LIFESTYLEHOTELS Magazin | THE Stylemate, ISSUE No 02/2019, fancy adventures / english

THE NEWS ABOUT LIFE, STYLE & HOTELS ISSUE N o 02 | 2019 thestylemate.com

Stylemate fancy adventures

Photo: Maria Ziegelbรถck

T H E S T Y L E M AT E .C O M

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

Essentials Page 3 Real adventures Page 4 – 7

HOTELS:

Interview Praline Le Moult: Daily adventures Page 6

LIFESTYLEHOTELS selection:

About 01

Page LH

LIFE:

Interview Diego Calvo: Rock ’n’ Roll Business Page 8 – 10

Hotel Schani Salon / New Member Page LH 02

Smooth as OEL Page 11

Post Hotel Page LH 03

Artsy Lifestyle – culture calendar Page 12

Hotel Lemongarden ElisabethHotel Page LH 04

Edit Napoli / Amo Ergo Sum Page 13

Hotel Nidum Vila Valverde Page LH 05

Franzobel Page 14

Hotel Nesslerhof Page LH 06

STYLE:

Hotel & Villa Auersperg Page LH 07

Dip into Mexiko Page 15 – 19 Luxury shamanism Seite 16 – 17 Que diseño!

Page 18 – 19 Interview Christian Mikunda: The ultimate temtation Page 20 – 21

La Petite Ivy / New Member Page LH 08 Crazy Hollmann / New Member Page LH 09 Directory lifestylehotels Page LH 10 – 11

Inside-out Page 22

And it is to adventure that this edition of THE Stylemate is dedicated. Where can we find adventure today, when it seems as if we have already seen and experienced everything?

We believe the answer is: everywhere. On the road – that goes without saying – but also in business, between the covers of a book, and of course in our heads. Read on and let us prove it to you.

Don’t forget to follow our blog, thestylemate.com.

The blog includes all previously published articles and exciting additional content.

Fly me to the moon Page 23 – 25 A bottled adventure Page 26

A woman is on our cover again. This time, it is our honour to feature the French designer Praline Le Moult (interview on page 6), who not only has made pyjamas stylish, but is also the great-granddaughter of the famous butterfly hunter Eugène Le Moult. He grew up in the tropical penal colony of French Guiana, where his father, a public official, was working on the development of the road network. That was where a young Le Moult discovered the beauty of the morpho butterflies in the region and started hunting them for sale in mainland France.

Sounds like an adventure? It was!

NOW T H E S T Y L E M AT E .C O M

ONLINE

If you do not want to miss an issue, you can also subscribe to THE Stylemate. thestylemate.com

EDITORS

IM PRIN T Media Owner & Publisher: Prime Time Touristik & Marketing GmbH, Schmiedgasse 38/1, 8010 Graz.

Responsible for Content: Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger. Editor in Chief: Mag. Nina Prehofer. Managing Editor: DI(FH) Christin Maier-Erlach.

Cover-Photo: Maria Ziegelböck. Art Director: VON K Brand Design. Contributing writers: Mag. Konstanze Wagenhofer, Helder Suffenplan.

Copy editor: Mag. Marlene Zeintlinger. Ads: office@thestylemate.com Printed by: Medienfabrik Graz, 8020 Graz. Place of Publication: Graz. Publication: 3 x yearly

Photo: Heldentheater

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Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

essentials T H E WAT E R O F L I F E

BEAUTIFUL BEES

Not that we want to encourage excessive alcohol consumption, but a little alcohol can be an adventure.

Particularly when that alcohol is used to create something known as “the water of life”. This aquavit from Copenhagen Distillery is made of clear alcohol flavoured with a distillate of dill seeds and/or caraway and is matured in a cask. As the name suggests, the latest flavour, “Mulberry Rose”, contains mulberry and rose and is inspired by Danish gardens. It is delicious with a lot of ice, your tonic of choice and a large sprig of mint. Neat, it is only for the hardened alcohol lover – although the pretty colour of course suggests otherwise.

These bee earrings by Sydney Evan are as sweet as the honey they make. The jewellery label was launched by Rosanne Karmes in Los Angeles in 2011, and combines her love of travel, art and culture with “California-chic” design aesthetics.

The earrings are 14-carat gold and fitted with diamonds and sapphires. Definitely a statement in support of the protection of bees! sydneyevan.com

copenhagendistillery.com

PA S S I O N “My mission is to give great people great design, and I put my whole heart into achieving that”, says designer Julia Skergeth, whose bag label JS by Julia Skergeth connects stylish women all over the world. She travels the world for her label, and her interest in other cultures, people, art and styles is reflected in her creations. From Indonesia and Kazakhstan to New York and Los Angeles via Vienna and London – the sheer joy of her exclusive lifestyle labels crosses all boundaries. juliaskergeth.com

I N T H I S

E D I T I ON

BOXES OF MAGIC This is what companions for modern adventures look like. The trendy Sealander is not just an eyecatcher, it’s a magician. A small, rounded trailer that is a caravan on land and a motor boat on the water.

Look through the tinted windows for beautiful views of breathtaking valleys or impressive sunsets – enjoy it all, surrounded by nature. Incidentally, you need neither a boating licence nor a trailer licence for the Sealander. So let the adventure begin!

Photos: Copenhagen Distillery / Julia Skergeth / Sydney Evan / Gerstenberg Verlag / SEALANDER / Prada

sealander.de

A CITY ADVENTURE WA N D E R L U S T Alexander von Humboldt, the famous explorer and researcher, would have turned 250 in September.

To mark the occasion, a wide range of books are appearing on his travels, his research and his life.

One beautiful edition is “Alexander von Humboldt oder Die Sehnsucht nach der Ferne” by Volker Mehnert, with wonderful illustrations by Claudia Lieb. Readers join Humboldt, fleet-footed and inspiring, on his greatest adventures, climbing volcanoes with him and discovering the flora and fauna of exotic countries. A book for the whole family. gerstenberg-verlag.de

Technical fabric, leather insole, 105 cm ABC stiletto heel ... all features of amazingly elegant, pointytoed pumps by Prada. Just the right shoe for nights of adventure in the big city, and one that makes your feet and ankles absolute eye-catchers. Prada love. prada.com, € 590

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

real adventures

Photo: Virgin Galactic

Where can we find adventure today?

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

Photos: Hopetoun_falls / shutterstock.com, bumihills

Deep down on the seabed, high up on mountain peaks, or even in space? With wild animals, or through sport and extreme physical exertion?

The options today are endless. But can we really call our “protected” experiences adventure?

The famous naturalist Alexander von Humboldt would have celebrated his 250th birthday this year.

His investigative drive was not only inextricably linked with travel, but was also so strong that he worked in an unbelievably wide range of disciplines. Volcanology, cartography, geomagnetism, botany, zoology, economics and meteorology were just some of Humboldt’s research fields. His goal was to understand the interaction between all natural forces.

He travelled the world to achieve that understanding.

He undertook expeditions designed to cover all scientific fields of interest to him.

Humboldt started his major American expedition by walking to Madrid.

From Paris. On the way, he took many geographical measurements. Finally, he headed across the Atlantic on the Spanish frigate Pizarro – with a whole range of modern measuring devices in his luggage.

On all his expeditions, Humboldt was always also aware of other things, such as the suffering of slaves or animals.

He met dangers head on, and slept in the Amazon amongst crocodiles, boa constrictors and jaguars. His unshakeable thirst for knowledge kept him going, and laid the foundations for many researchers and scientists of later generations.

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

Frenchwoman Praline Le Moult, a graduate of Central Saint Martins college, is the creative mind behind the “outdoor pyjama” label P.Le Moult.

She drew inspiration from the adventurous life of her greatgrandfather Eugène Le Moult, a naturalist and entomologist.

adventures

Your great-grandfather Eugène Le Moult was the world’s greatest butterfly hunter.

How did he inspire your label P.Le Moult?

Your designs contain recurring references to other countries. Do you travel the world often?

Eugène was an inspiration for my father as well. My father had severe dyslexia and his role model was his grandfather, who, instead of working in an office, made a career for himself chasing butterflies through the Amazon. This helped my father to deal with his learning disability: Bruno Le Moult became one of the greatest advertising executives of his generation.

I, too, was inspired by this lifestyle, for what Eugène did really was truly adventurous. His was everything but an everyday career – that appears to run in our family.

And of course, this channels into my collection. I love telling stories.

I enjoy travelling to distant places for several months at a time in order to get to know locations better. When my friend and I won the LVMH Prize in 2005, we were hugely excited about what we had won: a year in Beijing! For the birth of our son, my husband and I moved to Formentera for a while. It was the ideal place for us for the time of year.

You call your pyjamas “adventure clothing” for the home. Can pyjamas be the right outfit for an adventure?

What is the right accessory for a pair of P.Le Moult pyjamas?

Adventure never sleeps, and if your daily adventure means leaving the house in a hurry, you can do that in my pyjamas!

You look elegant in them even if you have slept in them. After all, the original pieces were tailored for an adventurer who shared his tent in the jungle with prisoners and was up, out and on the chase as soon as he saw a butterfly.

How much of the adventurer is there in you?

A lot of the adventurer, but none of the daredevil. Otherwise, the adventure would be a very short one ...

We always wear Novesta trainers, the original 1930s models. They are comfortable and nostalgic.

You can meet Praline Le Moult and Harri Cherkoori at their INDIE store in Vienna.

Strobelgasse 2 A-1010 Vienna

What defines your collections?

P.Le Moult is inclusive, unisex and timeless. Our models fit people of all shapes; men and women; young and old. My great-grandpa was a hulk of a man – and all man. We create shapes for everyone.

We also design the fabrics ourselves and have them produced for us specifically.

p-lemoult.com Photos: Maria Ziegelböck / P.Le Moult

daily

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

Was Humboldt a true adventurer?

Originally, the term adventure meant a serious undertaking of cultural significance. One dictionary definition of adventure is “a dangerous situation that is linked to an exceptional, exciting circumstances and that someone must overcome or get through”.

Expeditions into the unknown were and are considered adventures.

The term “adventurer” can definitely be applied to Humboldt; travelling the jungle or primaeval forest is surely also a genuine adventure.

“PROTECTED” ADVENTURES

Photos: Virgin Galactic / shutterstock.com, Iren Key

Yet how much of “the unknown” is still left to discover in today’s world? A lot, scientists would respond, and they are absolutely right. Our opportunities have expanded hugely since the days of Alexander von Humboldt. Even if none of us will be the first in America, the first to explore the oceans or the first to set foot on the moon, we can still find – and succeed in – our own personal adventures, and test our limits. And there is nothing shameful about minimising potential risks or indeed not taking any at all.

The ranger Tanya Bednar, who lives in South Africa and Vienna, is an expert on photographic safari adventures. To her, the safari is a unique experience that is not just about the animals, but also about the beauty of the landscape, the starry skies and the tense wait to see what animals will cross your path. “You get up before sunrise to watch the animals at their morning activities. Wildlife parks are so large that you do not know what animals you will see. But if you do come across a group of lions just 30 meters away, it takes your breath away.” She adds that “a good ranger tries to track lots of different animals. Rangers are often in radio contact with each other so they can share animals’ locations.” Asked whether things can ever get dangerous, she explains that “you should never change the outline of the car by stretching your arm out of the car or worse still getting out. Then you are really risking your life. If you go on a safari on foot, there are armed rangers there in case of emergencies – there could be a leopard behind every bush.” Sounds like an adventure, doesn’t it?

SPACE ADVENTURES

PHYSICAL LIMITS

While we’re on the subject of big cats: Jochen Schweizer, famous from the television show “Die Höhle des Löwen” [German version of “Dragons’ Den”] sells mini adventures. On his website, he offers a wide variety of experiences – from bungee jumping and an outdoor survival camp to an expedition to the North Pole with Borge Ousland, who together with Mike Horn was the first person to reach the North Pole during the Arctic winter.

The website description of the expedition explains that “you will spend 10 days travelling the icy wilderness with the world’s most experienced polar explorer, Borge Ousland. You can expect temperatures as low as –35 degrees, huge ice floes and the occasional hungry polar bear.”

The cost of the adventure? 40,699.90 euros.

Jochen Schweizer runs well-organised and well-planned experiences. Yet it is worth remembering that you need the physical constitution for the North Pole – or the courage to jump off a cliff on an elastic rope.

On the annual Race Across America, cyclists cover around 4800 to 5000 km within a fixed time period. They push their bodies to almost inconceivable levels.

Most cyclists sleep an average of two hours a day, and that over the course of twelve days. Whether or not the strain of this race leaves permanent physical damage is a matter for debate. What is certain is that competitors in the RAAM firmly believe they are part of a great adventure.

Another pretty risky sport is diving.

The sea has claimed many (and some famous) victims, diving with and without cylinders. One person who explored the sea like no other was the Frenchman JacquesYves Cousteau. Cousteau was a pioneer in marine research and film documentation of that research. His trademark was a red woolly hat, and he was the inspiration for Wes Anderson’s film “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”. The rivalry between free divers Jacques Mayol and Enzo Maiorca was also made into a film by Luc Besson.

In a longstanding contest, Enzo Maiorca lost his life attempting a new world record.

Adventure took one of its own, and one of its best.

Anyone who just blinked at the price of the North Pole expedition should see the cost of a trip into space. Fifty years after Neil Armstrong became the first man on the moon and famously called “one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”, the British entrepreneur Richard Branson has announced that his “Virgin Galactic” is ready to move to the spaceport in New Mexico and that they are preparing for a commercial service.

With The Spaceship Company and Virgin Orbit, Branson is developing and operating a new generation of spacecraft to open space to everyone. The mission is to learn to make use of space and offer a unique customer experience. The agency DESIGNREISEN markets tickets for space flights with SpaceShipTwo exclusively for Germany. “You will see the source of everything; we are people and that is our home” – that is the agency’s promise.

The price of the adventure currently stands at 250,000 USD and includes the c.

2.5-hour space flight, training, a medical check-up and full-board accommodation at the spaceport. The material includes the information that, in 2015, there was an accident with a SpaceShipTwo and the pilot lost his life. For those considering the trip, this is perhaps evidence of real adventure rather than necessarily being off-putting.

For all the many different adventures in today’s world, happy are those who take the view of André Heller: he was the one who sang that true adventures are in our heads, and if they are not in our heads, then they do not exist. In other words, sitting in a favourite spot and simply letting your mind wander can be one of the most wonderful adventures of all.

Perhaps Alexander von Humboldt would agree with that. Let’s just assume he would. avhumboldt250.de

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

LIFE

rock

Music seems very important to you.

Why is that?

Music, especially guitar-based sounds, has a huge importance and relevance in my life. The first thing that I do in the morning is switch on my Marshall speaker and put some music on; I also do the same in my car and at work. I want every moment of my life to have a soundtrack.

That is why we put a lot of thought into a hotel’s music: each hotel has its own concept, architecture, design and musical style, and this reinforces the personality and identity of the products. My business partner and friend Tallyn Planells, with whom I founded this company, is very involved with the music side of things so that the music heard in each hotel corresponds to the time of day and area in each place.

business Why do you love the 50s so much?

I love all the decades from the 50s to the late 80s. The 70s is the era that most appeals to me for its aesthetics and interior design. In fact, the design for the Concept Hotel Group’s new offices was inspired by Martin Scorsese’s and Mick Jagger’s TV series Vinyl. We recreated the look of a 1970s New York record label – the design came from the studio Ilmiodesign led by Michele Corbani and Andrea Spada, who also designed our five hotels.

The aesthetics in all of our hotels are based mainly on the 1950s and 1970s.

Each hotel is about art, music, design, cinema and fashion. Why did you identify these elements as central components?

We have created products that are aimed at a cosmopolitan clientele interested in music, art, fashion, design and cinema.

We want to capture guests’ attention by giving the hotels a cultural programme: art exhibitions, concerts, open-air cinema, salsa classes, aerobics ... all aimed at providing content for our hotels and strengthening our brands with both the hotel’s guests and locals. It isn’t just about making hotels; it’s about creating a lifestyle around the hotels with which people can identify and of which they want to be a part. We also strive to share this philosophy with and through our staff.

How do you give a place a soul?

The initial phase is the most important: we create a highly detailed conceptual brief in which we consider the hotel’s concept and interior design style. In this brief, we make a list of the specific details related to the concept that give the product a strong identity so that it can be authentic and unique. All of this gives the hotel a soul, and gives guests a story to tell when they leave.

What kind of soul do you have?

I consider myself Mediterranean with a rocker soul.

Photo: Concept Hotel Group

DARE TO BE YOU R SE L F

’n’ roll

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Photo: Carlos Pastor

The Spaniard Diego Calvo seems more like a rock star than a hotelier.

He gives the beautiful island a whole new vibrancy with his highly individual properties inspired by what could be described as “Art Deco neon mid-century modern�, and he always has a good story to tell.

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

DIEGO CALVO Office Ibiza

CUBANITO IBIZA SUITES San Antonio

There is always something happening at your hotels. How do people like to be entertained?

Suites and Paradiso Ibiza Art Hotel. In eastern Ibiza at the Playa d’en Bossa, it runs Tropicana Ibiza Suites, Santos Ibiza Suites and Dorado Ibiza

Suites. The Concept Hotel Group was named the best Ibizan hotel group in 2018.

concepthotelgroup.es

They aren’t simply looking for a place to sleep; they want to stay in a hotel where they can hang out and have fun.

What are your sources of inspiration?

What makes you rock ’n’ roll?

I want there to be an edge to my business; I don’t want to be a typical hotelier. A bit of rock and roll attitude is always good for standing out from the crowd. I am currently reading a book called The Rebel Rules: Daring To Be Yourself In Business

by Chip Conley, a hotelier whom I admire and who has always managed his business in a particular way and in accordance with his lifestyle. In the book, Chip explains how to manage your business by being true to yourself, with a touch of rebellion.

How would you describe the lifestyle of the people who visit your hotels?

The people who stay in our hotels come from cosmopolitan cities such as Berlin, London, Paris and Milan, and are interested in art, music, design and fashion.

We are inspired by the Art Deco architecture of South Beach Miami, 80s films, Ettore Sottsass furniture, mid-century modern, Route 66 neon signs, the 70s, classic American cars and of course Ian Schrager, the hotelier par excellence who brought the essence of nightlife to the hotel world. All our hotels have a characteristic Yankee touch.

What was your craziest adventure on the island?

Creating Rock Nights, a rock ’n’ roll party that is now 14 years old, and is held each summer at the legendary Pikes Hotel where Wham’s Club Tropicana video was made, and where Freddie Mercury celebrated his 40th birthday.

We like to create hotels where things happen and want each one to have “A Story to Tell” – and that is our slogan.

The guests in our establishments spend a lot of time inside the hotel because they enjoy the experience that we offer, so we are constantly working hard to generate content.

Do you follow a certain strategy?

It goes without saying that we have a business plan that we respect and follow to the letter. We have grown rapidly, but we try to do this in an orderly manner.

Our objective is to be the model hotel group when it comes to the conceptual hotel sector.

What’s next?

Our plan is to continue growing in Ibiza, and to continue making a difference.

We also plan to make the leap to city business with a brand of urban hotels.

Photos: Concept Hotel Group / Portrait: Carlos Pastor

DIEGO CALVO Diego Calvo is CEO & founder of the Concept Hotel Group in Ibiza. In San Antonio in the west of Ibiza, the Group created the Cubanito Ibiza

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

smooth

LIFE

as

Photos: Simone Artale

A story that started with an adventure: the story of Marc Schmidt and Amadeus Tzamouranis, who, together with Simone Artale, are behind the new olive oil brand OEL. A good story that was the start of an excellent product.

“It was a wild ride. I am sure those images are imprinted on my mind forever”, says Marc Schmidt about his first trip to Greece with his pal Amadeus Tzamouranis.

Back then, both were in their early 20s, Amadeus had had his driver’s licence for all of two weeks and Marc didn’t have one at all, and they couldn’t afford the insurance for their hired van. Yet this “wild ride” turned out to be a truly successful adventure for both of them. Once safely arrived in Greece, they helped Amadeus’ family with the olive harvest, learning everything they needed to know about the production of olive oil – knowledge that would shape their future. On their return to Berlin, they immediately started taking the cans of the premium olive oil they had made around high-end restaurants.

“We sold 1.5 tonnes within the space of just two months. 1.5 tonnes!” Apparently, the olive oil tasted good. For Marc Schmidt, this wasn’t just a not-so-subtle hint, it was a huge kick in a very specific direction.

They needed to build on this success.

The money they earned was carefully put aside. They set up a company, brought the Italian Simone Artale onto the team, bought land and even a mill in Greece.

A name, OEL, was also soon decided upon and registered as a trademark.

A STEEP CURVE: FROM 1.5 TO 55 TONNES Waiter, Christmas tree seller, barman, water filter sales rep, baker, Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union worker, construction worker, full-time backpacker and theologian – the two young men exercised all of these “professions” before discovering their true passion, olive oil.

And it was all thanks to Amadeus’ grandmother, Anthoula. She had the trees and the expertise. That is why it is her likeness on the elegant black olive oil can. “Making her portrait our emblem and thus the central element of our design is a thankyou, a tribute and a focus on rare values in today’s world”, explain OEL’s founders.

Anthoula was also the one who cultivated the very special Koroneiki olive. This is the olive that produces the fantastically wellrounded, fruity and harmonious oil with its fantastic aroma and great colour. The variety that does not have the often strong bitter notes or sharpness of other olives.

“The olive really hits the spot; it is exactly what the human palate craves.” Huge demand for OEL has allowed the team to join forces with olive growers, complete with olive mill.

This has enabled the company to produce more and the original team to focus on sales. Another step was organic certification. The organic oil is already available to buy in Germany and will soon also be available in Austria, Switzerland and Denmark. Olive paste and olive jars have now been added to the product range. Together with another partner, Marc Schmidt also produces a gin infused with their olive oil, OEL’s 3 Gin. They found the perfect gin for the project in Kalamata. The oil gives the gin a wonderfully mild note and creates an interesting symbiosis with the botanicals.

