Fashion & Interiors: Top Luxury Design Hotels For Fabric

Karl Lagerfeld is designing two residential lobby spaces for the upcoming Art Shoppe Lofts + Condos, we were told last week; selecting the Toronto building's "features, finishes and furnishings". Though it marks Lagerfeld’s first design venture into North American territory, Lagerfeld is no stranger to interior design. Nor, are many of his fashion contemporaries, as more conventional dressmakers feel at home with interior design. Designing fabrics to fill a space or a clothing collection embody similar principles: determining a focal point, creating the silhouette, and balancing proportion and details. It's no easy feat. Here are the best haute couture hotels and suites to date, designed by some of the biggest fashion names.  1. Karl Lagerfeld for Schlosshotel Im Grunewald hotel – Berlin From the entrance hall to the living room, to the large bedroom with enormous cotton quilting draped in mink pink, the Grunewald Suite is 106 square meters of Belle Epoque opulence in Berlin. The drawcard is the Art Deco bathroom, an art piece of handmade tiles and white marble floor. Haute couture climbs up the walls and onto furniture, too; with the rose pink silk sofas and plush weave carpet embedded like a garden with floral appliqué.  2. Dior for St. Regis – New York The Dior Suite is inspired by Christian Dior’s Parisian headquarters, in avenue Montagne. The room style is old-money with high ceilings, wainscoting and an exuberant chandelier in crystal. The living room holds wood-carved seating in monochrome white next to gold leaf accented upholstery, reminiscent of Louis XVI. Meanwhile, a second chandelier and comic city map of Paris modernizes the dining room walls. Silks, satins and floral embellished footstools are key fabrics in light purples and teal browns. Making the room feel more Dior, Bil Donovan illustrations of vintage designs are placed tastefully as wall features.  3. Armani for Armani Hotel – Dubai and Milan Armani’s Milan and Dubai hotels are designed with the same clean, minimalist lines known of the Italian brand. The stylish lounge boasts soft-touch Italian leathers on sofas against hardwood table tops. The Presidential Suite have their own plush furnishings; more leather, checkered fur-look and satiny silk pillows and suede. Double-volumed ceilings, louvered window walls and backlit onyx features make up the communal spaces. 4. Bulgari for Bulgari Resort – Bali Luxury-meets-artisan at the Bulgari Resort Bali. Furniture, decorative tableware and fabrics were designed and produced by local artists in collaboration with Bulgari architects. Key materials include dark wood carved into grooves and lattice shapes; linen drapes, and hand-chiseled stone. The hotel is dedicated to using local wares, inspired by the island’s heritage: beautiful ceramic furnishings, wood and stone sculptures, hand-woven fabrics and traditional Balinese jewelry are placed in rooms and open share-spaces.