Global diversification. Emotional engagement. Luxury fashion brands are increasingly aligning themselves with experiential hospitality. The media focuses on the star-studded catwalk show and the individual designer’s celebrity and genius. Yet the typical elite fashion house is really a giant corporation. One whose profit derives from the mass production, marketing and consumption of ready-to-wear clothing and accessories.

And thus, many luxury fashion brands are reinventing themselves. Branching out into delivery of the full lifestyle package. Through hotels, where such packages can be put on display and sold to guests, and through lifestyle experiences. Take a look at these 7 luxury fashion brands that have branched into experiential hospitality.

Palazzo Versace, Queensland

@palazzoversace

Opened in Australia in 2000, the Palazzo Versace Queensland is credited as being one of the world’s first fashion brand hotels. With an exclusive waterfront setting on the Gold Coast, the hotel features spectacular architecture, opulent accommodations, and a design distinguished by Versace bespoke furnishings. The chandelier in the foyer of the Palazzo Versace once hung in the State Library of Milan and was originally purchased by Gianni Versace to place in one of his homes. More than $11.5 million worth of marble was imported from Carra in Italy and the driveway mosaic is the second largest in the world.

@palazzoversace

A wide range of items from bathrobes to bedheads, all on display and for the use of guests, are also for sale through the lobby shop. However, in this case, the initiative did not come from the Versace organization itself. Palazzo Versace was the brainchild of Gold Coast-based Sunland Group. From the Versace perspective, it was a new step in the journey towards globalization and diversification from the purveyors of high-end designer fashion.

Audemars Piguet, Hotel des Horlogers

@hoteldeshorlogers

Authenticity, harmony, ingenuity and liberation. These are the values of luxury Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet. And the Hotel des Horlogers offers guests all this in the shape of luxurious accommodations. Originally built in 1857, this historic hotel was purchased by Audemars Piguet in 2003. It was renamed “Hôtel des Horlogers” in tribute to the know-how of the watchmakers in the surrounding La Vallée de Joux.

@audemarspiguet

The hotel aims to break down the boundaries between nature and architecture, creating a space of harmony. In the true essence of Audemars Piguet, one of the world’s leading luxury fashion brands, the spirit of innovation inspired by watchmaking roots extends to the architecture and overall guest experience. The hotel features its own watch exhibition and the opportunity to visit the nearby Audemars Piguet watchmaker’s museum. It might lead you to place your name on the list for one of these distinguished timepieces.

Related content: Dine, Sleep, Do: How to spend a chic 24 hours in St. Moritz

Armani Hotels, Milan & Dubai

@armanihotel_milano

The exclusive collection of Armani Hotels & Resorts are styled to reflect elegance, simplicity and sophisticated comfort. Designed in collaboration with Mr. Giorgio Armani and his in-house interior design team, the hotel embody his signature style and aesthetic. Each hotel promises “uncompromising attention to detail” and stunning views along with world-class services and award-winning cuisine.

@armanihotel_milano

Set in the Armani style, “a way of being and presenting oneself, certainly incorporating clothing and accessories, but also including gestures, ways, behaviors and attitudes; a style that goes beyond the sum of its parts, and well beyond what one wears.” Restaurants offer gourmet dishes created by some of the world’s leading chefs. Luxurious spas offer the ultimate in pampering and relaxation.

Tiffany & Co’s Blue Box Café, Harrods, London

@retailfocus

Opened in 2020, on the ground floor of Harrods in London, customers get yet another way to immerse themselves in the world of Tiffany. Guests can literally enjoy Breakfast at Tiffany’s. With afternoon tea and dinner also on the menu. Dine surrounded by Tiffany jewelry, with surroundings that feel like one of the brand’s famed blue boxes. Dishes are served on the Tiffany & Co bone china, as part of a beautiful Tiffany tablescape. For Tiffany & Co, one of the most iconic luxury fashion brands, this makes for an ideal and classy Instagram opportunity.

