Armani, Baccarat, Bulgari, Camper, Fauchon, Muji and Maisons du Monde are just some of the famous names in fashion and interior design who have showcased their art of living in hotels that, at one time or another, have graced the pages of lifestyle magazines. Is this a logical continuation of the story? Today, it's the turn of a magazine, the link between all these worlds, to embrace hospitality. And not the least, the most emblematic of the French women's press: ELLE. Its aura transcends both the sexes - 25% of its readers are men - and borders, with its 78 editions reaching over 200 million people around the world every month.
The extension of the ELLE brand to the hotel industry is a first, its diversification is nothing newThe French brand has been on the move for almost 40 years. Clothing, sunglasses, perfumes, make-up, candles: the feminine art of living made in France takes many forms, with 150 licences. And it's exporting well, particularly in Asia, with ELLE cafés in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, spas in India and Japan, and hairdressing salons in China. And now a hotel in the heart of Paris.
Open from mid-November, its first Maison ELLE hotel offers an address in the image of the publication, Parisian to the devil, on the edge of the Golden Triangle. Located on rue Brey in the 17th arrondissemente arrondissement, close to the Champs-Elysées, this boutique hotel with 25 rooms, including 10 suites, some with balconies, is the embodiment of a desire to translate the spirit of the French capital into a new way of life. the spirit of the magazine. This task has been entrusted to the Valotel group, which owns around ten hotels in France, most of them Ibis, but which also created the MGallery TOO Hotelrecently opened in Paris in partnership with Laurent Taïeb. " ELLE magazine is about everything: how to dress, how to decorate your home, how to travel, how to see exhibitions, how to make love. Everything that makes life intimate. And hospitality is all about intimacy. " explains Pascal Donat, Chairman of Valotel, the Lagardère Group's partner in the ELLE brand's hotel venture.
To give birth to this first establishment, Valotel undertook the metamorphosis of one of its hotels, Flanelles (4*), which lasted a year and a half, without closing. And it did so without taking the easy way out of playing on the four feminine capital letters on the façade and the cover the walls with the most famous covers of the magazine. Its long history is highlighted, but subtly, particularly in the bedrooms via a connected screen. More picture than TV, this Samsung Frame model displays some iconic headlines, while also broadcasting videos of specially designed yoga and relaxation classes.
The discreet screen blends into the atmosphere of the rooms, designed by the Parisian design couple Laurent and Laurence. The Maison ELLE boutique hotel embodies the brand's values: a place inspired by Haussmann-style flats. Cosy and elegant, the rooms have the wardrobe of the ParisienneThe tiles lining the walls of the king-size bathrooms are also reminiscent of the Paris metro.
Some of the rooms, for example, are reminiscent of the sailor stripes favoured by Coco Chanel and Jean-Paul Gaultier. Others wear trench coats or tweeds. In others, denim or flannel. All in the spirit of 'mix & match', the mix of genres advocated by the magazine, accompanied by furniture, lighting, drawings and sketches specially created to set the tone for the establishment.
As for the fragrances of the bathroom products and the bathrobes, they too have been specially designed for the Maison ELLE. Lightweight bathrobes, which guests will be able to buy in the hotel's boutique, a real concept store with a wide range of products bearing the ELLE logo. Clothes, candles, crockery, yoga mats, all produced in France or Portugal for the brand.
Beyond this lifestyle universe, the Maison ELLE is also, thanks to its location and its services, in particular the gourmet breakfasts offered with the Cinq Sens house, but also the accessible prices for this level of hotel, a privileged hotel for business customers of all genders. " Weekdays, a large proportion of customers are male" says Pascal Donat. For the relaxation of these stressed travellers, the establishment offers a spa in the basement in partnership with the German brand Dr Hauschka, which specialises in products produced using traditional methods, without any chemicals. The spa focuses on treatments to help you let go after a busy day, starting with a footbath to soothe your mind.
And what about tomorrow? Anne Billaz, CEO of Lagardère Active Entreprises, is already talking about wanting to play on the " the strength of this brand internationally "The aim is to develop other projects in three target regions: Europe, China and South-East Asia. A new address already seems to have been found in Bangkok, with Singapore and Japan also among the potential future destinations. The objective is clearly stated: to have dozens of Maison ELLE. And why not one day, in addition to urban hotels, launch ELLE Resorts, ELLE Residences? The idea is already in the pipeline.
