Tuesday, Dec 06, 2005

Dubai: Hotels really are the new handbags, Suzy Menkes, fashion editor of International Herald Tribune, said on Monday.

Menkes, speaking at the Modern Luxury conference, was referring to Giorgio Armani's collaboration with Emaar to build an Armani hotel in Burj Dubai.

The Armani hotel, due for launch in 2008, were the common theme between Giorgio Armani and Mohammad Al Abbar, the chairman of Emaar Properties, who both shared a question and answer session with Menkes.

"I had no choice but to do the hotel," joked Armani. "Al Abbar has such a strong personality..."

On why he was chosen for the project, Armani put it down to his furniture collection, Armani Casa. "It showed I had an eye to create something special..."

"I wanted to make sure that Emaar understood what they were getting into though, so I asked Al Abbar, 'Will my taste suit your target audience?' You know, I can be quite flamboyant. But Al Abbar said 'Yes!'. So I signed."

Armani noted that the hotel would be designed in such a way that "whether you are staying one day, or a week, it would be something you will not forget. It is going to be very serene and very private"

Having Armani behind the project was not just about getting brand involvement. "Armani is involved at the detail level bath, sink, door he has a free hand," said Al Abbar.

And not just in terms of design. "Armani is very stringent about the kind of customer service guests will receive."

One area of the hotel being discussed is the reception and check-in area not what it would look like, but whether to have it at all. "You don't have a check-in area blocking the entrance to your home."

The Armani hotel forms part of the Burj Dubai project, which in turn, forms part of Emaar's real estate plan to develop "the most expensive square mile in the planet".

Al Abbar claims the company is going to create the value by paying attention to the details.

"Every building is being designed, every element being considered. The 3km main boulevard, for example, will be the Champs Elysses only better. We will park cars underground."

Armani hotels will also be built outside Dubai. "Milan, Marrakech, New York, Shanghai, London, Paris are on the cards," said Al Abbar.

"For London, it's just a question of finding the right location."

Gulf News 2005. All rights reserved.