Luxury Brands Enter the Hotel Industry: A New Trend

Luxury fashion houses have embraced the hospitality industry for decades; iconic brands like Versace, Armani,
Bulgari, Fendi,
Gucci,
and Louis Vuitton have introduced restaurants and hotels within their realms. However, the trend doesn’t stop there.

In recent years, notable players in beauty, home design, publishing, and other sectors have made significant
investments in the hotel industry, aiming to extend their brand equity and unique aesthetic. Read on to discover five
exciting openings worth noting.

Audemars Piguet

The watch brand has been drawing travelers to its
birthplace in Le Brassus, nestled in Switzerland’s Vallée de Joux, via a series of projects.
Notably, it launched the Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet
in the summer of 2020, followed two years later by the opening of the 50-room Hôtel des Horlogers—which translates to “the watchmakers’ hotel.”
Both properties were designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group.

Christian Louboutin

This renowned footwear maker is set to debut an inn and restaurant soon, collaborating with luxury management firm
Marugal. The 13-room Hotel Vermelho
is located in Melides, along Portugal’s Alentejo coast, a place long cherished by the designer.

Elle

France’s prominent fashion publishing house caused a stir in spring 2022 by announcing two new hospitality brands. The first,
the city-centered Maison Elle collection, has recently launched a 25-room property in
Paris’s
17th Arrondissement. Next year will see the introduction of a beach retreat in Jalisco, marking the start of the Elle Hotel
resort branch.

Fragonard

Last summer, the scent of Provence was heightened with the introduction of the six-key Maison Fragonard in Arles.
This project is a collaboration between Agnès and Françoise Costa—heirs to the century-old perfume brand—and the Paris-based
design firm Ateliers Saint-Lazare. Additionally, a boutique on the ground floor features apparel, home goods,
and fragrances such as the new Belle d’Arles,
which evokes fresh notes of orange blossom and citrus.

RH

The home brand has ventured into hospitality, introducing a range of services including a full-service yacht, RH Three; a pair
of upcoming private jets, RH One and Two; alongside the recently opened RH Guesthouse in New York City. Just steps from
RH’s Meatpacking District showroom, the 1887 building now hosts a restaurant, a subterranean caviar bar,
and nine exquisitely designed rooms and suites featuring Italian travertine and white oak. The crowning feature is a luxurious rooftop pool, which adds a touch of glamour.