Have your very own Audrey Hepburn moment and dine on New York-style pancakes dusted with sugar, served with maple syrup, strawberries and whipped vanilla cream. Or try a signature crab muffin, with Cornish crab and cheddar rarebit. Sip on Tiffany cocktails such as Velvet Lychee, with Harrods Brut NV, lychee, egg white and vanilla vodka. Or a White Gold and Rose Gold B, with Harrods Brut NV, rose peach puree and raspberry.

Why not visit whilst in London on our Castles & Kingdoms luxury guided tour?

Dior and Belmond Hotels

@dior

In the summer of 2022, the high-end hospitality group Belmond Hotels partnered with Dior to offer a pop-up spa experience on the Italian Riviera. Located in the gardens of Splendido, a Belmond Hotel, in Portofino, the Jardin des Rêves Dior (Dior’s Garden of Dreams) featured two spa treatment spaces offering signature face and body rituals.

Dior’s creative director reimagined the fashion house’s iconic Toile de Jouy fabric to dress up the cabanas. A temporary concept store offered a wide range of clothing options from the fashion house’s Dioriveria capsule collection, as well as the limited Splendido Edition of its Escale à Portofino perfume.

As well as hotels, Belmond leads the way in luxury train travel as owners of the Venice-Simplon Orient Express.

Related content: Meet the Michelin star chef putting his stamp on the Orient-Express menu

Ferragamo, the Lungarno Collection

@lungarnocollection

Created by the Ferragamo family the Lungarno Collection consists of seven boutique properties.  The Ferragamo footprint runs through all the fashion brand hotels, with five in Florence, one in Rome, and one in Milan. Branded beauty products adorn every bathroom. Picasso and Caravaggio paintings direct from the family’s private collection are displayed on the walls.

Frequented by an international jet-set crowd of art enthusiasts, expect to see fashion seekers and well-heeled weekenders. The Ferragamo family’s values of quality, service and lifestyle permeate every second of your stay.

Related content: 7 ways you’ll experience Tuscan food when traveling with Luxury Gold

Aston Martin and the Waldorf Astoria

@astonmartinlagonda

Not just luxury fashion brands, high-end car companies too have entered into exclusive partnerships with hotels to expand their market share and cultivate a richer brand image. Waldorf Astoria, for many years has paired with Aston Martin Lagonda to present hotel guests with Aston Martin’s latest models and offer guests VIP hospitality at automobile shows and international races. Tapping into each other’s clientele, exciting driving opportunities were offered at hotels worldwide along with exclusive trackside access at top racing events.

 For the ultimate luxury journey, take a look at the Luxury Gold collection of limited edition guided tours.

Visiting Uluru – also known as Ayers Rock — is a mesmerizing and unforgettable encounter, only made better by a luxury resort stay. Both quintessentially Australian and a unique, personal experience, this more than 300-million-year-old site on our Inspiring Australia tour will leave you longing to return Down Under. 

Your time in the Red Center will be enhanced by your stay at the award-winning, five-star Sails in the Desert Ayers Rock Resort. Among Uluru resorts, Sails in the Desert adds a dramatic and elegantly comfortable aspect to your visit to the red center of ustralia. 

@travellingtripfinder

The Location 

Sails in the Desert is just a five-minute walk from Town Square. Here, you’ll find a post office supermarket and several casual dining options for your travel needs. But more importantly, Uluru and the domes of Kata Tjuta are 12 and 33 miles away, respectively. 

@exploreuluru

Your Uluru Resort 

As you approach this Uluru luxury resort, staggered sweeping white sails let you know that you’re staying in an iconic setting. Inside, colorful carpets featuring modern indigenous colors and prints carry you through the hotel.  

