Sandra‘s Closet

The Mark Hotel and Alessi turn a daily ritual into a limited edition. The black and white stripe is one of the most recognisable patterns in New York hospitality. This fall it arrives somewhere unexpected: on the body of a corkscrew.

The Mark and Alessi have produced a capsule collection, and its centrepiece is a limited edition of the Alessandro M., reinterpreted exclusively for the hotel in its signature stripe. Alessandro Mendini designed the original, one of the Italian design house’s most loved objects, built on the argument that even the most practical things deserve character. Dressed in the codes of The Mark, that argument gains a new setting.

The rest of the capsule follows the same logic. A picnic basket set by Marcel Wanders, a sculptural tray by Nika Zupanc, and Ron Arad‘s Babyboop hors d’oeuvre set, each carrying the hotel’s signature M and each available at Le Shop at The Mark and nowhere else.

Consider it the most elegant answer to the question of what to bring your host, or what to keep for yourself.

THE DETAILS

Alessandro M. corkscrew in black and white thermoplastic resin
Height 8.27 in, diameter 2.36 in
$120
Exclusively at Le Shop, The Mark Hotel, New York

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © The Mark Hotel
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!

This week, THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU in the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau officially opened its doors, an opulent five-star hotel designed by the fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld, combining immaculate interiors with unrivaled hospitality.

Created with a bold vision for iconic accommodations and aesthetics, and as the world’s first and only hotel entirely designed by and named after the late fashion legend, the designer’s imaginative, inimitable style and ethos are infused into its very DNA, from its architectural elements to the specially commissioned furniture and art.

Each of the hotel’s 271 rooms and suites, as well as its Spa, Gym and pools feature Karl Lagerfeld’s bold, inspired blend of rock-chic aesthetics and elegant Chinoiserie elements. The signature restaurant, Mesa by José Avillez, translates his iconic tastes into an exquisite chic setting, while The Book Lounge is inspired by his home library in Paris. Discover fashion, luxury and beauty, fused together into a one-of-a-kind reflection of the world of Karl.

Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of Karl Lagerfeld, said, «It’s incredible to see Karl’s vision translated into reality at THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU. It is truly a unique and immersive experience into Karl’s world. He often spoke about his fascination for Chinese culture and Karl has seamlessly combined elements from both East and West with his unique style and creative expression. In Karl’s own words, let’s “embrace the present and invent the future.»

Karl Lagerfeld’s design concept for THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU stemmed from a sophisticated reimagining of modern Chinoiserie fused with traditional craftsmanship, bold colors and patterns meet tailored silhouettes.

All rooms and suites showcase influences of both classic Chinese design and contemporary Western aesthetics: custom-created headboards were inspired by auspicious Chinese coins that represent good fortune, while porcelain vases were handmade in Jingdezhen and circular room dividers were inspired by traditional Chinese moon gates.

Reflecting Karl Lagerfeld’s passion for collaboration, specially commissioned furnishings include exquisite sculptures by Dutch artist Marcel Wanders and French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel, and Terzani chandeliers.

For information about THE KARL LAGERFELD MACAU and to book your stay, please click here.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © The Karl Lagerfeld Macau
We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Louis Vuitton enriches its collection with 10 new items Objets Nomades that will be presented during Salone del Mobile in Milan from April 4th to 9th 2017.

Created in 2012, the Objets Nomades collection keeps alive Louis Vuitton’s long tradition of beautifully crafted travel objects. Some of the world’s most renowned designers have since imagined stunning travel-inspired Objets, which have then been made by Louis Vuitton. This year, two new designers have joined the collection: India Mahdavi and Tokujin Yoshioka.

“Design is about giving function a form.”
India Mahdavi

“I always try to invent something beyond forms.”
​ Tokujin Yoshioka

Bed trunk for explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza

The limited editions and experimental prototypes that make up the Objets Nomades collection all pay homage to the House’s special orders of the past – such as the iconic Bed Trunk produced in 1874 for French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza – and add the defiantly contemporary visions of creative designers from around the world: Atelier Oï, Maarten Baas, Barber and Osgerby, the Campana Brothers, Damien Langlois-Meurinne, Nendo, Gwenaël Nicolas, Raw Edges, Patricia Urquiola, Marcel Wanders, and, most recently, India Mahdavi and Tokujin Yoshioka.

Hammock by Atelier Oï

Today, there are 25 Objets Nomades, from a hammock to a deckchair, a swing chair to a foldable stool. Each project has been an opportunity for the designers and Louis Vuitton’s creative artisans to combine their savoir-faire to interpret the idea of travel in their own imaginative ways. Each Objet embodies their shared ideals: a love of the beauty of fine materials, the possibility of forms and carefully balanced proportions, complex and meticulous craftsmanship, and close attention to detail.

These values are clearly present in the 10 Objets Nomades recently added to the collection,

such as the Campana Brothers’ playful sofa, inspired by clouds and the shell Botticelli painted for Venus;

Atelier Oï’s stunning chair, with its repurposed straps resembling leather belts;

Marcel Wanders’ modern, richly malletage-leather rocking chair;

India Mahdavi’s talisman-inspired nomade side table with its remarkable leather marquetry;

and Tokujin Yoshioka‘s blossom stool, that has been inspired by the idea from the motif of quarto foil, a stool with natural structure that symbolizes the Louis Vuitton Monograms of petals.

Some more of the 10 newly added Objets Nomades.

 ​Over 160 years after Louis Vuitton began exploring new territories and ideas of travel, the Objets Nomades collection can be seen as proof that the House has lost none of its sense of adventure.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton