THE STYLEMATE, Issue 01|2021: a time between times by Lifestylehotels

THE INSPIRATION FROM AROUND THE WORLD FOR AN AESTHETIC AND MEANINGFUL LIFESTYLE ISSUE N o 01 | 2021 thestylemate.com

Stylemate a time between times

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

IN THIS ISSUE

Essentials Page 3

LIFESTYLEHOTELS selection:

LIFE:

Dexamenes Seaside Hotel Page LH 1

Time for Longing Pages 4 – 9 Infused with Perfection Page 10 Surreal set Pages 11-13 Franzobel Page 14 STYLE:

Equilibrium Page 15 Mellow Ambience Pages 16-19 Reflections on Life and Death Pages 20-21 Magical Haute Couture Pages 22-25 Iconic fragrances Page 26 By Helder Suffenplan: Time to let go! Page 27

New Member: EALA My Lakeside Dream Page LH 2 New Member: Seehof Nature Retreat Page LH 3 The Oitavos Page LH 4 Gästehaus Krenn Page LH 5 Geinberg5 Private SPA Villas Page LH 6 Gradonna Mountain Resort Châlets & Hotel Page LH 7 The EDER Collection: Hotel Eder, Hotel SEPP, Tante Frida Page LH 8

In our last issue, we used this page to write about our hopes and dreams for the future. We were somewhat hopeful that the next time we came to write this passage, we would be a bit closer to reaching them than where we find ourselves now. But where are we, actually? A bit in limbo, you could say. We haven’t quite got to where we would like to be, but we feel like we’ve made it through the worst. Now’s the “time for longing”, as LA-based artist Lucky Tennyson explains in our comprehensive cover interview. During one of the lockdowns, he asked people to come to their windows while he photographed them from outside, and they shared with him what they were longing for. The feeling of longing is present for all of us. At points during the last year it’s been overwhelmingly strong, while at others it’s perhaps retreated a little more into the background. Maybe our worries and concerns were more prevalent and there was no longer any room for longing. In this issue, we really want to whisk you away to places that will encourage you to dream, as well as a surrealist apartment in the heart of Rome and the Villa Pelícanos in Mexico, without forgetting our fabulous selection of LIFESTYLEHOTELS. But all the while, wherever we have spoken to people, the place has resonated with the pandemic. It’s elbowed its way into our heads and altered our thoughts. Unfortunately, we haven’t yet arrived at the “after” stage – we’re in a time between times.

dasMAX Page LH 9 Hotel Stein Page LH 10 Hotel Goldgasse Page LH 11 Directory LIFESTYLEHOTELS Page LH 12

Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger

Be sure to subscribe to THE Stylemate so you'll never miss an issue! thestylemate.com

IM PRIN T Media owner and publisher: Prime Time Touristik & Marketing GmbH, Schmiedgasse 38/1, 8010 Graz, Austria Editors: Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger Editor-in-chief: Mag. Nina Prehofer Managing editor: DI (FH) Christin Maier-Erlach Cover photo: Paolo Fusco Layout: VON K Brand Design Writers: Franzobel, Helder Suffenplan, Lisbeth Wild Translators: Katherine Nussey, Lisbeth Wild Advertising: office@thestylemate.com Printed by: Medienfabrik Graz, 8020 Graz Published in: Graz Publication: 3 x yearly

Photo: Heldentheater

EDITORS

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

essentials FUN & GAMES A new concept studio has arrived in the Goldenes Quartier in Vienna. Alongside jewellery by Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen, Select also offers contemporary art, silverware and exclusive accessories. With the elegant games from GioBagnara, they cater to our desire for playfulness. This leather dice set in a stunning ice blue will banish evening boredom inflicted by night-time curfews, and in future will be perfect for evenings on the beach or a boat under a starry sky. Sebastian Schroeter is behind the Select concept, and is a true host in making himself personally available to his customers. From the very first day, this has helped to create an atmosphere of well-being and trust. Available from select.xyz, approx. €650

INDIVIDUALITY & ELEGANCE

SERVICE & STYLE The Boro collection by Crucial Detail explores light, transparency and playful interactions. Made of low-expansion glass, it can withstand thermal shock ranging from freezing cold to extreme heat. Designer Martin Kastner chose to focus on asymmetry, which was also the main sticking point when it came to looking for manufacturers. Crucial Detail ended up developing its own proprietary flame forming technique that enables a clean, perfectly fluid transition between the flat plane and a bowl. The Boro bowls are all individually flame-formed and annealed, one at a time, to create a stunning and innovative serving solution for both hot and cold food. Available in three different diameters, the unique design allows for immense creativity in the plating and presentation of your culinary delights, no matter whether it’s a flambé starter or a frozen dessert. crucialdetail.eu, from €54

The SAGAN Vienna label was founded in Vienna in 2016 by Tanja Bradaric and Taro Ohmae, and focuses on expert craftsmanship and exquisite design. Their philosophy is to create functional, high-quality pieces with a sense of individuality and laid-back elegance. All of the objects are made out of premium materials by experienced craftsmen in Vienna and Europe. The keychain coin wallet is a small, elegant solution for the coins you have lying around that can be attached to your bag or even the belt loops on your trousers. The Spanish goat leather is grained, while the clasp is made out of brushed steel and comes from Japan. The keychain is available in Castagnia and Nero di Sepia. Incidentally, the Japanese word “sagan” means “the left bank” or “the left side of a river”, and the expression implies a sensibility for individual character and innovative non-conformity that corresponds strongly with the philosophy of the brand design. sagan-vienna.com, €150

F O R T H I S

E D I T I ON

T E C H N O L O G Y & V I TA L I T Y Since the launch of SHISEIDO MEN 19 years ago, years of development have gone into identifying the particular weak points of men’s skin and continually redefining the SHISEIDO care philosophy for men. The Shiseido Men Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate gives men’s skin a look of vitality and energy. It minimises the appearance of wrinkles, rough patches and dryness, and supplies moisture thanks to the Triple TSUBAKI TECHNOLOGY TM, which relies on Japanese camellia extract. The Shiseido Men Face Cleanser gently removes impurities without taking away any of its essential moisture. Thanks to the Dirt Cleansing technology, the skin is relieved of dirt, excess oil and product residue. The rich, fine-pore foam with active skincare ingredients can also be used as a shaving foam. The Shiseido Men Energizing Moisturizer Extra Light Fluid supports the skin’s own ability to regenerate and minimises the appearance of fine lines and dryness, and can also be used as an eye cream.

Photos: Provided by / photo rights: © Sagan Vienna, © Lara Kastner, © Louis Vuitton, © Max Mara, © Giobagnara, © Shiseido

R E T R E AT & S O L I DA R I T Y Is there a need to retreat, or to regain full contact with the rest of the world? These Louis Vuitton Horizon wireless earphones fulfil both requirements. Optimised Bluetooth connectivity combines with an induction charging function to offer up to 30 hours of play time. The microphones integrated into each of the earphones vastly improve sound quality and allow each earphone to be used individually. They also offer two acoustic modes: active noise cancelling to cut yourself off, or ambient listening to stay in touch with the outside world. Already available in jet black, vivid red, immaculate white, blush pink and fluorescent yellow, there is now a new version that displays a blue colour palette. The play on asymmetry and the contrast between coloured acetate and high-gloss polished stainless steel fits perfectly with the blue skies of spring. louisvuitton.com, approx. €1,010

shiseido.de, approx. €35–75

R E B I R T H & R E N E WA L Rebirth, renewal, rebuilding: how Max Mara is rebuilding the women of the world as the invincible heroines of the Renaissance – only better. This season, Max Mara is dealing with the question of what you would wear for such a job. A buttery-soft cashmere duster, a masterfully cut suit, a perfectly detailed trench, an immaculate poplin shirt with flawlessly pleated trousers, accessorised with a voluminous Ippolita bag, oversized sunglasses and this gold chain necklace. Max Mara itself was founded during another period of rebirth. During the fashion boom following the Second World War, Italy reinvented the classics with exceptional levels of craftsmanship and an eye for good design, and Max Mara played a pivotal role in this. It was always about the popular “bella figura”, the idea of dressing well to always make a good impression. Perhaps that’s something we should all focus on a bit more this year. maxmara.com, approx. €399

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

LIFE

Age 12, Skateboarder/Student

Dakota Colebourn

Photo: ©Lucky Tennyson

“I miss getting to see my friends and do whatever we wanted. Since COVID started, I haven’t been able to see them as much as I want. We used to go to the mall and hang out, buy stuff and just walk around… now we can’t. I long for the day we get to be who we used to be!”

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

LIFE T H E PA S T YEA R HAS BE E N VE RY C HAL L E NGI NG FOR E VE RYON E AC RO SS T H E WOR L D. WE HAVE BE E N T H ROWN I N TO N EW L I VI NG A RRANGEM EN TS AN D A RE S T I L L DE AL I NG WI T H T H E U PH E AVAL T H E PAN DE M IC HA S I N F L ICT E D ON U S . WH I L E BE I NG I S OL AT ED DURI NG T H E L O CK D OWNS , L A-BA SED A RT IST LUC KY T E N N YS ON ASKE D PE OPL E TO GIVE H I M AN I N SIGH T I N T O T H E I R T HOUGH T S WH I L E H E PHOTO GRA PH ED T H EM T H ROUGH T H EI R WI N D OWS – AN D I N D OI NG S O, H E FOU N D OU T WHAT PEOPL E A RE REA L LY L ONGI NG FOR .

Do you think the things we long for have changed during the pandemic, or has our longing just become more urgent, or even desperate?

What did you miss most in this past year of lockdowns and constant demands to keep your distance? Oh boy, it’s hard to say any one thing really. Travel, bars, consistent work and friends are the obvious things that come to mind. Beneath those connections to the world that are both fulfilling and distractions from boredom, I think the biggest thing I miss is having an idea of limitless creative possibility. The calls for distance have been disruptive to my ability to create work on a whim or go out and find inspiration, as everything now requires a significantly higher amount of planning and caution. Walking outside, seeing what happens and running with whatever comes at you is so foreign now. I miss the charm of the unknown!

I think it’s twofold. First, there’s no denying most of us miss the way things were and are desperate for the world to come back around. Second, we’ve been forced to really evaluate what we want in this life, both as individuals and as a collective whole. Families have been torn apart, politics around the world are a mess, injustices are even more glaring because we’re at home on our phones all day. These deeper issues have always been there, but many people have been able to avoid them – now they can’t. There’s a lot of growth that can come from this, we can be better individuals and we can be better people to each other. It’s hard and we’re all feeling it.

How do you think this has changed you? I was accustomed to the privilege of being able to travel around the world for work and pleasure. I found creativity in the places I ate, the people I met with and either cast or photographed for projects. I didn’t have to evaluate myself every day and face a confined unknown. The outside world was enough for me. This change has opened up a huge sense of vulnerability, fear, but also compassion. By learning how to be vulnerable with myself and my art I’ve opened a huge door into accessing a more open and honest connection with the people I meet and work with – that’s a huge growth in my eyes. For your project “Rear Window”, you asked people to think about what they are longing for while looking out to the moon and being photographed by you. What knowledge did you gain?

Photo: ©Lucky Tennyson

We’re all alone and connected in some way. I don’t know that I can define how both of these exist at the same time and to what degree. I don’t know that I should try. If I had to sum it up, my lesson would be to think twice about my expectations or assumptions of others. I’ve been casting and photographing people for a long time, and I was brought up in this field to approach each person openly, but it’s easy to forget this lesson. Most of us are just getting through it, and I think that’s been true our whole lives – lockdown has just made it an acute case study.

How can we stay connected in a world that needs us to stay away from each other?

Age 30, Freelancer

José Hernandez “I L ONG FOR M Y MOT H ER’S AC C E P TANC E OF M Y REL AT IONSH I P. M Y M UM AN D I HAVE COM E A LONG WAY BU T SH E’S YET TO M EET M Y PA RT N ER . I CAM E OU T TO M Y PA REN TS WH EN I WA S 20 YEA RS OL D. I F E AR E D WHAT M Y DA D WOUL D SAY AN D HOW H E WOUL D R E AC T. I N E VE R E XPECT ED FOR H I M TO BE T H E ON E TO BE S O ACCEP T I NG. I T WAS MY M UM WHO HA D SUCH A HA RD T I M E WI T H I T. I NS TAN T LY I C LO SE D OF F F ROM H ER AN D WE HA RDLY HA D A REL AT IONSH I P E VE N T HOUGH I S T I L L L I VED AT HOM E. I E N DED UP MOVI NG OU T FOR A F EW YEA RS T H EN MOVE D BAC K . SI NC E T H EN, M Y REL AT IONSH I P WI T H M Y M UM HA S G OT M UC H BE T T E R . I T ’S BEEN GREAT AN D GET T I NG BET T ER AN D S T RONGER E AC H DAY. I C AN F E EL I T. SH E OF COURSE SAYS T HAT SH E ACCEP TS M E BU T SH E F I N D S I T HA RD TO ACCEP T M E DAT I NG OR M EET I NG M Y PA RT N E R . I’VE YE T TO E X PERI ENCE WHAT I T ’S L I K E TO HAVE M Y PA RT N ER M E E T MY MU M.” *since this piece was written, José’s mother has met his partner and it went “super well!”

I rarely ask my dad for advice, he’s the old jovial but strong and stoic type. I called him a few months ago, a bit teary, and he simply said “son, when it’s real dark, just keep walkin’. The corner will come soon enough”. We can stay connected by embracing the unknown of each day and having faith it’ll get better. Call your mum or your dad or that friend you haven’t talked to since college, or do something you wouldn’t normally do. Email someone you’ve looked up to and tell them how they inspired you, and if you need something, ask. Change some things every day however you can to keep the fire alive. Did you feel isolated at any point in the past year? This year was definitely isolating but it wasn’t a new feeling. I grew up in a small town called Julian that has about 1,000 people and the next town is 22 miles away. We were famous for apple pie and a one-block main street, and that’s about it. Not having the same access to different cultures or creative outlets left me feeling pretty isolated in knowing what I was missing out on until I went away to college. In a way this has been a reunion with my younger self in feeling similar limitations. I have more compassion for him now than I did before.

Can you tell us what people are longing for? Is it love, confidence, closeness?

What were your ways of dealing with isolation?

For this project each subject contributed their own words to explain what they “long for”. I set the parameters of the project and the style, but the subjects did the work in sharing their individual experiences. Looking at how each story is connected now, I think people want a sense of safety: safety in love, safety in health, safety in thoughts, and so on.

First and foremost, therapy. I should have started years ago. It’s less of a taboo these days but I saw it as a weakness growing up. It’s a brilliant system – a weekly catharsis, a hit-and-run friend who doesn’t judge you and always comes back with a shoulder to cry on. Secondly, my family, who’s provided an open door for me when I need to get away, my friends, my partner, and my dog.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

LIFE

Cat Pierce “I F EEL L I K E M Y 20S AN D 30S WE R E A C ON STAN T STAT E OF L ONGI NG BU T NOW, I N GE N E RA L , I F EEL PEACEF UL AN D HA PPY. I ’D L I K E TO S TA RT A FAM I LY AN D I WAN T TO C ON T I N U E TO MAKE ART T HAT PE OPL E CONN ECT WI T H BECAUSE T HAT ’S T H E BES T F E E L I NG I N T H E WOR L D.”

Photo: ©Lucky Tennyson

Age 42, Singer/Artist

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

LIFE

What did you learn about yourself?

I know some people who lived and still do live alone and don’t have a partner or family to lean on. They have very minimal contact with the physical world outside of their apartment so I try to check in on them as much as I can – that’s an important one.

To really hold onto the phrase “Don’t let the bastards get you down”. That if you can keep going despite the circumstances you can make something meaningful. I had launched my company, DBFIFTYTHREE, a month before I produced this and had just left a good job. My partner and I had three clients on retainer and were going full steam ahead. We lost almost everything overnight and I thought it was over. Reality hit pretty hard. Then, one night I was sitting in my kitchen and the idea for “Rear Window” came to mind. I poured a drink and wrote out a detailed plan. Within a week I’d secured a 16 mm camera, figured out how to get film for my stills kit even though all the stores were closed, and cast everyone in a safe way. A million other problems came up but within three weeks of inception the project was in the can. I realised then that if I really want something it can be achieved even if the odds aren’t looking great.

Did you manage to escape your loneliness? Well, the loneliness isn’t gone. Until life picks back up we’re still in the lurch and gotta carry on. I was always a “can-doer” and now it’s hard to not be a “what the hell am I gonna do-er”. There’s a film component of this project in which I did the voice over through the perspective of my brother, Jason, which was a departure from the testimonials in the photos. Jason passed just before lockdown and it was a way of seeing myself through his eyes and seeing him through my eyes – it was personal. There’s a part where I equate the amount of time I/he spend(s) in the shower with the level of happiness experienced (the longer the shower, the worse we feel). Let’s just say my showers have averaged about 30 minutes a day in the last year. You said driving around LA for your project on empty freeways for weeks was a “depressing, introspective, yet uplifting experience”. Please describe your “journey” a little bit and explain your feelings. I’m not from LA but I’ve been there for almost six years. It’s home, and the cliché is true – part of that home is parked on a freeway at any time of day. During the first few months of lockdown this wasn’t the case, the streets were a desert.

Photo: ©Lucky Tennyson

In making this I was driving around in an old Ford Ranger truck from the 80s with a Director of Photography I quarantined with at the time, with its dim yellow beams shining on absolutely nothing but the black tar and white lines of the streets as we covered the sprawling neighbourhoods of LA to meet with our subjects. The scenes were apocalyptic, a familiar memory of a city but something completely different. It was almost charming and liberating but also a stark reminder of what the world had become. At each arrival we’d be in gloves, masks, and all communication was through a window. We’d sanitise our kit, hand lights through windows or over fences, always in the dark. Getting a shot through a window 15 feet up when the ladder is only 8 feet tall was interesting and if any of the neighbours saw I’m sure it was either comical or worth calling the cops over – I’m surprised that never happened.

What do you think brings people together? Age 42, Cinematographer

Dominic Haydn Rawle “A S A CH I L D I WA S SHOWN BY TANGI BL E EXAM PL ES T HAT ON E CAN L EAVE AN D S TAY G ON E , E XPLOR E , C HANGE COUN T RI ES OR CI T I ES . M Y DA D L EF T ENGL AN D FOR AU ST RAL IA WI T H US A L L I N TOW WH EN I WA S 3 1/2 AN D I T HOUGH T WH I LST GROWI NG UP I N AUS T RA L IA T HAT I F I T T ED I N. BU T I DI DN ’ T F I T. I HA D SEEN M Y DA D ROL L OU T OF ENGL AN D AN D ON T O SI NG A P ORE AN D L AT ER TO SWI T ZERL AN D. S O T HAT SE AL OF ‘HOM E ’ WA S BROK EN CONCEP T UA L LY. I L E F T SYDN EY WH EN I WA S 23. NOW I AM A L O S T CH I L D OF T H E WOR L D, G ON E TO O L ONG, MANY PL ACES I CAN L AY M Y HAT, T H IS IS A STAT E M EN T NOT A COM PL A I N T. I L OVE M Y L I F E AN D T H E T H I NGS I HAVE SE EN, T RAVEL L ED T H ROUGH . BU T I T ’S A CERTA I N K I N D OF BE D I MADE M YSEL F, T H I S BED I N DUCES T EA RS OF BL O OD ONCE I N A WH I L E . I LONG FOR HOM E, AN D T H E EM BRACE OF M Y M UM MA OR DR I N KI NG A BEER WI T H M Y DA D.”

It can be a million things, but I think we’re all together in desire. We all desire something, and that unifies us as individuals even when we can’t share it with someone in person. Is there a collective feeling of loneliness and loss that connects us in these times? I think we’re all connected during these times because we’re all so disconnected from our old ways of life. It’s a bit of a catch-22. In many ways it’s through loneliness, but not in all. Cat, for instance, had found peace as she’s gotten older and at the time of shooting “Rear Window” she felt happy about that and more connected with herself. I think there’s a lot to be said for that. If we can learn to be good with ourselves right now, we might be able to be a lot better with each other when the world opens back up. We often get in our own way, which interferes with our ability to connect with others in a positive way, and I hope that by spending so much time with ourselves we can be better about that. You lost your brother recently. My sincere condolences. How did you deal with your loss? I’m still dealing with it. When I was four years old, I suffered liver failure – it’s a long story and there’s a cheesy film made about it where my family talks about it all, but the long and short of it is my brother donated part of his liver and saved my life.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

LIFE

Age 26, Actor/New mother

“I L ONG TO L I VE I N A WOR L D T HAT IS SAF E FOR MY DAUGH T E R . A WOR L D WH E R E SPACE HA S BE E N C R E AT E D T O H EL P H ER BE WHOM EVER SH E WAN TS , F REE OF J UD GE M E N T OR C R I T IC ISM. WH E R E WAL KI NG D OWN T H E ST RE E T SH E F E EL S C ON F I DE N T T O SAY AN D WEA R WHAT SH E WAN TS WI T HOU T F EA R , FOR T H E F E AR IS NO LONGE R NOR MAL ISE D. T H E GL AR E S, T H E WH I S T L E S F ROM OL DE R M E N A L L E RA DIC AT ED. I DREAM TO L I VE I N A WORL D WH ERE SH E C AN BR E AT H E C L E AN AI R AN D SWI M I N O C E AN S F R E E OF PL A S T IC WI T HOU T E VE R HAVI NG T O TA L K A B OU T ‘WHAT I T USED TO BE L I K E’. MO S T LY, I YEAR N TO BE A PART OF A WOR L D WH E R E MY DAUGH T E R IS R E SPE C T E D. NOT FOR BEI NG A WOMAN OR BEI NG A MAN BU T RE SPE C T E D AS A HU MAN BE I NG.”

Photo: ©Lucky Tennyson

Juliette Labelle

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

LIFE

Age 21, Musician/Student/Community Organiser for Radical Change

We were among the first in the world to go through a living donor transplant and my mum had to see us both on an operating table side by side. That’s what tied us together and part of him literally lives inside of me today. Outside of that bond I didn’t know him too well, we were cut from a different cloth, and he died of addiction quite young; so learning how to cope with such a big loss without really knowing who he was is incredibly challenging. By losing him this year and losing so many other things I’ve come to understand some of the challenges he faced. In a way it’s made me feel closer to him than we ever were when he was around. I’m thankful for that and it has brought some peace.

Do you believe we are living in a sort of phase of transition where things can change for the better (or for the worse)?

Jephtha “I L ONG TO BE L ONGE D FOR , BE C AU SE I NAT URA L LY PU T L OVE I N TO EVERYB ODY I M EET, BU T I RAR E LY F I N D A L OVE OF T H E SAM E VIG OUR RET URN I NG TO M E .”

What did the feeling of loss do to you? Do you believe the people we lose leave scars on your soul?

What should we take with us as learnings and also positive aspects of this pandemic lifestyle into what could be a really new world?

I have a scar on my stomach that reminds me of him every day, so there are literal scars. It looks like an upside-down smiley face, which I always say because it’d be messed up if it was a frown. When I was a kid, he’d hold me upside down to prove it was a smile! But yeah, losing someone like that hurts and there’s no going back. You carry it with you. The hardest part is knowing that something you love has left you and that opens up the possibility of all the things in the world that could leave you in the future. It’s hard to not think about it like that, but it’s important not to as best you can.

Like I said before, we need to learn how to be good to ourselves first and foremost. We need to give ourselves a break, and from there apply the same attitude to those around us. Everyone needs a hand right now. What do you hope for the people and the world we live in? Equal opportunity. Healthy desires met. What are you longing for most?

Does the feeling of loss change people forever? I can’t speak on that, but it has changed me forever. How would you describe these times we live in?

Photos: ©Lucky Tennyso, ©Kelia Anne, @kelianne

Anything can happen. Things have been so bad so there’s a massive potential for the world to get much better or much worse. Speaking in regard to where I come from, the US is currently on fire and in many ways, we have earned it through years of hidden injustices. I’ve never seen so much will to fight for truth and equality but at the same time I’ve never seen so much will to push hatred. If we can stop fighting and instead work towards a common goal, there will be positive progress. It can really go either way but I’m hopeful.

The times are weird. Definitely weird. Also, a time of change. Everyone is seeing so much because we have no choice but to be on our phones or computers most of the time, and I think some feel powerless with this crazy amount of information but so little to do. But on a positive note, I see others share an urgent desire for something new and good and they’ve acted. They’re the ones pushing us forward.

LUCKY TENNYSON is an artist, photographer and creative director based in Los Angeles. The project “Rear Window ” is a homage to his favourite film of the same name. He is also co-director of the creative studio DBFIFTYTHREE, which specialises in photography, motion and creative direction.

dbfiftythree.com

It’s a question of outwards and inwards. Outwards: I want women to feel safe in the world; I want people of colour to feel safe in the world; I want people to fight less and work together more. I’ve seen so much pain and trauma in others hidden behind kind eyes and it makes me sad. Pain will always exist but I long for a world that doesn’t reinforce those traumas. Inwardly, less thinking and more doing. I long to continue embracing what I call “the fear” and use my own vulnerability to share individuals’ stories through my work.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

ADVERTORIAL

with perfection

infused For wholesale enquiries, visit premium-gastro.com

Cue the Porthole – an aesthetically impressive yet simple infusion vessel that can be used to lend flavour to cocktails, oils, tea

and much more. The piece was originally custom-designed for bar chefs at The Aviary in Chicago, and its striking design and versatility saw it featured in numerous publications, including on the cover of Food Arts magazine. So popular was the design that it is now available to purchase so you can experiment with your own infusions. The scope for transformation is endless – turn a humble cucumber into a refreshing cooler for a hot summer’s day, spice up breakfast with a habanero Bloody Mary or create a mushroom dashi to serve as the basis for countless Japanese soups and broths. The imagination really is the only limiting factor here.

But not only does the Porthole produce delicious results, it also adds a touch of sleek elegance to your kitchen. Its construction in glass and stainless steel is both contemporary and practical, and the three stainless steel filters ensure a clean pour. The glass panels allow the contents to become a feature of their own, with colours, textures and varying sizes adding to the overall appeal. If you think the Porthole would make a striking addition to your kitchen, Premium Gastro is here to help. As experts in providing complete gastronomic solutions, from tableware and glassware to ovens and outdoor grills, their portfolio includes

over 50 carefully selected brands and thousands of products from around the world. No matter whether you run a small country guesthouse or a luxury five-star hotel, Premium Gastro will support you by professionally selecting items according to your needs, and at the best price.

Photo: ©Lara Castner

Food and drink should be experienced with all the senses, and that surely extends to how we choose to serve it. Over the last decade, award-winning design studio Crucial Detail has been exploring the synergy of design and food with stunning results. Under the expert leadership of its founder, Czech-born Martin Kastner, the company has collaborated with the world’s top chefs to create serviceware that is not only practical but also beautiful to look at. No one can deny the simultaneous elegance and functionality of their pieces.

AT T H E H EA RT OF T H E APPIO L AT I NO DI ST RIC T I N ROM E , J U ST A STON E ’S T H ROW F ROM T H E PA RC O DEL L A C AF FAR EL L A , ARC H I T EC T DUO L A MACCH I NA ST U DIO HA S T RAN SFORM ED A 1950S A PART M EN T I N T O A SUR R EA L SET, WH ER E F ICT ION AN D RE AL I T Y E XI ST SI DE BY SI DE I N A SE EM I NGLY T H E AT RICA L S C EN E – R ET RO S CE NA , A DE CL ARAT ION OF I RON IC AN D DA RI NG P OP.