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The rooms 

The Indigenous motif continues in the hotel’s 228 rooms. Your private retreat will soothe with natural tones and Indigenous artwork, artifacts and decorative accents depicting the local Anangu creation stories. Your balcony or patio invites you to take in the wonder of the desert, day or night. Terrace rooms offer a shaded oasis beneath the gum trees and the enchanting desert night sky. A decadent experience among Uluru hotels, the deluxe suite includes a separate living area, bedroom and multiple balconies as well as a spa bath and rainwater shower. 

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The spa 

For any guest seeking a bit of pampering, the onsite Red Ochre Spa is the perfect spot to rejuvenate your body and spirit after a day exploring Uluru. The newly upgraded rooms and facilities host a range of services that will surely tempt any guest of Australian luxury hotels. Power-boosting facials re-awaken the senses. Hands and feet massages provide focused attention. And massages offer a range of customized treatments including hand-picked essential oils blends to soothe the senses.  

@balmainspa

Cocktails and more 

Continue your pampering as you treat yourself to a refreshing cocktail infused with native ingredients or a light meal at Walpa Lobby Bar. The Pitjantjatjara name for wind, this casual setting is ideal for coffee, lunch, snacks or a pre-dinner drink or nightcap. The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, seafood and salads such as the Thai Papaya and Prawn or the Ancient Grains salad.  

@leisha322

Local to international 

Savor local flavors with a modern twist at Ilkari Restaurant, named for the local Pitjantjatjara word for sky. Enjoy a buffet breakfast, complete with a customized dish from the egg and pancake live cooking station. As evening sets in, the buffet dinner tempts with salads, vegetables, antipasto, seafood, roasts and a grill selection highlighting Indigenous flavors. Enhance your meal with a regional wine. Then top it all off with a treat from the cascading chocolate fountain alongside an intercontinental selection of sweets.  

@alohahisanori

Dining poolside 

You’ll surely work up an appetite after a cooling dip in the pool lined with lush gum trees. Pira Pool Bar, the name for the moon, is just the place to enjoy a casual bite or cocktail in your lounger. Dine on a selection of shared plates including oysters and scallops, tapas, desserts and handcrafted cocktails. 

@ckarea.shop

Indigenous flavors 

While staying at Sails in the Desert, don’t miss your opportunity to join in the complimentary Bush Food Experience. Located in the Arkani Theater, just a few minutes’ walk from your hotel, this 45-minute program will introduce you to the local bounty of the land. Learn about Australian and local bush tucker and how local Indigenous people hunted, gathered and prepared these foods. Then watch a cooking demonstration. 

An eye for art 

While stunning Uluru is just a short drive away, you don’t have to step outside your hotel to take in one-of-a-kind Indigenous art at the Mulgara Gallery. Located in the foyer, this airy space showcases Australian hand-crafted glassware, pottery, textiles, metal and leather work. Admire the glasswork of internationally renowned artist Chris Pantano. View the Central Desert dot painting from Papunya and Mt Allen, as well as colorful body art from Utopia. The gallery also displays artifacts including didgeridoos, rain sticks and other tribal instruments. A collection of Australian Opal and colored diamond jewelry dazzles with its inspiration drawn from the land and sea. 

@hotdotdesigns

A grand scale 

From detailed dot paintings to iconic Uluru, Sails in the Desert acquaints you with sites from the small to the epic. On your Inspiring Australia journey, you’ll take a guided walk through the domes of Kata Tjuṯa Walpa Gorge where you’ll learn the cultural significance of Kata Tjuṯa’s ancient rocky domes. Then, bask in your first views of Uluru at sunset over sparkling wine and canapes. A memorable ending in a memorable place. 

@exploreuluru

What other elegant hotels will you stay in with Luxury Gold? 

Passport and boarding pass? Check. But have you packed your flight skincare essentials? The right skincare routine before, during and after your flight – whether it’s one hour or 10 – will help you arrive refreshed at your destination. 

