From Fashion Boutique to Boutique Hotel

Martin Margiela, a graduate of the Royal Acadamy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, has an enviable resume including being an assistant to Jean-Paul Gaultier, through to artistic director for the Hermès women’s collections.  In 1988 he set up Maison Martin Margiela, a fashion house known for it’s embrace of white, from the walls to the cotton covers on the furniture, white muslim on the chandeliers, all mixed up with a little surrealism through contrasting proportions.  His minimalist style is joined together with a curious quest for anonymity, with clothing brand labels simply a blank white label, and his models embracing masks on the catwalk.

Maison Martin Margiela

La Maison Champs Elysee

In 2010, Maison Martin Margiela, was chosen to put his design and fine art skills into the world of interior design.   Maison Martin Margiela was appointed to design the historical part of “La Maison Champs Elysee” building in Paris. rethinking the space to create  seventeen rooms out of the existing 57, a restaurant, a smoking room, a bar and a reception area.

To carry out the project, Maison Martin Margiela worked jointly with other artists including a landscaper and lighting designers. The result is very much a culmination of Maison Martins simplistic penchant for white and a clever mix of modern and historic with his trademark surrealist twist.

“With the help of Maison Martin Margiela, [la Maison Champs-Elysées] wanted to offer clients in search of different experiences, new concepts of living space by redefining the rules and offering a luxurious but relaxed atmosphere, where minimalism of forms is served by incredible attention to detail. Moreover, this hotel is located in the centre of a district which brings the most prestigious French couture houses together.” Bernadette Chevalier, la Maison Champs-Elysées

Hallway

The walls are entirely covered in wallpaper made from black and white photographs taken of the golden salon on the second floor of the property. The net curtains are printed with these same patterns, ensuring the historic is fully integrated into the Modern.

Suite

Suite - WC magazine spines adorn the walls

The Corridor - Playing on light and texture

The Lounge Bar

The Cigar Bar ( which as it’s name suggest is exclusively for that one purpose) is like a photographic negative of the bar, in which that which was white has become black. It still keeps with the traditional, by incorporating the traditional French panelling and very darkly stained oak parquet floor. Although it has a little bit more of a English men’s club feel, with gentle ceiling lighting and black bottle-lamps. And of course big dark brown leather armchairs to create a more intimate atmosphere. 

The Cigar Bar

The Cigar Bar

For those who prefer a little darker sleeping quarters there is the Curiosity Case Suite, which has a wall dedicated to curiosities abound.  Where colour is so flat their is a need to inject texture.

Curiosity Case Suite

Curiosity Case Suite

And when you need to inject a bit more of nature into your day you can move to The Patio, where black and white still sneak in with the chair covers and the salt and pepper pots!

The Patio

A really interesting take on how ideas from fashion merge so well into the interior spectrum, with a simple palette making the most of playing with textures.

On with the colourful journey…………

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