“We are the first company in the world to do this”, says Schmidt proudly.

oel And just so you know: when OEL is finished for the year, it is finished.

This is a little lesson to us that resources are finite and raw materials are becoming scarcer around the world. But for the OEL that is produced, the team of three and all the others involved do their very best. And you can taste it. oel-berlin.de

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

FA I R

venice – biennale

FA I R

FA I R

berlin –

art berlin fair

A number of “collateral events” are held during the Biennale in Venice. One that is definitely worth a visit is the extensive exhibition on the German painter and sculptor Georg Baselitz. This is the first major retrospective of a living artist in the majestic “Gallerie dell’Accademia di Venezia”.

“Baselitz Academy” 8 May to 8 September 2019 At the “Gallerie dell’Accademia di Venezia”

The “Art Berlin – Fair for Modern and Contemporary Art” is being held for the third time in partnership with Art Cologne.

Both new and established modern art will be on display at Tempelhof Airport.

“Art Berlin Fair” 12 to 15 September 2019 artberlinfair.com

With its focus on art from Central and Eastern Europe, this fair has become a popular and established highlight in the global arts calendar over the past three years. Every autumn, the “viennacontemporary” brings together leading galleries and, for one week, puts Vienna at the centre of the contemporary art scene.

gallerieaccademia.it

FA I R

london –

frieze london An international get-together of a global community of art dealers, collectors, curators, interior designers and art and antiques enthusiasts.

One hundred and sixty leading contemporary art galleries take part in the event.

vienna – viennacontemporary

EXHIBITION

vienna –

hermann nitsch

“viennacontemporary” 26 to 29 September 2019 viennacontemporary.at

In 2018, the “enfant terrible” of the Austrian art scene celebrated his 80th birthday. The Albertina decided to mark the occasion by dedicating a major exhibition to Nitsch in 2019.

“Frieze London” 4 to 6 October 2019

“Hermann Nitsch” at the Albertina Wien 17 May to 11 August 2019

frieze.com

albertina.at

A R T SY

L I F E S T Y L E

The excitement surrounding the shredded Banksy picture in the October auction at Sotheby’s in London and the media attention attracted by the New York record of 81.2 million euros for Jeff Koons’ sculpture “Rabbit” are proof – if we still needed it – that auctions can be dramatic affairs. Further excitement should be in store at the following auctions:

AU C T I O N S

christie’s

sotheby’s

18 July 2019 in New York: One Giant Leap: Celebrating Space Exploration 50 Years after Apollo 11 – An important historic auction of artefacts from outer space.

16 September to 24 September 2019, online: Banksy: I can´t believe you Morons actually buy this sh*t

10 July to 18 Julia 2019, online: Contemporary Art including works by renowned artists such as Andy Warhol, Cecily Brown, Alex Katz or Lisa Yuskavage 10 September 2019, London: Made in Britain – The best of the British-Modern-Art-Scene

christies.com

sothebys.com

EXHIBITION

wien –

maurizio cattelan Every year since 2012, the Kunsthistorische Museum Wien has displayed one significant piece of contemporary art in the Theseus temple. This year by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. It is a small, deceptively real, pigeonfowl that seems to be scrutinizing visitors, perches on top of the cornice of this empty space.

“Maurizio Cattelan” at the Theseus temple in the Volksgarten.

Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien.

Up until 6 October 2019 khm.at

ELISABETH SKOFITSCH-HAAS is an art expert and works for the auction house Kinsky in Vienna.

She has put together her favourite current highlights from the art world for THE Stylemate. imkinsky.com

Photos: Maurizio Cattelan: KHM-Museumsverband / Vienna Contemporary: Niko Havranek / Sotheby’s: shutterstock.com, freemind-production

AU C T I O N S

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

LIFE

edit napoli: BY KONSTANZE WAGENHOFER

T H E N EX T EDI T NA P OL I WI L L BE H EL D I N 2020.

I N T H E I N T ERVEN I NG MON T HS, YOUNG DESIG N ERS ON A RESI DENCY PRO GRAM M E WI L L BE DRAWI NG I NSPI RAT ION F ROM NA PL ES’ RICH CRA F TS T RA DI T ION.

In the second weekend of June, the Edit Napoli design fair in the San Domenico Maggiore monastery in Naples, southern Italy, gave an impressive insight into how closely fresh new design is connected to centuries-old tradition. The choice of location is anything but random: contrary to all the old clichés – from Mafia crime to mountains of rubbish – the city has in recent years become Italy’s secret design hub. Rome and Milan may host the established scene, but vibrant Naples is the place for more innovative trends. That innovation is in part expressed in public spaces – take for example the “art stations” of the Metrò dell’Arte. A total of six underground stations on line 1 were designed by internationally renowned artists, and form in some cases a stark contrast to the sights above ground: churches, museums and castles, at the heart of a uniquely dynamic urban environment.

Naples is all these things, and all are worth a visit. People have lived on this site since 700 BC and Naples has layer upon layer of history to discover. Discover those layers quite literally on sightseeing tours from the “Napoli Sotterranea”, the fascinating “underworld”, to the Castel St. Elmo fortress high above the city. The many different levels can also be detected – with all the sense – in what can be quite bizarre streets. Take a stroll along the promenade, sample the many culinary specialities that (only) Naples has to offer, and explore the host of little craft shops and boutiques that disregard global uniformities.

Shopping SALVATORE PICCOLO NAPOLI Naples is home to one of the world’s best shirt tailors.

His name is Salvatore Piccolo, and he has been tailoring since he was 14 because his mother used to take him to the factory where she worked. After many years of successful business for private clients – who included both the King of Qatar and most of the Ferrari team – he began tailoring for stores around the world in his own workshop. Of course, he only works for the best. He still works with his mother: she is the one who checks whether the shirts meet their strict quality criteria. salvatorepiccolo.com

Food Spot MERCATINO DELLA PIGNASECCA The picturesque Mercatino Della Pignasecca is the oldest market in Naples and genuinely impressive.

Come and buy seafood, fruit and vegetables and traditional Neapolitan dishes you can eat on the move while soaking in the market flair.

Displays with artistically arranged fish guts may seem unusual to us, but they are almost poetic.

Via Pignasecca, 14–28, 80134 Napoli

Photos: Claudio Bonoldi / Casper Sejersen / Sophie Thun / Irina Gavrich

amo ergo sum:

BY KONSTANZE WAGENHOFER

Venice is even more exciting, even more diverse and even more worth a visit – until 24 November, which is when the 58th Biennale ends. This year’s title is “May You Live in Interesting Times”. A Chinese curse according to legend, this motto has wide scope for interpretation. A similarly ambiguous message comes from the Austrian artist Renate Bertlmann, who has created an Austrian pavilion with the words “Amo ergo sum” (I love, therefore I am) and a garden of 312 red glass roses.

The work is only lovely at first glance. On closer inspection, you can see sharp blades sticking out of the flowers.

An unofficial contribution to the Biennale is from the British street artist Banksy: a graffito of a child with a life jacket and distress flare. The artwork is on the wall of a house above a canal in the university district – yet another reason to explore beyond the tourist trail. Find the places still relatively untouched by tourists and you will uncover the true Venice. Even if the Banksy graffito wears away, the narrow lanes and quieter canals are the places to discover the secrets of the “Serenissima” – no matter if that just means a really good bar.

Overnight HOTEL VILLA PANNONIA The lifestyle hotel is on the Lido di Venezia and offers the perfect combination of beach holiday and city break. And because Venice is always worth more than a day trip, a prolonged stay is absolutely recommended.

Not least because it is simply lovely. lifestylehotels.net/hotel-villa-pannonia

Food and drink OSTERIA ALL’ARCO Wonderful cicchetti – panini and crostini with baccala, sardines in saor, truffled mushrooms and much more.

Add a glass or two of Prosecco and life is even better.

Sestiere San Polo, 436 (Calle dell’Occhialer), 30125 Venedig HARRY’S BAR Admittedly, this bar is an established classic and not an insider tip. Nonetheless, the bar that invented Bellini is just too great a place not to visit. The food may not be cheap, but it is consistently good. Try to get a table downstairs in the bar area if possible.

Calle Vallaresso, 1323, 30124 Venedig cipriani.com

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

LIFE His great historical adventure novel “Das Floß der Medusa” (Zsolnay publishing house) was awarded the Bayerischer Buchpreis (Bavarian Book Award) 2017 and was on the shortlist for the German Book Prize 2017.

“You do not need to travel to Papua New Guinea or Tierra del Fuego to have an adventure – sometimes all it takes is shopping at the local minimarket, and often simply finding the nearest grocer’s is a challenge.”

FRANZOBEL

Each New Year’s Eve, my girlfriend organises a paper alternative to traditional lead-pouring (Bleigießen) to predict our fortunes for the coming year. Each of us pulls a slip of paper from a box, with a word that tells us what the New Year will bring. My word this year was “conquer”. It so happens that I am currently working on a novel about the 16th-century Spanish conquistadors, brave men who left their homes and families to explore the unknown.

Foreign countries, peoples and treasures – that were often appropriated and destroyed in a pretty brutal fashion under the guise of missionary work. The conquistadors’ thirst for adventure not infrequently ended in slaughter, and the Spaniards’ military strategy, in which 200 soldiers defeated armies of 100,000 warriors, was as simple as it was immoral: lies, deceit and treachery.

Nowadays, before you set out on a journey, you get vaccinated against all possible diseases, which is often more expensive than the air fare, take out travel insurance and stock up on mosquito sprays and clothes with the IQ of a genius. What is more, there is hardly anywhere in the world where you can’t upload your holiday snaps or order a fusion pizza with ceviche and caipirinha using some app. The chances of experiencing a real adventure today are generally limited to guided excursions. It is hard to believe that just 20 years ago, phone calls were prohibitively expensive and papers from home arrived – if at all – at least two weeks late on your Mediterranean holiday.

But what is an adventure? Some people can go twice round the world without it changing them or their outlook one iota, whilst others experience the extraordinary without ever leaving their own four walls. Adventure is about curiosity and a willingness to expand your horizons. Many see, some observe, but only a few truly understand.

You do not need to travel to Papua New Guinea or Tierra del Fuego to have an adventure – sometimes all it takes is shopping at the local mini-market, and often simply finding the nearest grocer’s is a challenge.

In Spain, they do not call the conquistadors “conquerors”, instead using the euphemistic terms “explorers” or even “friendly cultural ambassadors”. The very trip over the Atlantic in a fragile caravel must have been terrifying.

The horses were suspended in steerage in harnesses resembling oversized baby suits.

Imagine no fresh water, no toilets, and doctors with a penchant for amputation. And then months of marching through an unknown land with wild animals and indigenous people whose initial welcome rapidly disappeared. Tropical diseases, unimaginable hardships, bad food, and perhaps, just perhaps, the good fortune to find cultures that presented gifts of gold and pearls to the “sons of the sun”.

It is human nature to want to cross borders, explore the new – probably until we reach the very edge of the universe. Some adventurers, however, are content simply to read about these things – even if our fortune for the New Year is to “conquer”. But if you are looking for an adventuring tip, I recommend the four-day hike from Santa Marta to Cuidad Perdida in a Colombian Indian reserve – challenging, but wonderful: a few lost cities are in fact still there to be discovered. Safe journey!

lost city

Photo: Dirk Skiba

Franzobel is an Austrian writer. He has published numerous plays, works of prose and poems. His plays have been produced in countries including Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Denmark, France, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Italy, Russia and the USA.

LIFESTYLEHOTELS LIFESTYLEHOTELS.NET

Selection 02 | 2019

Photo: Heldentheater

Since 2001, the LIFESTYLEHOTELS brand has brought together design and boutique hotels that define their very own lifestyle with modernity, aesthetics and authenticity. The hotels offer luxury beyond the mainstream, and have character as well as a sense of responsibility for people and the environment.

These hotels are for strong personalities and individual experiences in special places.

ONE OF THESE SPECIAL PLACES: DER NESSLERHOF the four-star superior hotel in GroĂ&#x;arl, Salzburg

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LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

NEW MEMBER

02

In his new Hotel Schani Salon, the Viennese hotelier Benedikt Komarek both reinterprets Art Nouveau and transforms and transports Viennese salon culture into the modern day.

HOTEL SCHANI SALON

Over a century ago, a flourishing salon culture was a feature of Viennese society.

People met to discuss and philosophise on current issues in a sociable setting. Salons such as that of Berta Zuckerkandl, who hosted the great and good, were famous.

“This type of salon culture no longer exists.

People usually meet in other places such as bars or restaurants, or outside. Yet the love of debate in a relaxed atmosphere has remained part of Austrian culture”, says Benedikt Komarek. That is why the hotelier wanted his recently opened Hotel Schani Salon to be somewhere people could indulge in this passion, and an evening at the wonderfully cosy bar for hotel guests only is like visiting friends.

It is therefore fitting that Hotel Schani Salon moved into a building with a rich history. Located in Vienna’s Mariahilferstraße, it was built at the turn of the century by the famous Wittgenstein family – a family of leading merchants, businessmen, musicians, philosophers

and patrons of the arts. The exterior is that of a traditional Viennese block of flats, but the interior is more reminiscent of the modern New York buildings of the time with a lot of reinforced concrete. “On one floor, we created our ‘salon’. We wanted to draw on Art Nouveau, the Belle Époque and the Wittgenstein family, but started by completely gutting and renovating the space”, laughs Komarek.

A REINTERPRETATION OF ART NOUVEAU

AUSTRIA VIENNA

24

smart bedrooms

1

salon

Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ hotel-schani-salon

“We focused on the straight lines and picked out specific stylistic components.

Guests will find Thonet furniture, stone, glass, wood and a host of beautiful fabrics.

We created a modern look with the classic Carrara marble and herringbone flooring of traditional old middle class apartments.”

Of course, modernity and functionality are essential elements of all Benedikt Komarek’s hotels – since the first Hotel Schani opened at Vienna’s central station, they have been a byword for “smart” hotels.

Guests at the station hotel have the option of self-check-in with a mobile key, and the Schani Salon is soon also to switch to this

service. Each room has multiple power sockets, wireless charging for mobiles, and smart TV. Not to mention endless storage space and surfaces, spacious showers, a separate toilet and places to work. The rooms are named after Sigmund Freud, Otto Wagner, Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt. Asked which of these gentlemen he admires the most, Komarek chooses “Otto Wagner, I can identify with him.

With his architecture, which is a constant throughout the city, he gave Vienna authenticity. We too try to explore new paths and not simply produce more of the same.” And with “we”, he means that his hotels are family-run. This is a key aspect of the hotel, and one that surely adds to that famous Viennese cosiness.

Photos: Hotel Schani Wien, Robert Polster (Portrait) / Hotel Schani Wien, Gregor Hofbauer

salon culture

THE Stylemate

LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

03

High and imposing, the “Tre Cime di Lavaredo” watch over the Dolomite region of the same name, and the South Tyrol town of Innichen, where the Post Hotel shows just how beautiful the Alpine lifestyle can be.

POST HOTEL

sweet life Surely it is one of the most famous images of the Alps, and the symbol of the Dolomites: the view of the steep north slopes of the “Tre Cime” or “Drei Zinnen” in German (“Three Peaks”). This striking massif is not just a popular image for postcards and photographs, it is also a mecca for climbers – and has been since it was first scaled in 1869. The Tre Cime nature reserve has also been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. This is the perfect place to truly experience nature.

Hotel Post in the heart of Innichen has perfected the Alpine lifestyle, and celebrates that lifestyle with its guests each day. What was once a small guest house has now been tastefully modernised and now offers elegant design, a touch of luxury and unassuming charm.

I T A LY SOUTH TYROL / INNICHEN

41 Photos: Alex Filz

rooms

4

star superior

Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ post-hotel-innichen

SPA HEALTH AND THE POWER OF THE MOUNTAINS Spa facilities are a key feature of this hotel for adults: the hotel team knows that simply being able to relax is a treat for body and soul. The indoor pool, saunas with energising shower, spa and quiet rooms offer all the space you need for hours to unwind and revitalise. You can also choose from a range of Vita Alpina massages, which include treatments with scented oils or honey, facials with !QMS products and – highly recommended – a full-body scrub with fruits of the forest or organic hay. Follow that up by enjoying the fresh air and the impressive 360-degree panorama on the rood terrace.

Most guests will then hear the call of the mountains if they have not already.

A call you simply must follow. Even if you are not a climber, mountain biker or committed hiker, just a short ramble in these magical mountains can have a truly energising and relaxing effect. Mountain bikers can explore the mountains to their heart’s content and discover this sensational landscape by bike. In the valley, on the cycle route to Lienz, you can take it easy, and experience just as much as on the slopes.

SWIMMING, CLIMBING AND PARAGLIDING Fresh mountain air and sweet-smelling alpine pastures are lasting memories of summer holidays in the mountains.

The bilberries you picked yourself at the edge of the woods could not have been tastier, and the short breather on a small wooden bench or a handy rock in the mountains feels most comfortable than any sofa. There are many climbing routes of varying levels of difficulty up the largest peak. If you want to get a good overall view, why not paraglide down the mountain.

And there is nothing like a dip on a hot summer’s day.

After all these activities, return tired but happy to the Post Hotel with its rich tradition and wonderful lifestyle to sip a cocktail in the bar, P-Lounge, and sleep as you never have before in rooms with such evocative names as “La Stella” or “Il Sole”.

THE Stylemate

LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

04

HOTEL LEMONGARDEN

A garden paradise surrounds Hotel Lemongarden in Sutivan on the island of Brač. The scent of flowers is irresistible – but the temptation here is not an apple, but the ultimate relaxing holiday.

You know you’re on holiday when you step out of the plane and feel the warm southern air in your face. In this case, the holiday is on the Croatian island of Brač.

If you are among the lucky visitors with a reservation at Hotel Lemongarden, Irene or Agnes will pick you up at the airport.

They are not some friendly employees of the adults-only hotel – they are the hotel’s very own boats. These two elegant ladies are nippy “Axopar 37” speedboats and you can feel another southern breeze – the sea breeze – as soon as they set off. “Travel delight” is the term used by the manager and owner of the “lemon garden”, Helena Ramsbacher, whose own personal style is reflected in the hotel’s interior.

the garden of eden

That delight also includes the three white Mini Cooper Cabrios (with luxury pale leather interiors) that are available to hire – and the sporty hotel bikes, which are a great way to explore the island.

For example, you can visit Blaca Hermitage, a unique complex which now displays objects from the era of the monarchy and astronomical instruments. Or why not follow in the footsteps – and explore the

work – of the many artists who have been drawn by the island’s quarries. After a day’s exploring, there is nothing better than stretching out beside the water on the hotel’s own private beach with your face to the sun.

C R OAT I A S U T I VA N / B R A Č

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12

suites / maisonettes

rooms

Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ hotel-lemongarden

ELISABETHHOTEL

Complete relaxation for adults only is the motto of the ElisabethHotel Premium Private Retreat in the Zillertal valley.

An oasis of calm in the vibrant town of Mayrhofen, with the 1600 m2 Elisense Spa for absolute relaxation.

Soft, gentle sounds reach your ears; completely relaxed, your float on smooth water; your eyes are closed and your mind is free. This is just one great moment of many at the ElisabethHotel, part of the holistic Elisense feel-good concept.

The spa’s archaically styled basalt pool has an aura of absolute peace. A perfect place for a relaxed crawl, and a boost to your physical and mental wellbeing.

After your swim, why not unwind on water beds at gentle temperatures in the “Serenity Room of Silence”, or in the Minotti Relax Lounge.

Elegant design and architecture define the entire hotel – in a stylish mix of the established and the new. Tyrol comfort meets modern design. The rooms feel like a cosy cocoon: the perfect retreat to enjoy your own company or quality time with your partner. Room service means you don’t even have to leave your room for breakfast. The hotel restaurant combines flavours of the Zillertal with international gourmet cuisine. Much of the produce used comes from the hotel’s own farm, to which much time and effort is dedicated. Cows and calves graze on the alpine pastures and breathe in the mountain air, and the trout swim in the hotel’s own fish pond. Soak in the wonderfully relaxed lifestyle in this hotel run by the Moigg Family. This is also the perfect base for activities such as mountain biking and hiking.

AUSTRIA T Y R O L / M AY R H O F E N

69 rooms

1

heavenly penthouse suite

Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ elisabethhotel-mayrhofen

Photos: Hotel Lemongarden: Christian Husar / ElisabethHotel

adults only

THE Stylemate

LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

05

N I D U M C A S UA L L U X U RY H O T E L

Lose the tie and reach for your aperitif!

Nidum in Seefeld, Tyrol is redefining casual luxury.

The stars have been removed, for with three restaurants, an infinity pool and a 1500 m2 spa, who needs them?

casual lux redefined “This hotel gives you everything you have earned – and that is a whole lot!” is the message from the Nidum Hotel, up on the Seefeld Plateau with its fantastic views.

Guests will discover manager Maximilian Pinzger and his team more than live up to that message. Those looking to arrive in style can head straight to the Apero Terrace after checking in and get right into the holiday mood with a wonderful drink.

The views once inspired great works

by Albrecht Dürer. They inspire guests too – but usually to have a drink, enjoy the moment and experience genuine relaxation. “We follow our own philosophy here in the Nidum. Unique architecture, luxurious interiors, and an exceptional ambience”, explains Maximilian Pinzger.

AUSTRIA One key feature is the hotel’s great spa facilities. Guests at the 1500 m2 spa can relax in the outdoor infinity pool, three saunas, a whirlpool and a steam bath.

Then there are the three restaurant areas to meet your very own gourmet tastes.

And the green is not far away: the Nidum is a partner hotel of Seefeld-Wildmoos Golf Club. Eighteen holes and a breathtaking panorama. For all those who prefer climbing on their mountain bike rather than swinging a club, there is a huge range of trails to suit everyone from beginners to pros. Otherwise, simply follow the house rules: good food, good drinks, good people, good times. Because life is too short to settle for less.

TYROL / MÖSERN / SEEFELD

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rooms / suites from 35 to 118 m² Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ nidum-hotel-seefeld

V I L A VA LV E R D E

This former 19th-century estate is located away from the everyday hustle and bustle, overlooking the bay of Praia da Luz. It has been completely restored, expanded and transformed into a small 5-star design hotel with great attention to detail.

PORTUGAL

Photos: Hotel Nidum

design & country

ALGARVE / LAGOS

Guests arriving at the Vila Valverde are met by extensive lawns, beautiful old trees and wonderful orange groves. All of this fits in so well with the former country estate that your stress levels immediately plummet.

Experience instant relaxation as your mind opens to the beauty of the region. The Vila is gorgeously situated on the outskirts of Lagos overlooking the bay of Praia da Luz, and it is there you will find your very own refuge. With only 15 rooms, the hotel has the perfect private atmosphere. The modern design of the interior with straight lines, soft colour schemes and glass give the rooms a great feeling of spaciousness.

This is definitely an ideal place for people who love calm and warmth. The hotel – which has been awarded the Green Key certificate for its work on environmental responsibility and sustainability – is also simply perfect for those looking to discover Lagos and its coves, and the Algarve. But first, we recommend discovering the massages, pools and saunas.

A wide range of treatments and therapies on offer make you feel brand new.

15 rooms

5 ha garden

Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ vila-valverde

The chef creates tasty dishes inspired by Portuguese cuisine. He uses a lot of fresh fish such grouper as well as seafood and organic vegetables from the garden. Even the breakfast is a culinary highlight with homemade yoghurt and fruit puree, honey from the Algarve mountains, eggs just how you like them, fresh bread and much more.

Later, why not see out the evening on the large panoramic terrace and think about whether you should still go horseback riding, sailing or try any other activities, or just relax for another day on this wonderful estate.

THE Stylemate

LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

06

When the weather gets this warm, we all long for a cool dip to deal with the hot summer days. Not only is the Nesslerhof situated in the cool of the mountains, it also has a total pool area of 805 m2.

HOTEL NESSLERHOF

the guest whisperers AUSTRIA SALZBURG / GROSSARL also has its very own spring, fed by water from the mountains. A spa area offers a range of spa and beauty treatments.

The hosts, the Neudegger Family, see themselves as “guest whisperers”, and truly appear to divine their guests’ needs in advance. Hermann and Tina Neudegger approach every question and request with warmth, good nature and genuine commitment.

WOOD, LODEN AND LEATHER The Nesslerhof rooms charmingly and cosily reflect their Alpine surroundings with wood from local forests, beautiful loden fabrics, soft leather and coordinated colours. A perfect environment in which to lie back and relax after a strenuous day on the alpine meadows: this is also the ideal place to be idle. But you certainly don’t have to be.

The many Alpine huts – Großarltal is known as the valley of the “alms” or Alpine pastures – are a joy at the end of hikes that are themselves nothing if not rewarding.

Fresh air, beautiful scenery and a feeling of freedom are as much a part of hiking here as the “Jause” (traditional snack) is of life on the alms. The Neudegger Family has tips on alms and hikes, and knows where you can get the best Bauernkrapfen doughnuts or watch the Senner – Alpine dairymen – make cheese. Incidentally, the kitchen at the Nesslerhof also uses produce from the alms. Milk, butter, cheese, eggs, meat and fish are all sourced locally.

Guests looking to take things slightly easier will find their own beautiful piece of countryside in the wild and very large (!) garden, which also contains the natural pond. The garden is the hotel’s extended lounge and has “magnificent views”, as the guest whisperers themselves proudly admit. And to ensure that parents can also enjoy the experience to the full, the hotel provides excellent entertainment for children. A supervised holiday programme, a playground and the animals in the hotel’s own small farm delight the younger guests.

62 rooms

805 m2 of water

Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ hotel-nesslerhof

All these great activities are available until the autumn, when a new selection of highlights begins: winter snow, spa and skiing – the Nesslerhof is right beside the slopes. Come and visit the holiday experts.

Photos: Heldentheater

The Nesslerhof is perfect for a summer holiday in the mountains, for refreshing delights are its speciality. Even the word “valley” – the Nesslerhof is in the Großarltal valley in the state of Salzburg, at the heart of the Großarl–Dorfgastein ski region – conjures up images of the cool and refreshing. This is the ideal destination for anyone looking to escape the city and the oppressive heat. Temperatures during the day are great for swimming, and the nights are pleasantly cool. We are not given to hyperbole, so believe us when we say that the Nesslerhof has a very large spa area and a lot of water. Six quiet rooms give guests something else as well – space.

Space for themselves, space for rest and relaxation, and space to forget the heat.

As for the water? An indoor pool, an outdoor pool, a salt water outdoor pool and two natural swimming ponds. The hotel

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LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

HOTEL & VILLA

07

There are places where you feel as if you have found perfection.

One such place is the Hotel & Villa Auersperg in Salzburg‘s vibrant Andräviertel district. Bettina Wiesinger and her husband, interior designer Mark, have created a beautiful hotel with style, charm and a wonderful ambience.

AU E R S P E R G

mark’s plan

Salzburg is well worth a visit at any time of year. Those looking for a perfect hideaway here will find it in the Hotel & Villa Auersperg, where you can relax and revitalise in the very heart of the city.

The family-run city hotel bears the name of the beautiful mid-19th century villa in which it is housed. Bettina and Mark Wiesinger are the third generation of the family of owners, and their “Auersperg style” is already widely known and loved.

Photos: Lounge mit Mann: NECTAR & PULSE / Lobby: Mark Wiesinger / Portrait: Norbert Kopf

FROM THE FASHION INDUSTRY TO INTERIOR DESIGN “Bettina and I met on a dieting course.

That was how it all began”, explains Mark Wiesinger. That was in 2001, when Mark was still living in Vienna and had a successful career in the textile industry.

“When Bettina became pregnant with the first of our three sons, I felt it was time to move to Salzburg. That was the start of our professional collaboration.” Initially the “site supervisor” for conversion projects, Mark rapidly became the creative brains behind the overall design concept for the hotel. He had always had a passion

for architecture, and had originally wanted to study architecture or production and set design. “Design has always been important to me. My mentor was my drawing teacher Prof. Christian Perrelli, who taught at Vienna University of Applied Arts, and my role model was the production designer Ken Adam. From the textile industry, I gained a feel for colour combinations and materials.”

STANLEY KUBRICK, JAMES BOND… AUERSPERG Bit by bit, Mark put his design stamp on the hotel: elegant and individual, classic and modern. Quality wood and natural stone, soft leather and wonderful fabrics are perfectly matched with selected wall paints – some daring, but all chosen with unerring taste. The overall combination of

unusual light fittings, furnishings and Mark’s own creations produces that very special Auersperg atmosphere.

Not to mention an ambience in the new A*Bar & Lounge that is perhaps reminiscent of early James Bond films or a Stanley Kubrick set. The feedback from many guests that they are finally staying in the “perfect” hotel room is surely one major reason why the Auersperg has so many regulars.

Yet, Bettina and Mark Wiesinger’s work is never done. “The hotel is constantly developing. Of course, we have a basic concept, but we make countless adjustments every day.” That includes changes to the roof terrace spa, the garden and fountain, the many hidden seating areas and relaxing sun loungers. Surrounded by lush greenery is the best place to dream. The commitment to quality is clear throughout the Auersperg – from the down duvets to high-quality natural materials in the bedrooms.

AUSTRIA SALZBURG

55

rooms in the hotel and in the villa Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ hotel-villa-auersperg

And if you are lucky, Mark and his business “Mark’s Plan” will also find time for the odd project for customers who want to take a little of the Auersperg style home with them. “The priority is of course always Bettina and the Auersperg, because without them, I would never have found my passion.”

THE Stylemate

LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

NEW MEMBER

08

“LA PETITE IVY” in Mühldorf in the Wachau, Lower Austria, may be “petite” with just six rooms, but it offers peace for the soul and a feast for the eyes on a grand scale.

HOTEL LA PETITE IVY

great art

AUSTRIA LOWER AUSTRIA / WA C H A U / M Ü H L D O R F

6

rooms

1

hidden place

Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ la-petite-ivy

Wurm, before they succumb to the charms of the hotel itself. Furnished with loving attention to detail, the hotel has “only” six rooms, each of which is curated by Martin Ho in person and Alexander Riegler.

Every room – including the Copenhagen, Suffreme, Bukkake, Pop and Macau – showcases one feature of the various intellectual interests of the family of owners. The rooms are also each designed around quotes from famous figures such as Arne Jacobsen, Andy Warhol, Virgil Abloh, Nobuyoshi Araki and Bruce Lee. Martin Ho is an exceptional collector and has filled his “LA PETITE IVY” with a wide range of contemporary art. Surrounded by that art, guests have a rare opportunity to view, examine and appreciate it at their leisure. The hotel itself completes the experience. A sun deck beside the pool is an ideal place to relax with a book, as is the winter garden. Discover a miniature oasis.

OLD CASTLE WALLS A historic stately home built in 1302 is the backdrop for the artworks. The old walls create a fascinating contrast to the modern art. Art meets Gothic vaults, and a striking tower offers wonderful views far out over the Wachau valley. The cuisine is local and authentic. Guests can also head out beyond the old walls to explore the Wachau and all that it has to offer. A visit to the F.X. Pichler vineyard and a private tour of Brauerei Zwettl brewery should be top of the itinerary. Sporty guests can go golfing, play tennis, jump on their bikes or go hiking. And for a breathtaking panorama, take a helicopter trip to see the Wachau from above.

In the words of Bruce Lee, “[i]f you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.” A fitting note on which to finish.

Photos: Mato Johannik

You could start a description with a list, the figures are so impressive: Erwin Wurm, Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Daniel Richter, Jonathan Meese, Petra von Kazinyan, and it goes on. The list is nowhere near exhaustive, and reads like a treatise on modern art. The hotel’s owner is not unfamiliar. Businessman Martin Ho and his DOTS Group have been successfully implementing projects for years. They include restaurants and clubs such as the IVY´s PHO HOUSE Vietnamese street kitchen chain, a night club, and an art gallery. Now, guests at the new hotel “LA PETITE IVY” can holiday with art. “The last house on the hill” in Mühldorf welcomes visitors with a sausage sculpture by Erwin

THE Stylemate

LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

NEW MEMBER CRAZY

09

Or near enough. We are on a journey to visit the “Crazy Hollmann Collection” in Trieste, Paris and on the Turracher Höhe pass, discovering the unusual, the unexpected and the magical.