Before: flight skincare essentials 

Yes, you can nourish and nurture your skin before you take off. In fact, what you eat and drink before your flight matters as much as it does while you’re in the air. Be sure to drink a lot of water and avoid salty, heavy foods before you fly.  

To prepare for your in-flight skincare routine, remove your makeup before you fly. While oil or cream-based makeup sounds like it will keep your skin moisturized, it’s best to remove makeup entirely. A heavy made-up face will clog your pores. So, do a double cleanse by using a cleansing balm to remove your makeup followed by a gentle cleanser. If you choose to remove your makeup on the plane, use TSA-approved makeup remover wipes.  

During: flight skincare essentials   

Once you’re settled into your seat, begin your skincare routine. First, remember that even though you’re snug in your seat, the sun’s rays can still reach you, especially if you’re in the window seat. In fact, UV rays are more intense at higher altitudes and twice as high at 30,000 feet. So, take a moment to apply your favorite sunscreen. 

Why moisturize? 

Because cabin air is pressurized and has less humidity than outside, your skin will dry out faster. Without moisture, your skin may be dry and irritated even after you land. As a result, your skin may respond by producing more oil. The best way to combat dryness and oiliness is to apply serum and moisturizer. 

Serum and moisturizer 

Applying a serum skincare product after cleansing and before moisturizing will nourish your skin with a high concentration of powerful ingredients. Choose a serum with a high concentration of hyaluronic acid, an ingredient that helps to retain moisture. This will draw water from the air and lock in moisture before you apply your moisturizer. Applying a serum layer before an additional moisturizing layer will give you extra hydration, especially for those long-haul flights to dream destinations. When you select your moisturizer, you’ll also want to look for one that contains hyaluronic acid. 

Face masks 

A sheet mask or a clear, hydrating gel mask is the next best step to seal in your serum and moisturizer. If you choose a gel mask, apply it in layers to minimize any gloopiness. Look for bio-cellulose masks that can replenish your skin with nourishing ingredients. Once you’ve applied the mask of your choice, this is a great time to sleep and let those powerful ingredients work their magic. Make your skincare extra indulgent by applying a heavy-duty lip mask as a lip balm.  

Face oil 

If you opt not to use a gel mask, or feel self-conscious about wearing a sheet mask on your flight, use a nourishing face oil to moisturize your face, neck and lips. Oils including geranium, jojoba, or frankincense, contain omega fatty acids and vitamins that protect your skin from dehydration. Then, enhance the effects and give yourself a bit of self-care with a muscle-awakening facial massage. Use small circular movements and gently massage upwards. 

Extra flight skincare essentials 

Skin care doesn’t stop with what moisturizers you apply to your face. What you rest your head upon for a long, in-flight nap is just as important. Instead of leaning your head against the window or headrest (which can acquire bacteria), bring your own pillow. Airport gift shops usually carry U-shaped pillows in case you forget yours.  

Food and drink 

What you eat and drink is also just as important for your skin as what you put on it. Continue to hydrate with water and skip the alcohol to combat the dry cabin air. Plane food can be laden with salt and preservatives so you’re best to pack your own replenishing snacks. 

After you land: flight skincare essentials 

Keep up your excellent skin care after your flight to feel extra refreshed for your travels. When you arrive, wash your face and shower with lukewarm water, not hot water that can further dry out the skin. Then, apply moisturizer packed with hydrating ingredients like shea or cocoa butter on your face and body. 

Extra skincare and self-care 

Your skin care need not stop once you arrive at your destination. While you’ve surely packed your favorite products, Many Luxury Gold accommodations include an onsite spa for decadent and replenishing treatments. For example, Kallpa Spa at Tambo Del Inka in the Sacred Valley of Peru offers massages and facials based on traditional, healing Inca ingredients. Or, enjoy their heated indoor and outdoor pool or hydromassage pools.  Check out our six favorite spas around the world and where you can unwind with Luxury Gold. 

Where will you pamper yourself with Luxury Gold?