To create a lifestyle experience, high-end fashion houses including Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni and Balmain are hanging out where you do.
As retail foot traffic declines, renowned fashion houses are aiming their attention at fashion-savvy jet-setters. So don’t be surprised to find that designer brands from Balmain to Lacoste have flown the runway to the beaches and mountains of some of the world’s most glamorous resorts.
It’s obvious why: Hospitality partnerships open new avenues for exposure and brand loyalty, creating a unique way to engage with the affluent customers. But for brand-sensitive travellers, it also offers a key differentiator between 5-star hideaways.
Below are five new fashion collaborations happening right now at hotels, resorts and clubs to look out for on your next trip.
One&Only Aesthesis x Balmain
Greece’s capital city is undergoing a renaissance with a slew of chic hotel and restaurant openings, including the new One&Only Aesthesis which opened in late 2023. The 127-room coastal oasis is located in Glyfada, just 30 minutes from Athens, on a 21-hectare protected beach and forest reserve. This summer, the Athen’s Riviera resort is making a splash with a high-profile partnership alongside Parisian fashion house, Balmain. The brand’s creative director, Olivier Rousteing, unveiled the newly reimagined pool and beach area with towels, sunbeds, and umbrellas wrapped in the brand’s elegant black and white labyrinth logo, including a sleek pool with floor tiles in the brand’s logo. To commemorate the collaboration, guests can purchase a special-edition BalmainxOne&Only 1945 Cabas handbag featuring signature gold hardware sold exclusively at the resort’s NEO boutique.
Hotel Du Cap-Eden Roc x Lacoste
With five clay tennis courts and a backdrop as iconic as the French Riviera, a partnership between Hotel Du Cap-Eden Roc and French brand Lacoste seems like a natural fit. The lavish Antibes resort partnered with the lifestyle heritage brand synonymous with tennis to launch a co-branded limited-edition capsule collection—the brand’s first foray into hotel partnerships. The inaugural collaboration keeps players looking sophisticated on and off the court with a range of co-branded sportswear and accessories for men and women in the signature green shade with hints of white and blue. Beyond chic attire, co-branded tennis courts feature tennis balls, towels, parasols, and other equipment wrapped in the signature crocodile logo. For those who want to look stylish back home, the collection is exclusively available for purchase at the resort’s boutique.
Verdura Resort x The Missoni Club
Missoni, the Italian knitwear brand known for its colorful patterns and resortwear popular in the summer, brings ‘La Dolce Vita’ to the southern coast of Sicily. The Missoni Resort Club launches at Verdura Resort with a custom beach club decked out in bright blue and green motifs that blend seamlessly with the surrounding Italian coastline. Sun loungers and towels are emblazoned with the brand’s signature geometric print and branded craft cocktails aptly named Missoni Breeze and Colore are offered at the pool and beach bar. A Missoni pop-up store showcases curated pieces from the beach club collection.
Hotel Amigo x Diane von Furstenberg
Since its inception in the ‘70s, the ‘wrap dress’ has become synonymous with Belgian-American designer Diane von Furstenberg. Furstenberg revolutionized women’s fashion when she created a staple in women’s wardrobes. Hotel Amigo, located in her hometown of Brussels, pays homage to the garment celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year with a hotel suite dedicated to the designer. The signature suite is a visual feast, featuring Furstenberg’s distinctive aesthetic–think zebra rugs, bold patterns, and pops of bright colors. Guests who book the room are welcomed with a box of artisanal Laurent Gerbaud chocolates, signed coffee table books, and an autographed wall from Furstenberg herself. And if you still can’t get enough DVF, your hotel stay includes a tour of the DVF exhibit at the nearby Fashion & Lace Museum and a private shopping experience at the DVF boutique on Rue du Grand Cerf.
Hotel Cala di Volpe x Dolce & Gabbana
The island of Sardinia has long been a celebrity haven. Some of the world’s wealthiest people including Jeff Bezos, Bernard Arnault, and the Beckhams were recently spotted vacationing on the Mediterranean island. Jetsetters flock to Costa Smeralda, the northeast coast of the island dotted with luxury resorts, white sandy beaches, and a lively port that can accommodate mega yachts. It’s obvious why Dolce & Gabbana chose the idyllic Hotel Cala di Volpe along the Gallura coastline to feature the bold, vibrant colored Carretto Siciliano print—a tribute to the Italian heritage of fatto a mano (or handmade) craftsmanship. The designer brand transformed the hotel’s pool, the largest saltwater pool in Europe, and added tons of eye candy including custom beach towels, hand-painted vases, and other upholstered accessories to brighten up the poolside experience.