HOLLMANN COLLECTION

around the world in 80 days Surely we have all dreamed of a charming little stone house perched on cliffs above the Adriatic; a cosy refuge for dolce far niente where the sounds of the sea lull you to sleep. Robert Hollmann, actor and hotelier, had that dream too – and turned it into reality. He created the seaside “Hollmann am Meer”, not far from the town of Trieste and Miramare Castle.

Robert Hollmann affectionately calls his Italian residenza his “Schwalbennest” (swallow’s nest), despite the fact that the 120 m2 building can house up to six people.

How lucky we are that the restless spirit has always loved sharing his joys with others, and we can immediately hire the apartment for a relaxing holiday.

I T A LY / F R A N C E / AUSTRIA T R I E S T E / P A R I S / TURRACH

3

Photos: Eddy Boulares / Weichselbraun / Heldentheater

destinations

1

“crazy” concept

Book online lifestylehotels.net/en/ hollmann-trieste lifestylehotels.net/en/ hollmann-paris lifestylehotels.net/en/ hollmann-turracher-hoehe

MORE THAN JUST A SEA VIEW Here on the coast near Trieste, we have a private beach with a small jetty for bathing – and that is something special, if not an absolute privilege. A morning dip in the sea is one of the most invigorating wake-up rituals there is. The evening ends with a barbecue on the terrace, but before then, you have a whole day to explore or sunbathe. After a wonderful stay in Trieste, it is time to move on. To France.

Paris – despite or perhaps because of many strokes of fate, still the city of love. The Hollmann apartment is situated in the heart of Paris on the Île Saint-Louis, one of the two Parisian islands on the Seine.

Just stepping into the stylish flat with its beautiful wooden flooring, and walls painted in striking blue with white wood

FOLLOWING THE CALL OF THE MOUNTAINS panelling... it is love at first sight. The typical French windows let light stream into the living room and give you a wonderful view of the Seine. The quiet bedrooms look out onto the courtyard, and two luxurious bathrooms with baths and showers are an absolute treat, not just for the ladies. Up to six guests can be housed here. Those inspired by the host of local markets can whip up delicacies of their choice in the kitchen, which is equipped with a great range of Le Creuset products and Hollmann porcelain. Take a stroll along the nearby shopping streets before visiting one of the typical brasseries for a glass of red wine.

We have had our fill of the city and are travelling on to Austria, to the Turracher Höhe pass and a little corner of paradise.

When the sun rises over Turracher Höhe and the centuries-old Swiss stone pine wood comes to life, all you can hear is the gentle symphony of the Carinthian Alps.

Outside from the roofs of the old granaries, the birds strike up their morning chorus, making you want to stay just a little bit longer. Or rather, come back again. To all “Crazy Hollmanns”, and that includes those in Vienna and Sri Lanka as well as Trieste, Paris and the Turracher Höhe pass.

Whether or not you have experienced as much by the end of your journey as Phileas Fogg on his journey around the world, is not important, for it will have been simply magical.

THE Stylemate

LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

DIRECTORY LIFESTYLEHOTELS

AU S T R I A

CHINA

Wildkogel Resorts Alpslodge Life.Style.Hotel.Fiss FÜGEN Alpina Zillertal family.lifestyle.hotel GASCHURN Montafon Lodge Luxury Lodgehotel und Spa GEINBERG Geinberg 5 Private Spa Villas GRAZ Augarten Art Hotel GRAZ Lendhotel GRAZ Roomz Graz GROSSARL Hotel Nesslerhof HALLSTATT Hallstatt Hideaway INNSBRUCK Nala Individuellhotel INNSBRUCK – KÜHTAI Jagdschloss Kühtai KALS AM GROSSGLOCKNER Gradonna Mountain Resort KALTENBACH Das Kaltenbach LÄNGENFELD Naturhotel Waldklause LEOGANG Puradies MARIA ALM Hotel Eder MARIA ALM Hotel Sepp MAYRHOFEN ElisabethHotel Premium Private Retreat MELLAU Sonne Lifestyle Resort MÖSERN Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel MÜHLDORF LA PETITE IVY NAUDERS Aparthotel Arabella OBERGURGL Hotel The Crystal OBERTAUERN Hotel Panorama Obertauern SAALBACH HINTERGLEMM Alpin Juwel SALZBURG STADT Hotel Goldgasse SALZBURG STADT Hotel Stein SALZBURG STADT Hotel & Villa Auersperg SCHLADMING Stadthotel Brunner SERFAUS Alfa Hotel SÖLDEN Hotel Bergland Sölden TURRACHER HÖHE Hollmann am Berg UDERNS Sportresidenz Zillertal VIENNA Hollmann Beletage VIENNA Hotel Das Tyrol VIENNA Hotel Schani Salon VIENNA Hotel Schani Wien ZELL AM SEE Eva Hof Lakeside Suites ZELL AM SEE Seehotel Bellevue ZELL AM SEE Senses Violett Suites BRAMBERG

NANJING

Kayumanis Nanjing Private Villas & Spa

FISS

C R OAT I A SUTIVAN – BRAČ

Hotel Lemongarden

F RA NC E PARIS

Hollmann Paris

Photo: Bureau Hollmann European Sales office

I TA LY, T R I E S T E Hollmann Trieste Page LH 09

Photo: Tiberio Sorvillo

AU S T R I A , M Ö S E R N Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel Page LH 05

P O R T U G A L , A L G A RV E Vila Valverde Page LH 05

Photo: Christian Husar

C R O AT I A , S U T I VA N – B R AČ Hotel Lemongarden Page LH 04

LIFESTYLEHOTELS book directly. Enjoy benefits!

We offer hand-picked, independent & stylish hotels for design-oriented globetrotters and sophisticated travellers.

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AU S T R I A , S A L Z B U R G Hotel & Villa Auersperg Page LH 07

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THE Stylemate

LH

Issue No 02 | 2019

GERMANY

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P O R T UG A L

Das Graseck Thomas Hotel Spa & Lifestyle NÜRNBERG art&business Hotel SANKT ENGLMAR Berghotel Maibrunn STUTTGART V8 Hotel STUTTGART V8 Hotel Classic TIMMENDORFER STRAND SAND TIMMENDORFER STRAND Hotel Seehuus

Vila Joya Vila Valverde ALGARVE Vila Vita Collection MADEIRA Quinta da Bela Vista

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN

ALGARVE

HUSUM AN DER NORDSEE

ALGARVE

Photo: Alex Filz

I TA LY, S A N C A N D I D O Post Hotel Page LH 03

S PA I N

Lavida Hotel Convent de la Missio MALLORCA Fontsanta Hotel Thermal Spa & Wellness MALLORCA Hotel Can Simoneta MALLORCA Hotel Glòria de Sant Jaume MALLORCA Hotel Tres MALLORCA Pleta de Mar GIRONA

MALLORCA

H U NG A RY BUDAPEST

Lanchid 19

I TA LY

Casa Angelina Relais Blu BRIXEN Hotel Pupp CAMAIORE Locanda al Colle TIROLO NEAR MERANO Der Küglerhof GSIES La Casies ISSENGO Gourmet & Boutiquehotel Tanzer CALABRIA Praia Art Resort LIVIGNO Hotel Larice MERAN/O Suiteseven Stadthotel Meran/o MERANSEN Hotel Gitschberg MONTEFOLLONICO Follonico RIMINI i-Suite RIVA DEL GARDA Holiday IV Gardan SAN CANDIDO Post Hotel – Tradition & Lifestyle SICILY, CATANIA Monaci delle Terre Nere TRIESTE Hollmann Trieste VENICE LIDO Hotel Villa Pannonia

S R I L A N KA

AMALFI COAST AMALFI COAST

DICKWELLA SOUTH

UTMT – Underneath the Mango Tree

SWITZERLAND

Hotel des Balances Alpinlodge & Spa ZERMATT Hotel Matterhorn Focus LUCERNE

SAMNAUN

Photo: Gregor Hofbauer

AU S T R I A , W I E N Hotel Schani Salon Page LH 02

Photo: Bureau Hollmann European Sales office

Photo: Mato Johannik

AU S T R I A , T U R RA C H E R H Ö H E Hollmann am Berg Page LH 09

AU S T R I A , M Ü H L D O R F LA PETITE IVY Page LH 08

Photo: ElisabethHotel

AU S T R I A , M AY R H O F E N ElisabethHotel Page LH 04

Photo: Bureau Hollmann European Sales office

F R A N C E , PA R I S Hollmann Paris Page LH 09 Photo: Heldentheater

AU S T R I A , G R O S S A R L Hotel Nesslerhof Page LH 06

they are the treasures among hotels. each is unique, rare and always worth discovering.

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I N S P I R AT I O N Approximately 400 pages | 500 pictures Best Room Tipps New Member Hotels

lifestylehotels.net/shop

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dip THE Stylemate

Foto: shutterstock.com, Galyna Andrushko

Issue No 02 | 2019

in

You need to have tried it at least once: dip in a “cenote”, one of the hidden sinkholes deep in the mangrove forests of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.

Cenotes are limestone pools of fresh water

M EX I C O

STYLE

created when bedrock collapses. Theoretically, you reach the open sea from them, but in practice, it is enough simply to grab a snorkel and diving goggles and explore the wonderfully fresh, crystal-clear water.

The word cenote comes from the Mayas and means “sacred spring”. This is not hard to understand, as the power of the cenotes is tangible.

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

luxury shamanism

BY KONSTANZE WAGENHOFER

Travellers seeking the wisdom of the Maya on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula may even find themselves. The descendants of the Maya still live out their millennia-old culture and pass on their knowledge of holy springs and healing rituals from generation to generation. Since prehistoric times, the temazcal, a semispherical clay sweat lodge, has been considered to hold special healing powers. Unlike a conventional session in the sauna, a visit to a temazcal can push your spiritual boundaries. You are exposed to the four elements: fire, water, earth and air. Add traditional healing herbs, and the temazcal frees your body and soul from negative energy and disease, and restores your spiritual balance. At the Chablé Yucatan spa resort, medicine woman Abuela Akba’al supervises this and other rituals that use the rich Maya heritage for selfdiscovery and healing.

Photo: Chablé Resort & Spa

The most sacred secrets of the Maya are hidden deep in the jungle of Yucatán. At the Chablé Resort & Spa, you can discover those secrets in sustainable luxury.

Fifteen years ago, on the site of what is now the multi-award-winning Chablé Yucatan spa hotel, the jungle was encroaching ever further on a deserted hacienda. The new owners wanted to build the world’s best hotel and involved the local Maya communities in the planning process from the outset. That is why the spirit and richness of Maya tradition can now be felt throughout the resort, and not just under the experienced hands of Abuela Akba’al. If the Mayan aristocracy still existed, it would surely live like guests at the Chablé: nearly 304 hectares of land in the heart of the Yucatán jungle are home to 36 individual lodges, the “Casitas”, and four family villas, in which modern design meets traditional craftsmanship and local art. Instead of restrictive walls, lush vegetation guarantees absolute privacy.

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

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A S O U RC E O F L I F E :

Those who want to head out exploring don’t have to go far: major Maya sites and amazing beaches, nature reserves with breathtaking cenotes, limestone sinkholes full of water, and museums, galleries and art boutiques are all within easy distances, and the airport is just 25 minutes away.

