Fashion Designer Names Draw Tourist Eyes

Other designer names floating in the hotel milieu these days include Missoni Hotels, with locations in Edinburgh opened in 2009 and Kuwait the following year. The hotels are a collaboration between the Italian fashion label and The Rezidor Hotel Group, which also operates Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson brands. In Paris, designer Christian Lacroix is the inspiration behind boutique properties Hotel du Petit Moulin and Hotel le Bellechasse, while Maison Martin Margiela designed the interiors at nearby La Maison Champs Elysees.

Other designers go a different route, opting to design singular specialty suites such as Vera Wang's at Honolulu's Halekulani, Tomas Meier at the St. Regis Hotel Rome and Diane von Furstenberg, who debuted her own glamour pad inside London's Claridge's.

As for what's next in the fashion hotel arena, LVMH is rehabilitating Paris' former Samaritaine department store for what is reported to become the second installment of its Cheval Blanc brand born in wintery Courchevel. And although there are no plans to date, don't be surprised if Ralph Lauren pops onto the hotel map. Given his comprehensive home lifestyle brand and real estate savvy, the designer seems a likely player on the scene, even if only on an individual level. Michael Kors is also one to watch, with fashion collections inspired by the designer's global travels and customers more than willing to follow in pursuit of the next fashion designer hotel.