tHaute couture meets hospitality with fashion designers bringing their runway game to the most luxurious resorts in the world.
When it comes to style, fashion designers know a thing or two, so it makes perfect sense that they’re turning their exquisite eye and enormous talent to hotels. From five-star resorts conceived by the most brilliant creative minds – Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani et al – to suites bringing all the flair and finesse of Coco Chanel, Paul Smith and Diane Von Furstenberg, holidaying has gone haute couture.
1. The Karl Lagerfeld Macau
@thekarllagerfeld
Who: Karl Lagerfeld
His career was extraordinary, including a 36-year tenure at Chanel, so it’s little wonder that The Karl Lagerfeld Macau is dashing. After all, it’s the only hotel in the world where the interior was designed entirely by the late fashion legend. Whether luxuriating in the 271 rooms and suites, swimming in the pool or dining in the modern Portuguese Mesa restaurant and bar, every detail has the Karl touch. Think European and Chinoiserie influences with a soupçon of the 80s: shimmering mosaics, golden chainmail chandeliers, black marble floors, faux snakeskin fabrics, oversized porcelain vases… A highlight? The Book Lounge, a space inspired by the designer’s home library in Paris, its walls lined with 4,000 books.
2. Brown’s Hotel, London
@browns_hotel
Who: Paul Smith
Sir Paul Smith has earned his stripes as one of Britain’s best-loved designers, his signature rainbow-hued lines adorning clothes to homewares. So, it was only a matter of time before he brought his trademark eccentric elegance to hotels. The Sir Paul Smith Suite at Brown’s Hotel is a kaleidoscope of quirk, designed as much to spark creativity as to encourage relaxation. Behind the blue door with its banana-shaped bronze handle, the sitting/dining room is gloriously idiosyncratic with eclectic furniture and a mish-mash of pictures on the wall. The bedroom and bathroom, by contrast, are more pared back, though the fuschia wardrobe hangers and striped toothbrush holders still give a hint of Smith.
3. Ritz Paris
@ritzparis
Who: Coco Chanel
Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel opened her first boutique in the City of Light in the early 20th century and it has been the home of the house of Chanel ever since. Since it was just around the corner from her HQ, the couturiere often frequented the Ritz, eventually settling in permanently in 1954, referring to the five-star as ‘ma maison’ until her death. Her spirit lives on in the Suite Coco Chanel, which comprises two bedrooms, a couple of bathrooms, a living room and hammam. It is all très chic, from the effective black-ivory-white palette and the quietly expensive furnishings to the views across Place Vendôme (the square’s octagonal geometry is said to be the inspiration behind the stopper in a bottle of Chanel N°5).
4. Armani Hotel Milano
@armanihotel_milano
Who: Giorgio Armani
The Armani Hotel Milano is the second property in a portfolio that embodies the Giorgio Armani design and lifestyle philosophy. Indeed, the Italian fashion legend is responsible for every nook and cranny of the starry property on the Via Alessandro Manzoni. Behind the 1930s rationalist facade, it’s a vision of luxe minimalism, where the King of Neutrals – as Armani is known – reigns supreme across the public spaces and perfectly proportioned rooms. All the earthy-toned furnishings are Armani/Casa, naturally, and the overall effect is incredibly soothing, whether you're in the spa, restaurant or at the 7th-floor Armani/Bamboo Bar enjoying digestivos and twinkling city views.
5. Hotel Amigo, Brussels
@hotelamigobrussels
Who: Diane Von Furstenberg
In 1974, Diane Von Furstenberg introduced the world to her ready-to-wear jersey wrap dress; she’s since sold millions, arguably changing the fashion landscape forever. To mark the dress’s 50-year anniversary, Hotel Amigo – which is in her birth town of Brussels – launched the Diane von Furstenberg Suite. The king-sized bedroom, living room and bathroom are a real reflection of the DVF aesthetic, layered with bold colours and plucky patterns; neon-popping framed silk scarves of Diane by Andy Warhol set the tone, while a zebra print rug brings the monochrome. Life-affirming quotes, written on the wall in her own hand, say things like: “I love Belgium” and “Love is life”.
6. The St. Regis New York
@marriottbonvoy
Who: Christian Dior
Just off Fifth Avenue, towering above the canary yellow cabs and sleek designer stores, is The St. Regis New York. The hotel, built in 1904 by the Astors, is one of the grandest in Manhattan, where the gilded interiors glimmer and glisten. Rooms and suites are spacious but for the pinnacle of à la mode, book the sprawling Dior Suite (a master king bedroom and dressing area, one-and-a-half bathrooms, a living room and dining area). The décor is inspired by the Dior ateliers in Paris. Furnishings are dove grey and dusty pink, Christian Dior fashion sketches hang on the walls and the Art Deco-eseque windows look down on Central Park, giving a whole new meaning to haute couture.
7. Hotel Vermelho, Melides
@hotelvermelho
Who: Christian Louboutin
While some design-led hotels bring all the muted feels, others take a more maximalist approach – Vermelho falls into the latter camp. The 13-room boutique retreat in Melides is the first foray into hoteliering for shoe designer Christian Louboutin (he of the famous red lacquered soles), who has allowed his impeccable taste to run wild. Jewel-coloured tones dance across the mash-up of furnishings, while the custom azulejo tiles and hand-painted wall frescoes are a joy to behold. In case you were in any doubt who is behind this joint, there are splashes of signature Louboutin scarlet throughout, whether on the painted windows of restaurant Xtian, the velvet bar stools or the striped pool towels.
8. Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Montego Bay
@roundhillresort
Who: Ralph Lauren
Once an estate growing sugarcane, pineapples and pimento, Round Hill was converted into a hotel in the 1950s. Guests included John F Kennedy (who wrote his inaugural speech here), Paul McCartney and Ralph Lauren, who fell in love with its Caribbean Sea views, fragrant gardens and easy-breezy charm. Indeed, so enamoured was he with this Jamaican idyll, that the American fashion designer (who now owns villas on the property) agreed to lend his eye to the interiors of the 36 ocean-view rooms in the main Pineapple House. You’ll recognise his inimitable preppy style across the restaurant and lounge too, which are all outfitted in Ralph Lauren Home, of course.
Discover more fantastic hotels, restaurants and bars with 50 Best Discovery, and start planning your next adventure.