In fact, you don’t even need to leave the Chablé to feel the magic of a cenote, a place of power and strength for the Maya. One such “sacred spring” is the energy centre of the resort, around which the elegant spa cabins are arranged.

RO CC O B OVA , DI R E C T OR OF T H E C HA BL É YUC ATÁN, T OL D US J U S T WHAT T H E C HA BL É R ES ORT & SPA IS A B OU T.

What experience awaits guests at the Chablé?

Chablé is a luxury spa resort, built on the site of an abandoned hacienda deep in the Maya jungle of Yucatán. Our guests experience the luxury of one of the world’s most beautiful and most modern resorts, the richness of Maya culture and its rituals, folklore and cooking – and above all its long history. We want our guests to experience joie de vivre, and to value what is truly important in life.

The cenote is your wellness source.

How do you use it?

Water is the source of life, not just for the Mayan people. Our cenote is one of the most attractive in the area, and our architects have skilfully integrated it into the spa facility. Yet we do not see our cenote as a natural pool. To us, it is a sacred energy source that we use for rituals, meditation and yoga.

The temazcal ritual sounds pretty adventurous. How do people feel afterwards?

Temazcal really is an adventure, and not one to embark upon lightly. Here at the Chablé, our spiritual guide Abuela Akba’al takes you through the c. three-hour ritual, in which you pass through the doors of your past life to be reborn as a new person. Temazcal is a challenge, and I am not ashamed to admit that I have yet to experience it. I have not felt ready until today.

Photos: Chablé Resort & Spa

chableresort.com

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

The ambitious project was developed by Anne Thomas (Montréal), Pierre Laramée (Montréal) and Eberhard Schrempf (Graz).

The WWTC is a marketplace for carefully selected design products, and a network that connects designers, products, manufacturers and dealers.

New in the collection: a small selection of objects from Mexico.

¡qué

NEKO is a design company that was set up by four partners in Mexico City in 2005: Alice Pegman, Karime Tosca, Hiroshi Ikenaga and Daniel Olvera. With their vision of design, eco-design principles and a passion for challenges, they develop a wide range of products and services – from bracelets to double-decker bicycle racks.

diseño!

or on the bike, relaxing or visiting one of the museums, it is to us one of the most inspiring parts of the city.

N E KO

Your café recommendation?

We wanted to create a design that would bring a little piece of nature into a city flat. The piece is called “Tokani”, which means “sower” in Nahuatl, an indigenous language of central Mexico and Mexico City.

Sometimes, we start our day with a good espresso or cappuccino from “Chiquitito Café” in La Condesa or “Centro Café de Autor” in La Nápoles. For breakfast, break and cakes, “Maque” in La Condesa is amazing. nekomexico.com

What makes the piece special?

We originally designed the piece in partnership with “Arta Ceramica”, a ceramics studio that invited designers to create new objects for an exhibition. We wanted to use the material for a large piece, and when we decided on a plant pot, we knew that we wanted to produce something special and something different. The various sections are fitted one on top of the other, and the water filters through from the top to all the plants.

Where do you find inspiration?

In Chapultepec Park. At the heart of one of the world’s largest cities, this is a peaceful, wooded oasis. Whether we are on foot

Photos: Diseño Neko

¡Hola mexico!

The World Wide Things Collection (WWTC) has grown. You can now find works by Mexican designers from Mexico City and Puebla in this international collection of selected design objects.

What is the connection between your design and Mexico City?

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Cristina Orozco Cuevas is an award-winning textile designer. Her studio specialises in surface designs and there are more than 1200 patterns in her portfolio.

C R I S T I N A O RO Z C O

DAV I D P OM PA

What is the connection between your design and Mexico City?

What is the connection between your design and Mexico City?

For a while now, I have worked from home, a special place for me in this huge city.

I invest the time this saves in activities that nourish my creativity, and this has further improved the quality of my work.

Our products are made from Mexican materials. We are constantly looking for new aspects of Mexican culture as we seek to create a collection that combines the essence of these materials with bold and striking aesthetics. Our products reflect a process involving trained craftspeople and methods that are deeply rooted in a Mexican tradition.

Which of your objects is part of the WWTC? The “Ni Paper Bag”. This product is very special to me: my design is mainly about patterns and textures for major companies, but this material was developed exclusively for my first product line. Developing the fabric probably took years, involving testing weaves and yarns to create the feeling and appearance of crumpled paper. The main concept for the product was to develop a fabric that looked like a sheet of paper, but that was washable, durable, and also light and with unique aesthetics.

Photos: Cristina Orozco / David Pompa

The “davidpompa” studio creates unique objects with a strong commitment to authentic materials and excellent craftsmanship.

Pompa’s work combines the essence of the material with bold and characteristic aesthetics.

It can be used either as a modern shopping bag or as a mini paper ball.

Where do you find inspiration?

I simply roam the city.

Your café recommendation?

“Tierra Garat”, of course – I am a proud Mexican. cristinaorozcocuevas.com

What is special about the Ambra collection?

The Ambra collection consists of cantera rosa and copper. Cantera rosa from Zacatecas is a mix of volcanic ash and dust. It has a strong presence, is absolutely unique and is full of inclusions. Ambra is very geometric and minimalist, allowing the material – and Mexican culture – to speak for itself.

Find every object part of the World Wide Things Collection on designcities.net/wwtc/

Where do you find inspiration?

Mexico City is a large and above all richly diverse city. You can find inspiration almost everywhere – in the architecture, music, tastes, colours, people and traditions.

Do you have a personal insider tip?

“El Cardenal” in San Angel! davidpompa.com

THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

20

Christian Mikunda is a pioneer of the experience economy and one of the thinkers behind strategy dramaturgy. He has travelled the world for many years looking for inspirational “staged places�.

Working for businesses, he practises the art of temptation.

Photo: vyhnalek.com

the

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

STYLE

temptation DR. PHIL. CHRISTIAN MIKUNDA and his wife Mag. Denise Mikunda-Schulz run CommEnt, which advises the automotive industry, retail, television stations, museums, airports, the hotel industry and entire towns

ultimate

and regions. At the centre of their work is “shop dramaturgy”, which they see not as tempting people to buy but rather as the chance at a small, calculable piece of happiness.

What does art priming do to us?

Mr Mikunda, your latest book is all about hypnoaesthetics.

What is hypnoaesthetics?

Hypnoaesthetics is a highly intense form of staging that is used in fields such as marketing, retail and the hotel trade and of which you are not consciously aware.

It is not about obvious staging, but instead largely uses psychological mechanisms such as those employed by psychotherapists. Unlike conventional storytelling or feelings of elation, which I describe in another book, hypnoaesthetics gets right under your skin because you do not even notice its existence. Like hypnosis, it is suggestive.

What are the various mechanisms?

There are four mechanisms: art priming, the method of the staged experience; destabilisation, the method of controlled confusion; hypnoaesthetic trance, the method of absorbed consciousness; and attunement, the method of thrilling consonance. All mechanisms affect the subconscious and make us aware of a product.

Could you give us some examples?

Photo: Econ Verlag

To put it briefly, artist Conchita Wurst is an example of destabilisation. We don’t know whether we are looking at a man or a woman – and that confusion makes us hyper-aware and very receptive to what she says. That is why her messages have been so well received. Another example,

in retail, is the Zara dummies with their eyelashes out of place. This is like cold water to the face, opens us up inside and prepares us for the messages that follow.

In this case, for the three dummies in the entrance that restore our equilibrium.

We have a powerful need for harmony; that is why something like that works.

The Rote Salon at Casinos Austria in Vienna is an example of a hypnoaesthetic trance. The walls and ceilings are the most intense red you have ever seen, and the patterned carpet does the rest, simply sucking away your control. To give you an example of attunement: if you are looking for cool trainers, you certainly won’t want someone like me coming up to you in the shop. Instead, you want someone who represents that lifestyle. Someone which whom you are in tune. Finally, art priming presents the assumptions underlying the product instead of the product itself. Enter the Fendi stores in Rome or Paris and you will find them full of art. There are sculptures in the entranceway that encourage you to see the Fendi coat as art too.

The sculpture turns the clothing into the same piece of art.

What does this have to do with the hotel trade?

Art priming in particular has in recent years spread from retail to the hotel industry. We saw it for the first time in Las Vegas, in the Cosmopolitan Hotel.

The hotel is full of modern art, but not like at an exhibition. There are huge dog sculptures on the way to the conference room, an oversized high-heeled shoe beside a one-armed bandit – that people try to climb into as security tries to stop them. For five dollars, visitors can get artworks from a renowned Jamaican artist out of a vending machine. The Cosmopolitan was the first to say that art is not an accessory, but shows guests that they have a very special view of the world.

This approach has now taken off around the world.

Suddenly, we act as if we were somewhere else – in a hotel as if in a gallery; in a museum as if in a shop, and so on. This draws us deeper and deeper into the other world and the staging loses its banality.

A hotel is no longer simply a hotel. Art priming often involves trance effects, which are a result of mesmerising repetition. Trance effects are created by mysterious objects that hold your gaze, and for a while, you notice nothing else.

Is there a point where you reach overkill?

No, even calculated sensory overload works. Guests use the effect for their own purposes – that is the Instagram moment.

In the face of a strong digital presence, every effort is being made to make real places stronger. This means bringing out the heavy – hypnoaesthetic – artillery.

How long does the effect last?

Much conventional staging such as that created by linear storytelling unfortunately ages relatively rapidly. The difference between art priming and all other types of staging is that art priming is timeless and iconic. Just as the Karlskirche church in Vienna is timeless. The Delano Hotel

by Philippe Starck once played with the perception of shape with cascading curtains, and the Cosmopolitan Hotel later did so too with eight large pillars in the lobby showing video installations.

Even in baroque churches, pillars were in part painted, in part physical structures.

A form of entertainment was to stand in a specific place to see whether or not the pillars were real. Or take the Jesuitenkirche church in Vienna with its trompe-l’œil.

There is really not that much difference between that church and a hotel like the Cosmopolitan.

Who is the master of the art priming effect?

I would say Kit Kemp. She now has eight hotels in London and New York. The Ham Yard Hotel in London is a breathtakingly feminine 5-star art priming hotel.

How many components do you need?

Do you always need five stars?

In drama, it works like this: once has no effect, two might have some effect, and the third time sinks in. Actually, you really need at least five interventions for it to work.

No, of course not! My family and I are in love with one small, beautiful hotel in Greece where we go on holiday. Wonderfully relaxed, heart-warming and with a fantastic garden. Then there is the hotel in

Germany where a third of the staff have a handicap, in most cases Down syndrome.

It is emotional cohesion that creates such a wonderful effect. I see attunement in such a setting. It works a bit like social mimicry. People like themselves, so they open up to each other, and that creates closeness. In Austria, I really like the Hollmann Beletage – the Sacher too, which may be a 5-star hotel, but I just feel very comfortable and well cared-for there.

What is next on the horizon?

