Whenever I visit New York, I have to stop by The Royalton Hotel for a cocktail and to check out what's new and going on. I first visited the Royalton at the tender age of 24 and could not believe that all the staff were wearing Chairman Mao-type blue workers uniforms. For some reason they all seemed to have the posture of ballerinas and moved in slow motion... it was like being at the theatre. The whole mood was subdued and sexy and the bathrooms were to die for. I was smitten by Philippe Starck. 
Over the years, I've enjoyed the wonderfully designed Long Bar in the Sanderson Hotel (London) with the gorgeous bar stools covered in Fornesetti's trade-mark designs:
I've enjoyed The Clift Hotel (San Francisco) with his large and small chairs in the foyer:
........ and I've peeked in the Peninsular Hotel (Hong Kong).... but I have yet to visit The Mondrian in LA or the Delano in South Beach - but I will get there eventually.
Philippe's designs, to me, are truly amazing - I recently saw a NYC fashion show that used his Ghost Chairs for seating - it must have cost the organizers a forturne! But it did look stunning. One of my prized pieces of furniture is my Louis Ghost Chair!
What I also admire is that he designed items for Target too. One can only assume he's actually a down-to-earth kind of guy!
If you could grant me three wishes, one of them would be to pull up a chair and hang out at his new restaurant design - Le Lan (Beijing). We'd share a glass of wine, some good food and I'd get some fantastic design ideas!!
Wow - these interiors are very theatrical. i love the use of light, colour, shapes and images. You really do feel like you are part of a play...
ReplyDeleteAhhh the ghost chair, I used to love it until I saw it everywhere.. But every now and again, someone uses it in the most spectacular way, I fall in love with it all over again.
Thanks for sharing
Vitania
Thanks so much Vitania... I agree with your comments on the Ghost Chair.
ReplyDeleteVal