10 best fashion concept stores inside Californian hotels
A complex topic of hospital industry, the hotel shop became a challenge for hotels who want optimize their offering. Some hotels rely on the good ideas of their creative teams to develop their boutique merchandising with apparel and accessories like Ace Hotels. Others bet on the personality of their founders like superstar drag-queen Trixie MattelThe Webster
Rosewood Miramar Beach X The Webster, Montecito: luxury and young designers
At the Rosewood Miramar Beach, multi-brand boutique The Webster invites visitors to discover the selection of Laure Hériard-Dubreuil, founder of The Webster. In a calm and chic atmosphere, with parquet flooring, arched alcoves and a jewel-like chandelier, the boutique features luxury labels such as Céline, GucciLoeweMiu MiuChanel
Since last June, The Webster, in partnership with Rosewood Hotel & Resorts, has also announced a series of pop-ups and activations, starting with the Nahmias summer collection in the Ambassador Ocean View Suite at Rosewood Miramar Beach. From September 27 to September 30, another pop-up will be launched in Dallas, Texas, at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, an entirely new market for The Webster as the retailer has only one location in Houston. Occupying one of the Mansion’s Estate Suites, the pop-up will also offer a tailored selection of womenswear, menswear, accessories, beauty and home goods. The partnership with The Webster will continue in 2024 with a celebration during Paris Fashion WeekCrillon
Bijan and Wrist Aficionado at Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Los Angeles: luxury and watch collectors
Designed entirely by architect Pierre-Yves Rochon, the elegant Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills welcomes guests in an elegant lobby, with Art Deco and Mid Century Modern-style architecture, marble floors and a gigantic chandelier. Since 2017, the Waldorf has offered a selection from Bijan, the ultra-luxury men’s fashion house whose flagship store is located on Rodeo Drive and which has been dressing U.S. presidents and businessmen from Jeff Bezos
A newcomer this summer, Wrist Aficionado replaces James Perse’s former boutique. Founded in 2017 by Eddie Goziker and Vadim Yakubov as a digital destination for watch collectors, the company expanded into brick-and-mortar retail with shops at Fifth AvenueRolexPatek PhilippeRichard MilleCartier
The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern X Santa Ynez General Store, Los Alamos: cowboy spirit
Since last May, Auberge Collection’s new hotel, The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, has been showcasing the Santa Ynez General Store selection in its lobby boutique. Founded in 2019 by the duo Pearson McGee and Spencer Turnbull, Santa Ynez General Store now has two boutiques in Santa Ynez, the first dedicated to ready-to-wear, the second to home decoration.
In a western chic atmosphere, with wooden counter and horseshoe collections, the duo unveil a selection of accessories ranging from jewelry, palm tree and tennis rackets pendants and bracelets created by the fun jewelry brand Aliita, to collections of Shauns California sunglasses, Arquiste perfumes and Jenni Earle bandanas. On the shelves are beauty brands Ignae and Esker Beauty, while the apparel section features printed cashmeres by Leret and a selection of sweaters and jackets by French brand Ami
Trixie Motel, Palm Springs: think pink
Opened just over a year ago, Trixie Motel is the motel imagined by drag-queen superstar Trixie Mattel. Decorated in her Barbie
To take home a souvenir, head for the Trixie Motel Gift Shop. A naturally pink boutique, where you’ll find a selection of apparel such as sweatshirts, polo shirts, crop tanks and hoodies bearing the hotel’s logo. For a dip in the pool in Trixie’s colors, the store adds board shorts, speedos or one-pieces in pink, as well as heart-shaped buoys, sunglasses and tote-bags. In case of make-up issues or forgotten false eyelashes, here you’ll find the essentials for a beauty makeover, including lipsticks and make-up palettes from the best-selling Trixie Cosmetics collection.
Beverly Hills Wilshire, Los Angeles: all the finest jewelry
In this 1927 hotel, every celebrity from Elvis Presley to Steve McQueenWoman
The first, as visitors enter, showcases New York jeweller David Webb’s collections. An historic store since 1948, where jewels worn by Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy and Princess Grace of Monaco reveal sublime ornaments such as the Peace necklace in 18-carat gold, diamonds and black enamel. Occupying a large space of the hotel’s first floor, Japanese brand Mikimoto presents its collections of necklaces, rings and earrings with fantastic pearls. And in the hotel corridors, Jason of Beverly Hills has been offering the diamond creations of designer Jason Arasheben for over 20 years with bracelets, necklaces, pendants and earrings.
Freehand Hotel x Paper8, Los Angeles
Last January, the Freehand Hotel in Los Angeles’ Downtown district entrusted artist Matthew Warren with an entire boutique dedicated to his art. Influenced by cinema and American pop culture, Matthew’s art explores “the manner in which Hollywood myths are entwined with our imagination, and through his use of Hollywood iconography he creates a hybrid of art and cinema.”
On the racks of the Paper8 boutique, T-shirts, tote-bags and sweatshirts feature the drawings of stars with slogans and lyrics from cult scenes, such as Pamela AndersonPrada
Del Coronado, San Francisco: surf culture and glamorous fashion
On Coronado Island in San Francisco Bay, The Del, as it’s known, attracts celebrities and tourists from all over the world to its 78 villas and cottages. It was also here that ‘Some Like It Hot’ was filmed, with Marilyn Monroe as a guest star. In its luxury resort with a historic building whose reception looks like something out of the film The Grand Hotel Budapest, the hotel boasts no fewer than 10 boutiques dedicated to fashion and interior design.
Among the most noteworthy is S.R.F., where visitors will find everything they need for surfing; from floral shirts and O’Neill
1 Hotel, The Goodthings store, Los Angeles: sustainable fashion
In West Hollywood, the 1 Hotel is at the top of sustainable hotels. From the tropical garden and wooden furniture to the recycled objects in the rooms and the restaurant’s bio-sourced cuisine based on Californian ingredients, everything here is green.
At The Goodthings store, 1 Hotel offers merchandising products, accessories and products from the recently opened Bamford Wellness Spa, as well as a cutting-edge selection of sustainable brands ranging from Fair Harbor and Dezert Mango
The Beverly Hills Hotel, Los Angeles: successful collaborations
More than a century old, the ‘Pink Lady’, with its past legends, from Katharine Hepburn to Marlene Dietrich, its monumental swimming pool transformed throughout the summer in the colors of the Dior
Skilled in merchandising, the Gift Shop offers, in a luxury setting, a selection of items featuring the hotel’s graphic codes: pink and palm leaves. Customers and collectors generally leave with a bathrobe, cap or even a dog cushion bearing the hotel’s logo. Interesting collaborations with fashion brands range from Orlebar Brown shorts to bags and ready-to-wear from The SlL, an e-commerce site of exclusive offerings by independent fashion designers. There’s also a collaboration on silk pyjamas and dresses with artist Alexandra Nechita and Shhh Siki, and a collection of small leather goods with shoe designer George Esquivel.
Ace Hotel Los Angeles: a pioneer
A pioneer in the art of merchandising, Ace Hotel uses Atelier Ace, its in-house creative studio, to imagine all the boutique’s product developments. While the merchandising curated used to be more diverse at the beginning, here you can still find bathrobes and even the organic cotton bedding and comforters offered in the rooms, and also sweatshirts, T-shirts, hoodies, mugs and pins.
Downtown Los Angeles Ace Hotel’s shop also sells hotel bathroom products, and clean socks. The e-shop showcases a larger selection as a series of blanket with American brand Pendleton.