I believe that we are at the end of the experience economy. The dramatic quality that has been achieved since the 1980s is simply breathtaking, but palatial hotels are now out. If I had to give a prediction, it would be the growing importance of nature priming – our climate crisis alone offers sufficient grounds. Nature priming makes us indifferent to the overly negative in the world and generates resilience.

We are better able to deal with heat, noise, overcrowding, rising prices and unpleasant smells if we have been primed through nature. Gardens, tree-lined avenues or green façades can all be used for priming.

This development will probably go handin-hand with increasingly feminine hotel aesthetics.

In a world where so much is staged, is there not a longing for the exact opposite?

Yes, the pressure on people has become huge. And by pressure, I also mean the pressure for information and entertainment. We need places to chill.

But of course, they are also staged.

What is the most important aspect of any staging?

Treating people well should in my view be a constant. That is one of the secretes of staging in business: you need to like people. A hotel is above all a place of welcome, and needs a little bit of oriental hospitality.

“HYPNOÄSTHETIK. DIE ULTIMATIVE VERFÜHRUNG IN MARKETING, HANDEL UND ARCHITEKTUR”

By Christian Mikunda.

Published by Econ Verlag, 2018.

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

A most unusual guest room in the garden, a place to relax under the apple tree, a sun lounger on the beach – add a new feel-good space to your home with the liv.be outdoor bed and lounger.

insideout

OUTDOOR BED, OUTDOOR LOUNGER, OUTDOOR LIFE Beside the sea or on land, at your holiday home, in your own garden or on the terrace; for one person, a couple or a small family: feel and experience nature with liv.be – protected from the sun, wind and rain. Take this comfortable and multipurpose outdoor “room” with you to your own personal favourite place.

From lounger to bed in seconds. Now you can lie back, snuggle down and enjoy the moonrise. With the roof completely closed, soak in that liv.be feeling of comfort and security with a touch of luxury, at one with nature. Tucked in outside, you fall asleep with a view of the stars and wake up to the morning birdsong – and within easy reach of your coffee maker and favourite roast, just what you need for a perfect morning in liv.be. livbe.de

The liv.be brand from Ploß is synonymous with premium quality in the outdoor segment. High-quality materials and decades of experience make liv.be perfect for life outdoors – all year round. The outer walls are available in fabric, aluminium or teak. All materials are pleasant to the touch, ensuring that cosy liv.be feeling.

Great extras such as storage space and a terrace at the front make liv.be smart as well as comfortable. There is space for books, smartphones, shoes and a small amount of luggage.

Photos: liv.be

The first rays of morning sunlight are a very special experience with liv.be: with the roof wide open, we can enjoy being woken up by nature. A wonderful and effortless start to the new day. And if it gets breezy, we quickly pull down the roof and snuggle into the blankets with a book. liv.be is an outdoor bed protected from the elements. It means living, relaxing and coming home.

LIV.BE, PREMIUM QUALITY

BY PLOSS

IN THE GARDEN UNDER THE STARS

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love it to the moon …

P O R T O F I NO

THE RIGHT STYLE FOR

Photos: shutterstock.com, Dan Breckwoldt / Dior / Missoni

… and back!

It is 50 years since Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon.

THE Stylemate shows famous spa towns that are loved by stars and us for at least as long.

Describing Portofino as a fishing village now appears almost ludicrous, as it is so closely associated with luxury and an elegant lifestyle. Yet that is what is once was – before the “rich and beautiful” moved into this small town on the Italian Riviera.

Ever since, Portofino with its pastel-coloured houses, wonderful views of the Ligurian Sea and little harbour where mega yachts now anchor has inspired people to dream. Find a free seat in a small bar in the evening and listen to local bard Mario singing “I found my Love in Portofino”, and you are in a dreamworld.

If Dior loved Portofino, then we simply must too.

The viscose body from the new Diorriviera Collection is a must-have for the trendy spa town and also a statement. In the evening, slip on a kaftan from Missoni over the top for just the right touch of elegance.

KAFTAN by Missoni c. € 2.590 BODYSUIT by Dior missoni.com, dior.com

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

The wide-brimmed fedora is called Art Rixa and comes from Mühlbauer. Made of bao straw – extracted from the trunk of the baobab tree – and with a sprayed fringe, this is just the right statement for the artists’ haven that is St. Tropez.

Cut the perfect figure in the “Honor” swimsuit from the Dynasty Collection by London label Hunza G.

Alexandra Miro launched her eponymous luxury swim and resort wear label in 2017. Her idea was “to create THE ultimate garment that strengthens and enhances, and gives the wearer a feeling of self-confidence and empowerment”.

The “Eva” model does this very well. Accessorise with the pink “Florence Sun N” by Andy Wolf Eyewear.

HAT by Mühlbauer c. € 235 SWIMSUIT by Hunza G c. € 160

SWIMSUIT by Alexandra Miro c. £ 213 SUNGLASSES by Andy Wolf Eyewear c. € 339

muehlbauer.at, hunzag.com

alexandramiro.com, andy-wolf.com

S T.

CA N N E S

T RO P E Z

Towards the end of the 19th century, this picturesque town on the Côte d’Azur was discovered by the artistic community. Artists were inspired by the charm of St. Tropez with its attractive forecourts and narrow lanes. Today, this idyllic artists’ town also has popular beach clubs, expensive sports cars and trendy yachts: the film “And God Created Woman” with Brigitte Bardot made St. Tropez famous.

Yet St. Tropez is still charming, for the creative arts scene has remained and the town has not lost its beauty. If you don’t want to hang out on the “Baie de Pampelonne”, why not take the time to visit the “Maison des Papillons” – the butterfly house – which has over 20,000 exhibits.

THE RIGHT STYLE FOR

Each year, Cannes on the French Riviera hosts its famous Film Festival.

The Festival sees this town in southern France host current and budding stars, and all those who simply want to catch a glimpse of the spectacle at least once in their lives. For the rest of the year, too, the rich and celebrated mingle here on the famous “Boulevard de la Croisette”.

Aristocrats and rich parvenus discovered Cannes long ago, and its popularity has grown steadily ever since. No wonder, for the old town “Le Suquet” is also a wonderfully romantic place.

Photos: shutterstock.com, NAPA / Hunza g / Mühlbauer / shutterstock.com, Daniel Leppens / Alexandra Miro / Andy Wolf Eyewear

THE RIGHT STYLE FOR

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

STYLE A limoncello tastes even better in a lemon-coloured swimsuit from OYE Swimwear. All products by OYE are handmade in Turkey using high-quality materials. Set off perfectly by the capacious and striking transparent Vinyl tote bag by Versace with its 90s vintage logo.

These elegant flat sandals by Max Mara are leather and fastened with a woven cord around the ankle. Maritime style, perfect for the city state on the sea. Great with the “Mombasa” reversible triangle snake-print bikini by Heidi Klein.

SWIMSUIT by OYE c. $ 350 TOTE BAG by Versace c. € 650

BIKINI by Heidi Klein c. £ 200 “LAILA” SANDALS by Max Mara c. € 399

oyeswimwear.com, versace.com

heidiklein.com, maxmara.com

S O R R E N T O

M ON AC O

Photos: shutterstock.com, Alex Tihonovs / OYE / Versace / shutterstock.com, Boris Stroujko / Heidi Klein / Max Mara

THE RIGHT STYLE FOR

According to legend, Odysseus was able to escape the sirens’ call.

Few, however, are able or willing to resist the call of the small town of Sorrento perched high on the clifftop. The name Sorrento comes from the Surrentum of Antiquity, and goes back to the myth of the sirens. Here on the Gulf of Naples, lemons grow in profusion, and people love the limoncello liqueur produced from them. Sorrento is not far from Capri, Ischia, Pompei or Naples.

A dream destination.

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This small city state between the French Mediterranean coast and Italy is famous for the casinos of Monte Carlo, the Grand Prix, and for its fiscal policy, which has led many wealthy people to move their domicile here.

The principality gained added glamour when Prince Rainier married the actress Grace Kelly, who later tragically died in a car accident. A popular and highly reputed visitor attraction is the Oceanographic Museum, of which the pioneering marine researcher Jacques-Yves Cousteau was once director. Monaco is also passionate about culture, and is home to a respected academy of classical dance and the famous Opera de Monaco.

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

STYLE

Adventures involve infernal machines or wild animals and push us to our limits in the polar ice or scorching sun.

So why is my first association with adventure perfume?

FOR M E , F RAGRANC E IS SYNON YMOUS WI T H ADVE N T UR ES I N A B O T T L E BEC AUSE S CEN TS HAVE SUCH A S T RONG PHYSIC A L I M PACT ON OUR E X PE R I E NC E AN D MO OD T HAT T H E Y CAN T RAN SP ORT U S T O T H E E N D S OF T H E E A RT H AN D BEYON D I N A H E A RTBEAT – OR SEN D U S T I M E T RAVE L L I NG I N OU R OWN M EMOR I ES : ON E SPRAY C AN TAKE US BACK I N T O T H E ARMS OF OUR F I R S T L OVE …

A single perfume can contain scents from every continent on earth: vanilla from Madagascar, tonka from Trinidad, patchouli from Indonesia – scents reminiscent of adventure, of Marco Polo and Lawrence of Arabia. The same could be said of synthetic perfumes: the person who smells a newly created molecule for the first time should rightfully feel like a pioneer.

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bottled HELDER SUFFENPLAN is an independent publicist and creative consultant from Berlin. Since childhood Helder has had a particular passion for perfume. With the successful 2013 launch of SCENTURY.com, the very first online magazine for perfume storytelling, Helder has also become a recognized authority in the global world of fragrance.

He has been a jury member for many perfumerelated awards such as The Art & Olfaction Awards, Los Angeles, and Prix International du Parfumeur Créateur, Paris. As a writer he links his favorite topic, perfume, to areas as diverse as contemporary art, the popular history of literature and film, and geopolitics.

adventure

For five years, I travelled between Berlin and Singapore as part of a long-distance relationship and the island state became my gateway to a new and wonderful world.

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand …

To me, Tam Dao combines the scent of a dignified Buddhist temple, the air heavy with frankincense and centuries of prayer, with the herby aromas of tropical vegetation in the morning sun. Tam Dao reminds me of a thousand precious moments – not just smells, but colours, sounds, voices and laughter as well. And above all moods and feelings. Tam Dao has become the perfume soundtrack to my very own personal adventure.

Photos: Portrait: Holger Homann / Flacon: Diptyque

Certain scents expand our olfactory horizons or even take us to the limits of (good) taste. For example, when the Arabian oud appeared in western perfumes around the year 2000, Europeans initially though it smelt like a “rubbish dump in the midday sun”. Nowadays, every Parisian perfumery has its own oud creation.

One perfume that sends me straight to the land of adventures – which is why I have used it for years – is Tam Dao by Diptyque.

It was created in 2003 by perfumer Daniel Molière, inspired by childhood memories of growing up in Southeast Asia from Diptyque co-founder Yves Coueslant: sandalwood and rosewood; cypress and myrtle.

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THE Stylemate Issue No 02 | 2019

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