a curated number of native merchandise.
In line with Wooden, it is a part of an effort to keep away from making visitors really feel just like the model “is making an attempt to promote you one thing the complete time you are there.”
“That detracts from the expertise,” Wooden added. “Sure, I need to really feel like there’s touches of the model. However I do not need to really feel like I am taking a shower in it. We wish this to be a calming resort expertise that has a spa, a terrific pool and nice meals and drinks however is not screaming ‘Tommy Bahama.'”
Elle’s debut Maison Elle lodge in Paris, which started welcoming visitors final month, has equally sought to strike a stability between showcasing its namesake periodical and encompassing a broader way of life hospitality expertise.
In the case of highlighting the style magazine, the 25-room, boutique property has adorned its partitions with art work from Elle journal’s archives. Different fashion-oriented components are extra delicate, nonetheless, with the lodge’s inside design company, Laurent & Laurence, drawing inspiration from legendary Parisian designers like Coco Chanel and Jean-Paul Gaultier by means of textiles and a mixing of female and masculine aesthetics.
On the enlargement entrance, nonetheless, Maison Elle is prone to take some cues from the flexibility of the Elle model, which publishes 45 editions globally.
“Every version has its personal signature model, primarily based on the native folks and design,” stated Laurent & Laurence co-founder Laurent Bardet. “So, because it grows the lodge model can hold the identical French [influence], however we will change the best way it is expressed.”
From our archives
