A Year in Lifestyle
Whitewall is looking back on a year in lifestyle, from restaurant and hotel openings, and our favorite in-depth features.
Best of 2023: Gucci Men’s Makes its Mark in Miami
Courtesy of Gucci.
Open just in time for Miami Art Week earlier this month, Gucci‘s first Design District boutique was joined by a brand-new location exclusively dedicated to menswear. From the streets of the creative district, the location catches the eye of passersby through a green and white facade, which gives way to interiors with marble flooring, velvet armchairs, leather sofas, and built-in displays fashioned after a walk-in closet, making for a stylish yet comfortable shopping experience. Here, patrons can peruse all of the latest men’s products, from ready-to-wear and eyewear to shoes, small leather goods, and luggage.
Bottega Veneta in Aspen
Courtesy of Bottega Veneta.
On December 1 in Aspen, Bottega Veneta debuted an inaugural boutique on posh East Hyman Avenue, intermeshing the storied brand’s timeless yet leading-edge design aesthetic with the captivating mountain landscape. Concurrent to the store’s unveiling, the maison celebrates a dynamic new collaboration with Aspen Art Museum (AAM), featuring a sweeping presentation of works by the late American sculptor and filmmaker John Chamberlain, titled “THE TIGHTER THEY’RE WOUND, THE HARDER THEY UNRAVEL,” on view through April 7, 2024. Inside the space, majestic ceiling beams of Aspen wood veneer and bouclé-embellished walls beckon visitors into a pastoral sanctuary. Tranquil shades of cream and white abound, setting the scene for sculptural, tree-like display units and radiant clothing rails that present Bottega Veneta’s sumptuous women’s and men’s garments and accessories—including elegant pieces that feature their trademark, artisanal leatherwork.
The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza Opens in Japan
Courtesy of The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza.
On December 12, The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza opened as the bustling city’s second location. As an elegant balance between traditional Japanese culture and the EDITION’s tuned-in global cultural spirit, the new space features 86 rooms across 14 floors with interiors by Ian Schrager Company in partnership with Kengo Kuma, as well as art by Sayaka Maruyama and Takay Photography. Home to a brasserie and an array of food and beverage concepts, the hotel also features Japan’s only punch-focused cocktail bar and Ginza’s first natural wine bar.
Best of 2023: Casadonna Meets Miami
Casadonna, photo by Ngoc Minh Ngo, courtesy of Groot Hospitality and Tao Group Hospitality.
Opening a joint hospitality destination was a dream recently realized by Groot Hospitality and Tao Group. For the collaborators’ first partnership, nearly a decade in the making, it opened Casadonna—an indoor-outdoor eatery spanning 20,000 square feet along Biscayne Bay, featuring 366 seats and sumptuous Southern Italian dishes. The expansive indoor and outdoor dining areas, designed by Ken Fulk, impart an atmosphere of organic grandeur, topped off by a Riviera-style menu of traditional recipes with a contemporary twist.
Valentino Debuts a Store on Madison Avenue
Courtesy of Valentino.
In November in New York, Valentino unveiled an opulent new flagship boutique at 654 Madison Avenue, bringing the luxury house’s revisioned global retail concept to the Upper East Side. Unfolding over three floors, an elevated, artisanal approach to materials and architecture seeks to immerse clients in the brand’s singular Maison de Couture aesthetic. Women’s and men’s prêt-à-porter collections are presented in a meticulously curated setting, uniting iconic fashion with eclectic and creative design details. In celebration of Valentino’s ongoing commitment to arts and culture, a special collaboration with Magazzino Italian Art debuts within the store as painter Mario Schifano reveals his latest poetic pieces.
Loro Piana’s Beach Club in Saint-Tropez
Courtesy of Loro Piana.
On the Côte d’Azur in Saint-Tropez, in celebration of its Summer Resort 2023 collection, Loro Piana preserved the essence of the season with a timely debut—La Réserve à la Plage beach club. For the exclusive destination open through the summer, celebrating the brand’s iconic materials, colors, and patterns with a boutique and a clubhouse en plein air, it featured select clothing and accessories from the Summer Resort 2023 collection is available at the shop, such as hats, swimsuits, linen beach bags, outfits with the Flower Ceremony print, and the Blossom bag—a brand new shopper. The beach club, just steps away from the boutique, also embraced the personalized Loro Piana DNA, adorned with outdoor fabrics from its Interiors collection. Parasols, beach towels, beach rackets, and even table accessories in its bar and restaurant embrace the multi-striped Suitcase Stripe motif, perfectly evocative of the sunny season.
Best of 2023: The Audley Invigorates London
The Audley Public House, photo by Simon Brown, courtesy of ArtFarm.
London’s The Audley—featuring a five-floor space that hosts a pub, a private residence, dining rooms, and game rooms—features art in all corners, from Cindy Sherman and Rashid Johnson to Lucien Freud and Subodh Gupta. Imagined by ArtFarm’s Iwan and Manuela Wirth and the Argentine architect and designer, Luis Laplace, the downstairs pub features an art marvel—a mural by the British artist Phyllida Barlow. “When you enter the room, she lifts you up,” Laplace told Whitewall. “It takes you by surprise. That’s the last thing you’re expecting to see in a pub in London. It brings humor and a smile.”
Banyan Tree Opens Iteration in AlUla, Saudi Arabia
Courtesy of Banyan Tree AlUla, Saudi Arabia.
The latest Banyan Tree resort in AlUla, Saudi Arabia takes visitors on a journey through time and expansive space. A 5-star property in the desert with tented villas, the luxurious escape is a reminder of the calm, serene landscape it sits within, featuring view of Ashar Valley. With a spa, a fitness center, and a swimming pool, Banyan Tree, AlUla offers other curated experiences and amenities like yoga classes, in-room dining, and the ability to host weddings.
