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Black flannel pea coats and sailors caps with pom poms for the porters and valets; striped sweaters paired with blue denim for the concierges; and striped T-shirts for runners in the restaurant. Guillaume Henry’s vision for new hotel So/Paris has been unveiled ahead of its opening in September.
The artistic director of LVMH-owned French fashion label Patou has applied his colourful design flair to the new hotel’s uniform and logo, drawing inspiration from the sea and the river Seine. Henry, who joined Patou in 2018 and was previously credited for reviving Carven and Nina Ricci, is known for his chic and joyful Parisian style.
“The wardrobe was inspired by the idea of the lighthouse, the Seine, the sea and movements,” says Henry, who is partnering with So/Paris independently of his role at Patou. Henry also put bonbonnières (candy boxes) in the rooms.
Several other hotels have leveraged the power of design and fashion in creating desirability, such as Karl Lagerfeld’s suites for Hôtel de Crillon, Gucci’s suite for The Savoy and Giorgio Armani debuted Armani Hotel in 2010. LVMH owns Cheval Blanc Paris, a stone’s throw from So/Paris — for which Henry designed the uniforms — and bought luxury hotel Cipriani’s owner Belmond in late 2018, amid an “experiential luxury” push.
Partnering with buzzy designers is central to the So/ hotel chain’s strategy. French hotel operator Accor launched So/ as a higher-end offshoot of its Sofitel hotel chain in 2011. Each hotel is a “fashion statement in its own right”, according to Accor’s website, with their own logos, uniforms, collections of artworks and guest amenities. Previous artistic directors include Christian Lacroix (Bangkok), Karl Lagerfeld (Singapore), Kenzō Takada (Mauritius), Arthur Arbesser (Vienna) and Viktor Rolf (Berlin). The chain is now part of a portfolio that includes the Hoxton, Mondrian and SLS hotel brands, owned by Accor and boutique hotel specialist Ennismore in a joint venture. So Paris is the brand’s new flagship, with more hotels slated to open in the coming months, including in Dubai and Melbourne. In line with the brand’s concept, each will have its own artistic director.
“With fashion being so integral to the DNA of So/, we’re inspired by how some of the world’s leading fashion brands approach their retail spaces, product design, seasonality and also ever-evolving digital content,” says Stefan Viard, So/Paris general manager. He adds that innovation is a “common thread” between fashion and hospitality.
So/Paris is located in the 4th arrondissement. It has 140 rooms and 22 suites, a 20-metre-long pool, spa, and a sprawling view of the Seine and the city. The Bonnie restaurant’s decor including Olafur Eliasson artwork, the bar and club are operated by Paris Society (the group behind fashion hangouts Girafe, Gigi, Monsieur Bleu and Mun). Rates start at €500 per night.
“We’re proud to have collaborated with the iconic Guillaume Henry for much of the creative vision of the hotel and we ve got some exciting partnerships and pop-ups lined up. We’re very much looking forward to being open and on the radar for Paris Fashion Week this season,” says Viard. (Paris Fashion Week runs from 26 September to 4 October.) “We’re working on a couple of other exciting product ideas with Viktor Rolf to look to incorporate into the guest experience. We’re always looking at new ways to bring the world of fashion into our hotels,” he adds.
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