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Givenchy Spa
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Old World Glamour
Words: PETER J ROBINSON
It makes one pout more than any usual word would and forces a slight French accent. It conjures up images of an effortlessly beautiful woman with engrained Parisian style, dressed in feted Bettina blouses, wafting L’interdit into the air. The head of the Givenchy House, Hubert James Taffin de Givenchy, was born in the late 1920s and was the younger son of Lucien Taffin de Givenchy, the Marquis of Givenchy. It should be no surprise that Givenchy was adored by some of the world’s icons, like Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor. Not forgetting, of course, Audrey Hepburn, who once said “His are the only clothes in which I am myself. He is far more than a couturier, he is a creator of personality”. Brands are indeed built over generations, so their history and legacy must be protected and closely guarded. In April this year, the House of Givenchy opened its doors at the Hotel Metropole in Monte Carlo. This marks the third launch of a Givenchy SPA worldwide, with Mont Pèlerin in Switzerland and the Hotel Sahrai in Morocco already established. So how does Givenchy stand out amongst the unwavering glitz of Monaco? Keep picturing Audrey, the cigarette holder, that little black dress, we’re looking at era-defining old-world glamour, that’s how.
As I approached the drive of the Hotel Metropole, with its neat rows of Cypress trees, I remembered why I stopped driving large cars on the Riviera. The Rolls-Royce Dawn is a beautiful piece of engineering, but the entrance to the Metropole, whilst wide enough, fills my very being with fear. Luckily for me, the Dawn’s Salamanca paintwork and the hotel’s groundskeeper, the footman sees me approaching and steps out into the road to halt traffic and ushers me onto the drive. After two hours of shopping in Monaco, I needed some calm; the sort of calm prescribed by a bartender.
Givenchy’s newest luxury enclave features a sauna, hammam, chromatherapy bathtub, ice fountain, caldarium, sensory showers, nail studio by Bastien Gonzalez, and a fitness centre. So yes, it has more than the basic spa accoutrements one has come to know and love, but it is delivered in such a flawless way. The entrance is ensconced in marble, crafted by Parisian designer Didier Gomez, the spa is supposed to evoke the brand’s dedication to fine materials. His bold lines, lighting and colour palette certainly accentuate the spa’s grandeur.