Photo: ©Paolo Fusco

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

LIFE

surreal set

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

LIFE The architects are brimming with fabulous and ingenious references that stem from both the cultural background of the company and that of their clients, thereby encouraging clients to voice their suggestions through an innovative effort that can then be formally incorporated into the project. In accordance with the wishes of the home owners – a young couple – the architects drew on the expertise of local craftsmen to salvage the existing Venetian terrazzo floor, while at the same time totally reinterpreting the remaining structure to create a new storytelling space. In the living area, new materials have been inserted in correspondence with traces of the original divisions, with a clear band of black and Botticino marble defining the areas. The area along the corridor takes up the original design of the flooring with a pinkish border with pozzolan powder, while the bedroom is tinged with the warm nuances of brick red micro cement. The result is a combination of designs in different grains and colours that creates a “collage” effect,

in contrast with the absolute white of the plastered walls. “With Retroscena, we wanted to enhance the irreverent and surreal nature of the architectural story, which is inextricably linked to its photographic alter-ego by playing with colour contrasts, graphic motifs and unexpected incursions,” say Gianni Puri and Enrica Siracusa, the founders of La Macchina Studio.

PROJECT DETAILS Name: Retroscena / Address: Quartiere Appio Latino, Rome (Italy) / Architects: La Macchina Studio (Gianni Puri, Enrica Siracusa) / Client: private / GFA: 75 m2 / Completion: August 2020 Photos by Paolo Fusco / Materials: Venetian terrazzo flooring, micro cement flooring, furniture and handcrafted details in lacquered wood, ceramic mosaic and wall enamelling

The apartment reveals itself longitudinally along the main wall, which represents the limit between private and representative space and creates a landscape punctuated by three different elements. A white lacquered bridge wardrobe hides a small study: the reader’s refuge, an intimate, silent space, isolated from the rest of the home. A grey-blue flush-to-the-wall door that seems drawn on gives access to the salle de bain covered in white mosaic with contrasting joints, while a carved-out ogival passage gives a glimpse of the back wall in peacock-coloured enamel and the free-standing washbasin. An arched door in classic blue lacquered wood leads to the sleeping area with clear lines and a welcoming atmosphere. The door, with its wooden profile that juts out 70 cm into the dining room, is the centrepiece of the living area and hides the kitchen furniture from view. The living room is the largest space in the house: a yellow curtain runs along the demolished partition, outlining the areas and drawing a soft border between the different functions. Retroscena offers a playful and fantastic vision of the house. Bold colour choices and savvy design tricks give personality to the interiors, turning the spotlight on the inhabitants, protagonists of a theatrical – and architectural – pièce full of surprises. lamacchinastudio.net

Photos: ©Paolo Fusco, Illustrations: ©La Macchina Studio

Wait, was that Bottom with his donkey head that just walked past me? From the very first glimpse into the Roman apartment by design duo La Macchina Studio, you feel like you’ve been transported into Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It’s as though an elf is suddenly going to appear from behind every piece of furniture. La Macchina Studio – Gianni Puri and Enrica Siracusa – follows a multidisciplinary approach that allows architecture, theatre, music and illustration to come together to form the idea for the project. One of the main attributes of the practice is the use of graphical representation as a method of exploration: collages, illustrations, dioramas and models are creative tools, not just a means of displaying ideas. Their creative process involves introducing and overlapping input from different contexts and cultural sources and helps clients to see the result from a specific perspective.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

Photos: ©Paolo Fusco, Illustrations: ©La Macchina Studio

LIFE

Retroscena offers a playful and fantastic vision of the house. Bold colour choices and savvy design tricks give personality to the interiors, turning the spotlight on the inhabitants, protagonists of a theatrical – and architectural – pièce full of surprises.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

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

FRANZOBEL

“I want my dreams back.” “That’s not possible,” said the old man, without raising his voice.

Apparently, “seeming” is not the same thing as “appearing”. And it’s this slight difference in meaning, which feels like the almost imperceptible gap between wakefulness and dreaming, that shapes the following tale. There was a man called Bohr, who was a sleepy kind of guy. Most of the time it was as though he only had one foot in the real world, like someone who’d just woken up from a nap. His thoughts were slow, his account always close to the red. But then everything changed when he received the address of a man who bought dreams. Bohr was a man of principles, but even they couldn’t prevent him from visiting this address. What he found was a mansion built in a Gothic Revival style that had recently been modernised with a glass façade and concrete pillars. Outside, Bohr felt a little uneasy. Inside, he then had the feeling of being separate from the concepts of time and space. In the entry hall was an unoccupied concierge station and a lift with only one button. Bohr pressed the button and the door closed straight away, the lift jerked and it moved upwards. Or was it downwards? It seemed to go on for ever. Or did it just appear to? Then the door opened and Bohr stepped into a long corridor that couldn’t possibly fit into the building. At the end sat a white-bearded man who looked older than time itself. “Have you come to bring me a dream?” The old man spoke as casually as if he were commenting on the weather.

LIFE

When Bohr left the building later with €1,000 in his pocket, he waited for a feeling of triumph, but it didn’t come; simply relief. Over the next weeks and months, he went several times to see the old man and sold his dreams. He loved the wealth, bought fine suits and dined in fancy restaurants. But after a while, he began to experience the downside of these transactions. Not only could he no longer remember the dreams he had sold, far worse than that – he felt a sense of guilt, of loss and a diminishing of his identity. It was as though his very being had been sucked out of him. He appeared to look the same as always, he hadn’t changed, but that was only how it seemed, for when he stood on the scales, he noticed that he barely weighed anything anymore; even his shadow had become lighter. There was only one thing for it – he had to buy back his dreams. When he got to the whitebearded old man, Bohr felt like a nervous tension had taken over his muscles. Sweat poured off him in rivers, and he chewed his fingernails. “I want my dreams back.” “That’s not possible,” said the old man, without raising his voice. “Why, what are you doing with them?” “They’re what society and industry are made of. Your dreams have long been used to make spaceships, chocolate bars, thermal socks, swimming pool filters and who knows what else.” Bohr started trembling. He was lost, weighed virtually nothing, had no shadow and began to float away. At that moment, he opened his eyes and slowly came to realise that it had all been just a dream. He lay on a dog bed and a bone gleamed next to him, and a cartoon dog was depicted on a bowl nearby. The humans were still asleep, so he closed his dog eyes and fell asleep. When he woke again, he was a brain hooked up in an aquarium full of green liquid. In front of him stood scientists with tentacles and jelly heads. But surely that was also a dream. He fell asleep again and entered that in-between land where the difference between seeming and appearing no longer exists. Because one thing was now clear: reality was likely unreal, and the truth really unlikely. Or was it the other way around?

and reality

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 01 | 2021

Photo: Claus Brechenmacher & Reiner Baumann

CONSCIOUS LUXURY

The view out to sea is as close as you could ever possibly hope for. Here, on one of the most unspoilt stretches of coastline in the western Peloponnese, a winery from the post-war era has been transformed into a conscious luxury resort. Built at the end of the 1920s, Dexamenes is a sign of the industrialisation of the long-standing winemaking tradition of the whole region and is now a symbol of sophisticated comfort. Situated on the beach at Kourouta near the town of Amaliada, it’s the ideal spot to retreat to and to set off on a voyage of discovery around the area, which of course boasts a number of vineyards. DEXAMENES SEASIDE HOTEL G R E E C E / A M A L I A DA / KO U R O U TA B E A C H lifestylehotels.net/dexamenes-seaside-hotel

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

NEW MEMBER

EALA: Emotions, Atmosphere, Luxury, Activities. The name really does say it all. But this hotel stands for so much more besides ...

EALA MY LAKESIDE DREAM*****

I T A LY LIMONE SUL G ARDA – LAKE G ARDA

as elegant as a swan

rooms

luxury suites

1,500m2 spa

Adults only Book online lifestylehotels.net/eala

UNQUES T IONA BL E F I VE-S TA R LUXURY The name EALA was inspired by Celtic culture and represents the swan, which was said to have the ability to interpret dreams, and there is certainly no dream of ours left unfulfilled at this luxury hotel. With its 1,500-square-metre spa, panorama lounge, gourmet restaurant and countless outdoor activities, there’s no doubt as to the passion of this family for hospitality excellence. From the concierge service to the fact that it’s a zero-emissions hotel, the EALA has everything you need to make your dreams a reality in 2021. And let’s face it – we could all do with a little luxury this year.

Photos: @photograficamangili (external view), @2021EALA (internal views)

Arriving at the EALA is an experience like no other, even by Lake Garda’s standards, and it’s a location that the Risatti family knows well. But it hasn’t always looked like this, as it is actually situated on the site of the former Panorama hotel, which was constructed by the first generation of the family in 1952. Following the decision of the second and third generations to completely rebuild the Panorama, the old hotel underwent a swan-like transfor mation, and the EALA now sits serenely on the edge of the lake, overlooking glittering water and imposing mountains.

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

NEW MEMBER

Boasting Mediterranean lightness amidst Alpine surroundings, there’s been a new holiday gem to discover since the end of March 2021: the Seehof Nature Retreat.

time out

I T A LY S O U T H T Y R O L / N AT Z - S C H A B S , NEAR BRESSANONE

rooms and suites Adults over 14 only Private natural lake Book online lifestylehotels.net/ seehof-nature-retreat

S E E H O F N AT U R E

Photos: Tiberio Sorvillo - Luca Guadagnini, Seehof Nature Retreat

R E T R E AT * * * * S

It’s located in the small South Tyrolean village of Natz-Schabs, near Bressanone, on a sunny plateau in the centre of the Eisacktal valley. Here, on the bank of a natural lake, amongst apple orchards and mixed woodland, breathing somehow becomes easier, and the stillness that surrounds us slows our heart rate and our mind in equal measure. It is this feeling of unwinding and freedom that forms the basis of such a power place, and it radiates a very special holiday vibe at any time of year.

T I M E FOR YOU AN D YOU R PA RT N ER

T I M E FOR I N DUL GENCE

Whether you’re on your own or here as a couple, it won’t take long to settle into a relaxed daily routine. We search for unnecessary frills and clichés but to no avail. The idyllic and peaceful oasis in and around the hotel is characterised by clear design and great attention paid to comfort. The adults-only cocoon has been designed especially to meet the needs of those looking for relaxation and will suit solo travellers and couples alike. So if you want to stay in company a little longer or would rather retreat both mentally and physically, but at the same time want to feel like you have your own space, you’ll feel at ease in the unique ambience of the Seehof Nature Retreat.

When it comes to cuisine, you’ll be served dishes that blend Alpine inspiration with typical Italian lightness. Creatively reinterpreted classics including mezzelune and other pasta delights are accompanied by fine wines from the hotel’s own cellar, where both regional and national wines of top quality are stored in optimum conditions, just waiting to be opened and enjoyed. With fresh herbs from the hotel garden, head chef Antonio gives the finishing touch to every course and ensures a flavoursome experience that not only suits the region, but also the season. Tasty treats await in the Il Borgo dei Sapori delicatessen, where chalk boards display that day’s best picks of the regional delicacies on offer. And that’s how you can savour every day at the Seehof to the full – tailored to your mood and at your own pace.

T I M E FOR YOU R SE L F While some guests may be more drawn to yoga or the e-bikes than the culinary highlights, others may prefer to embrace a little “dolce far niente”, or sweet idleness, by the natural lake and in the PrimaVera spa. The offering in this holiday bubble is so diverse that everyone will be able to enjoy their break how they like it. Muscles that are tired from sporting pursuits will be able to relax in the steam room, the bio sauna and the infinity pool to really loosen up. So no matter whether you’re looking for a wellness treatment or a running session, the programme at the Seehof can be personalised to your needs. Alternatively, you can simply live in the moment and enjoy the tranquil atmosphere of your suite and get cosy with a book from the hotel library. The decision is yours, and yours alone. Let’s see which moments of calm will entice you for your next holiday.

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

With breath-taking vistas as far as the eye can see and simple design that capitalises on the abundance of natural light, The Oitavos is the ideal location to find sanctuary as we all work towards establishing a new normal. THE O I TAVO S * * * * *

laid-back luxury PORTUGAL Q U I N TA DA M A R I N H A / CASCAIS

143 rooms

Top 100 18-hole golf course Part of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park Countless activities for all ages Book online lifestylehotels.net/ the-oitavos

M I N I MA L F US S , MAXI M UM I M PAC T

It’s almost impossible to tear your eyes away from that view – the Atlantic Ocean extends all the way to the horizon and beyond, a clean line that’s contrasted by the rugged silhouettes of the dunes and the wilderness of the surrounding SintraCascais Natural Park. The overall effect is one of incredible beauty and tranquillity, something we are all no doubt craving in this uncertain time. The Oitavos five-star design hotel may only be 25 minutes from Lisbon, but the hustle and bustle of the Portuguese capital couldn’t be further from the minds of guests as they soak up all that this idyllic setting has to offer. Whether you’re looking to escape from it all and unwind in the spa or enjoy an active sojourn out in nature, you’ve come to the right place.

What’s striking about The Oitavos is the feeling of space – the common areas and guest rooms are designed in such a way to embrace the natural landscape through floor-to-ceiling windows that bring you closer to the outdoors. An uncluttered yet stylish aesthetic means the interior doesn’t compete with what’s outside, instead seeking to complement it. But don’t be deceived by the simple décor – you’ll still feel like you’re immersed in five-star luxury thanks to the serene spa, the exquisite culinary offering and top-class golf course. The 142 rooms boast a minimum of 40 square metres, meaning there is ample space to enjoy an uninterrupted view from the private balcony and relax in pure comfort. It’s these little touches that stand out from the minimalist appearance and make your holiday that bit more special.

The sheer expanse of the hotel and its surroundings is just the tonic we need after having had our movements restricted for so much of the past 12 months. Nature is never far from view – from the indoor pool, the Turkish bath and the sauna you can immerse yourself in the pristine wild landscape at the same time as making the most of the deep relaxation offered by this peaceful retreat, while the treatments draw on the healing powers of the ocean to aid overall well-being. If it’s the great outdoors that’s calling, you’ll be well catered for with the 18-hole golf course, coastal cycle path, equestrian centre and surfing opportunities. The Oitavos is a shining example of how simple luxury can be, and how the interplay between that luxury and nature can create an experience that is both invigorating and calming. And it’s exactly this sentiment that will be so important as we progress through 2021.

Photos: The Oitavos

AN E S C APE FOR B ODY AN D M I N D

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

G Ä S T E H AU S

Summer hasn't yet arrived in full force – the nights are pleasantly cool, while the day sees blossoms and blooms forming a sea of colour. It's a truly special time in the Styrian Ennstal valley.

KRENN

early summer

AUSTRIA S T Y R I A / S TA I N A C H PÜRGG

double rooms

apartments

suites Gasthaus Krenn Greißlerei delicatessen Book online lifestylehotels.net/ gaestehaus-krenn

The morning air is still cool, but you can already feel the gentle warmth of the sun that sends new energy coursing through your body. It's like there's a magnet, drawing you away from the city and into brightly coloured nature in the countryside, with its fragrances of spring flowers, energy and strength. For a day, a weekend or even longer ... DRAWN TO PÜ RG G Here at the Gasthaus & Gästehaus Krenn, adjoining pub and guesthouse, time seems to have stood still, as if you’re in an old-fashioned film. The welcoming staff make you feel like you’re in the lead role at the pub, which appears in records dating back to the 14th century. The cuisine is based on recipes from grandma’s cookbook. Lunch is a down-to-earth and hearty affair, while dinner is a touch more refined and the tables are laid for guests with vintage tablecloths.

Photos: Tauroa – Armin Walcher

PERSUA DED TO STAY Whoever comes here is going to want to stay – and that’s possible, too. Right next to the pub is the Gästehaus Krenn, which was already regarded as THE place for summer visitors to come on holiday many, many years ago. You’re sure to find a favourite spot here – be it in one of the seven spacious rooms that are all fitted with modern comforts and retain beautiful traditional features, or in the various quiet areas, like the cosy library or the homely lounge. Here, you’re free to enjoy breakfast and simply while away the day, sit back and relax, and take in the spectacular view of the valley. A few steps further on, you’ll find yourself immersed in the absolute tranquillity and privacy of the Residenz Krenn, where you can forget the pace of everyday life in one of the three generously sized apartments. It’s like being in another world, yet you’ll feel right at home. The finest materials combine perfectly with the stunning Ennstal backdrop and the mountain landscape to extend the view and soothe the soul.

T H E GREI ßL EREI You can take this magic, or at least part of it, home with you to enjoy yourself or for your loved ones. In the Greißlerei (delicatessen), which has been designed with great attention paid to authentic features, you’ll discover delicacies and handmade treats of the finest quality – from the famous Leberknödel (liver dumplings) or Kaspressknödel (cheese dumplings) to homemade soup, bread, cakes and tarts, as well as delights from slightly further afield. But they all have one thing in common: they come from manufacturers who put their heart and soul into their products.

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

Dreams of the perfect holiday come true in the exclusive suites at the Geinberg5 Private SPA Villas – with your own butler and jacuzzi included. AUSTRIA UPPER AUSTRIA / GEINBERG

21 suites

GEINBERG5 P R I VAT E S PA

Private SPA

VILLAS

Book online lifestylehotels.net/ geinberg5-private-spa-villas

dreaming of luxury

DREAM I NG OF F LYI NG

The helicopter flights promise yet another spectacular experience. Be it for the purpose of a transfer to the airport or for a breath-taking sightseeing trip, the Bell 206 helicopter will allow up to four people to take in a bird’s eye view of the stunning landscape surrounding the Geinberg5 Private SPA Villas. Your personal butler is again active in making this dream a reality, by chauffeuring guests in luxury and silence to the airfield and back in an electric Mercedes. DREAM S F ROM ON E T HOUSAN D AN D ON E N IGH TS For anyone looking for a quieter stay but also wanting to leave the little wellness oasis of their suite every now and then, you can make a detour to the Private SPA, which is exclusively available to guests at the Geinberg5 Private SPA Villas. Here you’ll be able to relax away from the crowds and enjoy a holistic programme of pampering treatments. And if the isolation of the past year has you longing to visit far-flung destinations, Oriental World in the SPA Resort Therme Geinberg will go some way towards satisfying your wanderlust by whisking you away to the Far East with its delicate scent of olives and cleansing steam. Soap lather massages with evocative names like Jewel of the Sultan and A Day in the Desert turn the magic of a warming hammam treatment into an unforgettable experience.

DR E AM I NG OF UNLIMITED EN JOYM EN T Because even this blissful idleness will make you hungry, foodies are also well catered for at the Geinberg5 Private SPA Villas. The resort restaurant AQARIUM boasts top-notch cuisine from chef Peter Reithmayr, who showcases regional flavours and international delicacies in his dishes, which your private butler will be happy to serve you in your suite or villa should you wish. Dining by candlelight on your own terrace will make every day feel like Valentine’s Day. No matter whether you choose to eat in the restaurant by the water lily pond, in the SPA bar or in the lobby, or even in your own suite – the gourmet menus at the multi-awardwinning Geinberg5 restaurant offer nothing but culinary delights that are perfectly complemented by the national and international premium wine choices of the sommelier. Looking for a place where dreams come true? Then it’s time for a stay at the Geinberg5 Private SPA Villas, where you’ll be swept away day and night, and sometimes not even able to tell if it’s all real or just a dream.

Photos: Spa Resort Therme Geinberg, Matthias Witzany, Studio Weichselbaumer

Privacy is the main focus at the Geinberg5. The 21 suites and villas provide the perfect environment for you to enjoy tranquillity in an idyllic setting, where you’ll be prone to dreaming even during the day. Yet despite the peace and quiet of this special retreat, there’s no chance of getting bored. If you’re still looking for something to do after a wellness session in the private sauna or a relaxing dip in the outdoor jacuzzi on your terrace, your own personal butler will chauffeur you on request to a performance at the Salzburg Festival, to Europe’s largest golf resort in Bad Griesbach or to a falconry display in Obernberg.

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

GRADONNA ****S M O U N TA I N R E S O R T CHALETS & HOTEL

time for family, time for nature AUSTRIA EAST TYROL / KALS AM GROSSGLOCKNER

104 rooms

42 chalets

Childcare included Spa & wellness

Photos: @fotoperauer, @fotoprader

Book online lifestylehotels.net/ gradonna-mountain-resort

It’s about time for a holiday! The need to just treat ourselves and spend precious time together as a family again is especially strong considering the events of the last year. Not long to wait now!

It hasn’t been an easy year – for anyone. What with working from home and home schooling, it’s been challenging trying to find time for ourselves, especially as a family. As a result, many can hardly wait to finally be able to go on holiday together and experience something outside their own four walls. What better place to do this than the Gradonna Mountain Resort in East Tyrol, where you can expect not only exciting experiences for both young and old, but also plenty of peace and quiet in the midst of the Hohe Tauern National Park. K I D S AN D T EENS Toddlers, children and teenagers alike are sure to find their perfect holiday experience at the Gradonna Mountain Resort, so after breakfast all together it’s time for a leisurely tour with the buggy, a trip to the forest playground or a Snapchat-worthy tour of the summits. Childcare and supervised trips for the almost-grown-ups are included here. And while the kids explore the forest, draw nature mandalas or prove their balance on the slackline under the watchful eye of qualified supervisors, parents can enjoy some much-deserved time out while hiking, mountain biking or relaxing in the spa.

C OM E RAI N OR SH I N E Even if the weather isn’t on your side, there’s no chance of getting bored at the Gradonna. The littlies can let off steam in the indoor play area or use items gathered in nature to make pictures with the supervisors. Teenagers, meanwhile, can be shown how to make brightly coloured mocktails or style hair, and be entertained by the singing talent of the others during the karaoke party. Both big and small will have fun during bad weather in the hotel’s own bouldering room, where there’s a suitable route for all levels of agility and skill. There’s something here to help the whole family burn off some energy in all weathers, no matter what it is you’re into. BE T T E R TO GE T H E R When families aren’t getting active, they can enjoy quality time at the Gradonna in the natural bathing pond, the family yoga sessions, slipping and sliding into one of the pools or setting off on a gentle stroll around the resort, whose unique location at 1,300 metres above sea level guarantees unforgettable views even on such a short journey. Another good opportunity to come together as a family is dinner time. Unlike at home, you won’t find the grown-ups in the kitchen – instead, everyone can enjoy the exquisite cuisine together and at the same time. And that’s how, come rain or shine, active or relaxed, every day can be a fun family day – something we’re longing for more than ever this year.

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

HOTEL EDER

The Schwaiger family has already developed two creative hotel concepts as part of their Eder Collection, but at the end of 2021, the lifestyle hotel and adults-only accommodation will be joined by a new addition that boasts an unprecedented family concept.

HOTEL SEPP TA N T E F R I DA

3 hotels, 1 family

Hotel Eder

and architecture that bears the unmistakable signature of the imaginative family. Last year, head of the family Sepp applied his creative talent to the new Maria & Josef village shop, which in times like these also offers online shopping. And what does 2021 hold? The next project is already out of the starting blocks in the form of a rather different kind of family hotel. A VISI T TO TAN T E F R I DA In the heart of the Salzburg mountain landscape lies the small tourist destination of Maria Alm, where the scenery is reminiscent of the backdrop to an old-fashioned film: verging on cheesy, yet stunning all the same. Josef “Sepp” Schwaiger and his family have known for generations that a nostalgic setting such as this is the ideal location for modern hotel concepts. They started in the 1960s with the Eder guesthouse on Dorfplatz, which Sepp then transformed into the four-star lifestyle Hotel Eder as a 21st-century attraction for design enthusiasts, wellness junkies and cool families. The stylish Hotel SEPP followed in 2018 – even more modern, even more cool, and only for guests over 21. N EX T: MOUN TA I N CA BI N AN D VI L L AGE SHOP

Hotel Eder

In the same year, Sepp’s brother opened the Tom Almhütte rest stop at 1,166 metres above sea level, which has yet to see any competition. It’s here that hikers and winter sports fans meet Choupette the pug, the accommodation’s charming four-legged mascot, and enjoy chilled drinks in a sophisticated mix of design

The new Tante Frida hotel promises happy guests, extraordinary stories and exciting action, and will be open to captivate young and old alike from December 2021. Rules? Boring! The Tante Frida hotel sees itself as a playful tribute to all children, big and small, and provides plenty of room for the imagination to flourish. It’s not a family hotel in the traditional sense – more like a fabulously crazy place to have fun all together. As in each of the other Eder Collection hotels, design plays a pivotal role at Tante Frida. Individual experiences are encouraged in a clever and interactive way, while at the same time there are places to retreat to and well-being zones where both children and adults will be able to relax to the full. The 80 spacious and imaginatively equipped family rooms at Tante Frida compete for the time and attention of the guests with many other attractions, such as the Flying Fox and Fritz the parrot. Visitors will encounter the fictional, eponymous main character at every turn, and are sure to remember her fondly long after their stay. She’s not easy to forget, that Tante Frida.

Hotel SEPP

AUSTRIA SALZBURG / HOCHKÖNIG

rooms at the Hotel SEPP

Spa with 360º view Book online lifestylehotels.net/hotel-eder lifestylehotels.net/hotel-sepp

Photos: Eder Hotels GmbH

rooms at the Hotel Eder

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

DA S M AX

After what’s happened over the last 12 months, many people are longing for new experiences and a bit of an escape from the norm. Thank goodness the dasMAX in Seefeld is expecting us – for a holiday just how we like it. OF F TO GET ACT I VE

A holiday for some means hours spent chilling out by the pool, while for others it’s a test of physical endurance in the great outdoors. At least at the dasMAX in Seefeld, it doesn’t matter what it is we’re looking for after the year we’ve just had – the team will find something for everyone, whether you’re a wellness fanatic or an adrenaline junkie. OF F T O T H E SPA Those who prefer to take it easy and just want to sleep in will be able to have breakfast at the dasMAX Bistro later than normal – in the afternoon, if that’s how you feel. How about tucking into the “Max und Resi” – yoghurt served with granola and berries? Washed down with an espresso or a cup of tea, you’ll be sure of a slow start to the day. Gently woken up and feeling fortified, you can then make your way to the rooftop relaxation area for the ultimate chill-out. After reclining in the sauna, the stylish loungers beckon so you can rest a while longer before you head to the roof terrace to breathe the pure alpine air in and out, in and out… Meditative view over Seefeld included. Later on, during a walk through the small yet perfectly formed town at 1,200 metres above sea level, you’ll encounter a refreshing mix of locals and tourists.

But Seefeld isn’t just the perfect location for a stroll and relaxation – the region also has a lot to offer when it comes to sports. In addition to the ski slopes in the winter, there are many other facilities available, most of which were built for the Olympic Games or one of the many other world championships that have been held here. In spring, you simply can’t miss out on the many scenic hikes in the surrounding mountains, or you can just head straight for the summit by climbing up the via ferrata. And that’s only scratching the surface. The diverse range of sporting facilities in the Olympic region is guaranteed to set the pulse of all active visitors racing, making it that much easier for the dasMAX team to find just the right thing for everyone: it doesn’t usually take more than a quick glance in one of the hotel’s local guides.

OF F ON A DI F F ERE N T A DVEN T URE If you want to find out more about Seefeld and be able to share tips about a secret place or two after your holiday, you’ll be best off starting right in the town centre with a carriage ride. While the powerful horses set the pace, the driver will share stories about the local area. Animal lovers that like to get up close will get their money’s worth on an alpaca hike. In Seefeld itself, there’s a special organic farm that breeds the fluffy and trusting animals from the Andes, and offers hikes accompanied by alpacas through the Seefeld forest. If this or any other adventure in the Seefeld Olympic region takes your fancy, you’ll definitely find the dasMAX is one of the best starting points for your next holiday – the best place for you to holiday your way.

set off on new adventures

AUSTRIA

TYROL / SEEFELD

19 rooms

central location right by the station modern rooftop area with sauna Book online lifestylehotels.net/das-max

Photos: Archiv Marcati

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

If art is the beautifully baked cake of Salzburg, then cuisine is the cherry on top. The perfect combination of the two awaits us at the exclusive Stein boutique hotel, where we treat ourselves to a private picnic on the spectacular roof terrace. AUSTRIA SALZBURG

F ROM A RT TO C U ISI N E

Adults only Rooftop terrace Book online lifestylehotels.net/ hotel-stein

HOTEL STEIN

The city of Salzburg is inextricably linked with the arts. It’s art in its various forms of expression that makes this city especially fascinating, and a place where there’s always something to admire. It’s this gift that art has for transformation that we see in the Stein boutique hotel, where art also plays a very special role. But you’ll only be wondering what that role is if you didn’t already know that the family that owns the hotel also runs a traditional glass manufacturing company based in Venice. They have designed their own glass masterpieces from Barovier & Toso for the hotel in the form of lights and chandeliers that create a refined interplay with the fabrics from Venetian textiles company Rubelli and turn the build ing into a work of art in itself. The meeting of the festival city of Salzburg with the lagoon city of Venice is evident right from the entrance, and the unique atmosphere accompanies us not only to our room and the spa, but also right up onto the roof.

a picnic with a view

We can tick off “art” on our list of must-sees not long after we arrive at the Stein, so it’s soon time to deal with that cherry – and for that, we head way up to the seventh floor. Here, we access the unparalleled rooftop terrace and bar, which has very rapidly achieved iconic status. It’s listed as one of the best spots in Salzburg, and transforms from a popular breakfast club and a meeting place for friends into the perfect location for a chilled sundowner – always fun, always an experience. Just as fun is the next item on our schedule: we decide to have an unforgettable picnic with a view in the hotel’s small, private rooftop lounge. It’s reserved strictly for guests only and can be quickly and easily booked from our room. In the basket, we find our choice of a bottle of Côtes de Provence rosé from Miraval, a bottle of Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne or – even more exclusive – a bottle of Louis Roederer Vintage Rosé Brut: to drink a toast even without an occasion, simply because we’ve been taken in by the view. F I N E DI N I NG F I NGE R FO OD The other treats in the picnic basket have also been carefully selected and compiled, with the classic ham sandwich up against a decadent smoked trout sandwich, and a small chocolate ring cake competing for attention with a fresh green smoothie. We enjoy every bite and sip, washed down with a glass of infused water and nibbling on a side of crunchy crudités dipped in houmous. It’s pure delight, especially with a view that we won’t forget in a hurry. Salzburg is always worth a visit – even if it’s just for a stopover at the Hotel Stein.

Photos: Marco Riebler

rooms

THE Stylemate

Issue No 01 | 2021

the stage is set

“The entire city is a stage.” It is based on this vision that Max Reinhardt, Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Richard Strauss initiated the Salzburg Festival 101 years ago. Today, the stage even extends to the exclusive Hotel Goldgasse in the beautiful old town of Salzburg.

AUSTRIA SALZBURG

16 rooms

Festival design Sophisticated traditional cuisine Book online lifestylehotels.net/ hotel-goldgasse

F ROM ON E S TAGE TO ANOT H ER

HOTEL GOLDGASSE

Photos: Luigi Caputo / Catalin Cucu

It’s back again for summer 2021 and we can hardly wait: the city of Salzburg will once again be undergoing its annual metamorphosis and transforming into one of the most prominent festival stages in the world. After the challenges of the past year, many people are longing for more art and culture in their lives, and who better to quench their thirst than the city of Salzburg during festival season? We can expect the first highlights already during the Easter Festival between 2 and 5 April 2021, as well as during Whitsun between 21 and 24 May 2021. But the main event is planned for summer. Between 17 July and 31 August 2021, the party is in town and artistic performances will abound – including the famous Jedermann in the Cathedral Square, as always. Playing the lead roles this year will be Lars Eidinger as Jedermann and Salzburg native Verena Altenberger as his lover, Buhlschaft.

Anyone that doesn’t live in Salzburg or the surrounding area and also wants to carry on enjoying the spectacle in their own time and space should try booking a room in a very special boutique hotel: the Hotel Goldgasse. Tucked away in a historic alley of the same name in the old town, this hotel sets itself apart from the rest with its modern themed rooms set within a building that’s around 700 years old. It’s the only “Small Luxury Hotel” in Salzburg, and shows its dedication to the festival and the arts through its distinctive interior design concept – there’s surely no more authentic place to stay in the city. No wonder each of the 16 rooms is so fervently coveted, especially during the festival. The city’s hotels are pretty much all booked up at this time, but the Hotel Goldgasse is a particular favourite – only here does the unique atmosphere and wonder of the cultural festival accompany you back to your own hotel room. With large-format photo wallpaper, we come face to face with scenes from previous performances and their stories: from Peer Gynt to La Bohème, each depicted in an individual way. But the hotel’s interior design doesn’t just stand out for its cultural and artistic showcase – it is also impressive in the way it skilfully combines the old and the new.

HUNGRY FOR MOR E The Hotel Goldgasse will also spoil discern ing visitors to the festival (and those who would like to go in the future) with exquisite cuisine. The hotel’s own restaurant, Gasthof Goldgasse, is one of the best in the city, and provides a premium pub-like experience unlike any other you could wish to find. In a tasteful setting, we enjoy an exceptional meal and outstanding service. The location is best known across Salzburg for its fried chicken served in a copper pot, for which only the best corn-fed chickens are prepared according to a recipe dating back to the baroque period. Guests from out of town enjoy ordering the legendary, fluffy and light “Salzburger Nockerl” baked soufflé, which the chef serves with homemade vanilla ice cream and a fruity berry compote. And so a culturally enriching day at the festival also becomes unforgettable from a gastronomic point of view and, once back in our room, we bask in our memories of a unique summer at the festival in the beautiful city of Salzburg.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

DIRECTORY LIFESTYLEHOTELS

AU S T R I A

Wildkogel Resorts Alps Lodge FÜGEN Alpina Zillertal family.lifestyle.hotel GASCHURN Montafon Lodge Luxury Lodgehotel und Spa GEINBERG Geinberg 5 Private Spa Villas GRAZ Aiola Living GRAZ Augarten Art Hotel GRAZ Lendhotel GROSSARL Hotel Nesslerhof HALLSTATT Hallstatt Hideaway KALS AM GROSSGLOCKNER Gradonna Mountain Resort KALTENBACH Das Kaltenbach KITZBÜHEL Alpenhotel Kitzbühel am Schwarzsee 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 SAALBACH HINTERGLEMM Alpin Juwel SALZBURG CITY Hotel Goldgasse SALZBURG CITY Hotel Stein SCHLADMING Stadthotel Brunner SEEFELD Das Max SERFAUS Alfa Hotel SÖLDEN Hotel Bergland Sölden STAINACH - PÜRGG Gästehaus Krenn TURRACHER HÖHE Hollmann am Berg UDERNS Sportresidenz Zillertal VIENNA Hollmann Beletage VIENNA Hotel Das Tyrol VIENNA Hotel Schani Salon VIENNA Hotel Schani Wien WAGRAIN Almmonte Präclarum Suites WAGRAIN Almmonte Sensum Suites ZELL AM SEE Seehotel Bellevue ZELL AM SEE Senses Violett Suites BRAMBERG

NETHERLANDS

CHINA NANJING

Kayumanis Nanjing Private Villas & Spa

AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM

FISS

Sir Adam Sir Albert

GERMANY P O R T UG A L

Das Graseck NORTH FRISIA Hotel Landhafen NÜRNBERG art&business Hotel PIRNA Laurichhof SANKT ENGLMAR Berghotel Maibrunn TIMMENDORFER STRAND SAND TIMMENDORFER STRAND Hotel SeeHuus GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN

Sublime Comporta Country Retreat & Spa Vila Valverde CASCAIS The Oitavos LISBON Torel Boutiques: Torel Palace Lisbon MADEIRA Quinta da Bela Vista PORTO Torel Boutiques: Torel Avantgarde PORTO Torel Boutiques: Torel Palace Porto PORTO Torel Boutiques: Torel 1884 Suites & Apartments ALENTEJO ALGARVE

F RA NC E PARIS

Hollmann Paris

SWEDEN LAPPLAND

Treehotel

GREECE AMALIADA / WESTERN PELOPONNESE SANTORINI SANTORINI

Dexamenes Seaside Hotel

Myst Boutique Hotel Saint Santorini

SWITZERLAND LUZERN

Hotel des Balances Hotel Matterhorn Focus

ZERMATT

I TA LY S PA I N

Casa Angelina AMALFI COAST Relais Blu CALABRIA Praia Art Resort CAMAIORE Locanda al Colle ISSENGO Gourmet & Boutiquehotel Tanzer LAZISE Quellenhof Luxury Resort LIMONE SUL GARDA EALA My Lakeside Dream MERANO Steinach Townhouse Meran MERANO Suite Seven Stadthotel Merano MONTEFOLLONICO Follonico NATZ NEAR BRESSANONE Seehof Nature Retreat RIMINI i-Suite SICILY Monaci delle Terre Nere TRIESTE Hollmann Trieste VENICE Hotel Heureka AMALFI COAST

MALLORCA MALLORCA MALLORCA MALLORCA

S R I L A N KA DICKWELLA SOUTH

BUDAPEST

Meneghetti Wine Hotel & Winery Maslina Resort SUTIVAN – BRAČ Hotel Lemongarden ISTRIA

STARI GRAD

LIFESTYLEHOTELS Book directly. Enjoy benefits! We offer hand-picked, independent and stylish hotels for design-oriented globetrotters and sophisticated travellers. Direct contact with the hotel First-hand information Best price Best availability LIFESTYLEHOTELS.NET

UTMT – Underneath the Mango Tree

H U NG A RY BUDAPEST

C R OAT I A

Convent de la Missio Fontsanta Hotel Thermal Spa & Wellness Hotel Can Simoneta Pleta de Mar

Hotel Collect Lanchid 19

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

STYLE Fiorito. A light grey-coloured natural stone that encloses small fossil remains, giving it a white tone relief. A stone that was used both in America and Europe throughout ancient times due to its durability. Today, its beige tone makes it very easy to use in neutral contemporary projects. The Fiorito from Studio david pompa is quarried in Puebla and handcrafted in Mexico City, where the desired shape is formed. The “Origo white” pendant light is a balance of round shapes that vary in weight and function. A perfect sculptural object by day and a rich illuminated texture by night.

DAVID

POMPA

Photo: Studio David Pompa

davidpompa.com

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

STYLE

THEIR PHILOSOPHY THAT SPENDING TIME INVOLVING THE CLIENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS RESULTS IN HIGHER ARCHITECTURAL QUALITY SEEMS TO BE SPOT ON.

Nestled amongst the jungle leaves in the state of Nayarit, this new holiday complex is surrounded by lush vegetation, boasts its own private beach and can accommodate up to 20 guests. What we should really say is that it will only accommodate 20 guests, as seclusion and tranquillity are luxuries you can enjoy to the full here. The architecturally impressive villas contribute to this sense of luxury in the way they radiate the mellow ambience of a yoga holiday. This Zen aura has been created by the MAIN OFFICE architecture studio, a practice based in Mexico and Sweden that was founded by Dante Borgo and Isabella Eriksson and also handles interior design and town planning projects. Their philosophy that spending time involving the client in the development process results in higher architectural quality seems to be spot on. “Every project is special and has its challenges. That’s why we like to go way beyond offering a standard solution in order to define new typologies,” explain the two founders. The basic structure of this project was provided by the Villa Pelícanos, an existing residential complex from the 1980s that has been extended and revitalised, laid out amidst the tropical landscape on Mexico’s west coast. The seaside town where it is located, Sayulita, is a popular retreat for health, wellness and surfing enthusiasts. To complement the uninterrupted view of the Pacific Ocean and gardens that almost look like they’re hanging off the side of the hill, a series of pavilion-like buildings have been created that are a clear invitation to drift off into a dream world.

T H ESE T RADI T IONAL M E XIC AN VI L L AS DE SIGN E D BY A RCH I T E C T U R E ST U DIO MAI N OF F IC E PROVI DE A PE AC E F U L ES CA PE F ROM T H E HU ST L E AN D BU ST L E OF MODE R N L I F E , AN D I M M E R SE GU E STS I N A WHOL E N E W WAY OF L IVI NG. WEL C OM E TO VI L L A PE L ÍC ANO S!

E C L E C T IC M E XIC AN -AF R IC AN I N F LU E NC E S Eight villas and a communal space at the top of the hill were totally redesigned by Borgo and Eriksson, including a communal kitchen, a dining room and a swimming pool, where references to African aesthetics were incorporated in a nod to the South African heritage of the complex’s previous owner. The result is a project that incorporates eclectic Mexican elements with an African twist. While maintaining the original atmosphere and palapa roofs on the outside, the architects endeavoured to create interior spaces that fitted in with their surroundings, that did away with the original direct exposure to the tropical sun and the ocean breeze, all the while having as little environmental impact as possible. The materials used in the renovation were sourced locally. For interior elements such as room dividers, wardrobe doors and furniture, which were all designed by MAIN OFFICE, Eriksson and Borgo chose to use indigenous parota wood, as it is resistant to humidity and salinity. The interior walls used to be brightly coloured but have now been deliberately painted white to complement the other interior materials and to act as a neutral backdrop that won’t detract from the breath-taking view.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

New fixed elements such as bed frames, basins and baths were cast in situ using poured concrete and blend well with the warm tones of the local parota wood to create an extraordinary environment that’s both rustic and inviting. The original wooden doors and windows have been restored and upgraded, and a new terrazzo floor has been laid, all of which helps to create interior spaces that feel enlarged while at the same time allowing the jungle setting to remain front and centre. “The project consists of a series of small private spaces that blur the usual boundaries between inside and outside to create a unique experience with the natural setting, while maintaining a cosy, homey feeling,” say MAIN OFFICE founders Dante Borgo and Isabella Eriksson. In this way, the new spatial interventions in the villas celebrate the natural surroundings of the location. An outdoor shower that’s cut into the rock and enclosed by a concrete wall opens up to the sky and the tops of the trees. An outdoor bath that has been cast in place with a view of the Pacific allows guests to immerse themselves in nature. Smaller outdoor showers and terraces interact with the jungle landscape and the horizon. YO GA WI T H T H E VI EW AN D S OUN D OF T H E O CEAN

A key feature at the base of the slope is the yoga platform in the shape of a perfect halfmoon positioned along the leafy shore. The way it cuts into the landscape is accentuated by the retaining wall made out of local stone. The floor is made out of hard-wearing cumara wood, which is naturally resistant to wear and tear and the harsh climate. Along the front of the platform are stone planters with a majestic papelillo tree, which adds to the idyllic view of the Pacific and contributes to making an ideal place to train and enjoy the therapeutic and relaxing power of nature, and to gently unwind.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

STYLE

mainoffice.eu

PROJECT DETAILS Project name: Villa Pelícanos / Location: Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico / Architect: MAIN OFFICE (Sima Agisheva, Dante Borgo, Isabella Eriksson) / Project team: Angie Guzmán, Paulina Castro, Mave Zurita, Luis Gordian, Brenda Cibrian, Pablo Alemán / Client: private / Completion: October 2020 / Construction period: February 2019 – July 2020 GFA: 340 m2 (renovated) / Contractor: Terraza Construcciones, Sayulita (Mexico) / Furniture design: MAIN OFFICE

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

reflections

on life and death

YUNUÉN H ERNAN DEZ L ÓPE Z IS A C O -FOU N DE R OF M E XIC AN DE SIGN ST U DIO M ERA K IA . I NSPI RED BY M E XIC O, I TS C U STOMS, L AN D S C APE S AN D SPE C IAL PL ACES , T H EY CREAT E F U NC T IONAL OBJ E C TS T HAT AR E PART OF E VE RYDAY L I F E AN D T HAT SHOUL D C OM PL E M E N T OU R L IVI NG E NVI RON M E N TS.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

Yunuén, how do you express your tradi tional Mexican roots in your objects? We always try to express our roots in subtle, gentle ways by playing with certain elements like materials, surfaces, shapes, stories and even the object itself. We consider materials in their raw form and search for simple, old designs like textures. We experiment with them and usually work with combinations of two of them. We are intrigued by the traditional usage and meaning of certain objects, and we respect ancient techniques, which we then bring into the modern day in a simple way. “Meraki” – making something with soul, devoting time and effort to it, conveying love or a strong emotion through every gesture, creating an ideal environment for creativity to develop, to achieve something different, to achieve a reflection of ourselves. merakia.com.mx

At which stage do you feel most strongly rooted? I think it is, and should be, part of the entire process, and that’s what we enjoy – from researching a topic, the design process, the development and the interaction with the craftsman to establishing the brand communication and visuals. For us, the connection also has to be authentic. Which materials are you currently interested in? Natural materials are our constant focus. The colour of terracotta will always be one of our favourites. We are strongly drawn to marble, brass and copper, and I personally have always been particularly intrigued by the concept of translucency – hopefully we can produce something with emphasis on that in the future.

YUNUÉN HERNANDEZ

What are your feelings about the future? What we need is positive thinking. That’s the only way we can save and heal our future to create a better world. We need to think more like human beings and get rid of any kind of ego. We should take what’s happening around us as an opportunity to be grateful and joyful. We need to work on creating a collective sense of well-being. Design is a powerful tool – so we should use it! How has the pandemic changed your way of working? I founded MERAKIA three years ago and we’re still only a small business. Our focus is on selling simple, beautiful objects online. We want people to be able to feel something through our pieces. At the beginning of the pandemic in Mexico, we just couldn’t believe the increase in online sales, but we wanted to ensure that people could have our products delivered straight to their door in a secure way. That meant a lot more work, new challenges, but also a lot more learning. In Mexico, you celebrate the Day of the Dead. How has that changed as a result of COVID-19? Our cultural, ancient view of death has always led us to perceive it as a natural,

spiritual and even cheerful occasion. We should view a death as the beginning of something bigger and better, and remember that what we experience at this time has also challenged most of the people around us. Of course, it’s not that easy to face death so closely, so collectively. 2 November 2020 was certainly different for many Mexicans – I’m fairly certain that we reflected on it in a very different, much deeper way. You have a special collection about “Reflections on Life and Death – the End and the New Beginning – Spirituality and Mystery”. How do these thoughts manifest themselves?

LÓPEZ

We have long considered a collection of purely black items, and last November was the right time for us to bring it to the market – in honour of the Day of the Dead. Two of the objects are black versions of two existing pieces: “Molcajete” and “Mezcalitos”. The other two objects were inspired by a circle, the symbol of endless cycles and doors opening onto new eras: “Disco de Fuego” (a trivet) and “Disco de Agua” (a set of drinks coasters). Research ing the objects was a magical discovery in itself of the vision of life and death according to our ancestors. Of course, these themes have become far more relevant now because of COVID-19.

The works of Yunuén Hernandez López are part of the World Wide Things Collection. designcities.net/wwtc

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

Left Page: One-of-a-kind Obi Foulard Dot Coat, 100% Wool + 100% Silk One-of-a-kind Vintage Kimono Coat Reversible, made out of vintage Japanese wedding kimonos, 100% Silk One-of-a-kind Vintage Kimono Volant Dress, 100% Silk Right Page: One-of-a-kind Vintage Kimono Coat Reversible, 100% Silk

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

Magical

23 STYLE

Photos: Thanassis Krikis, Hair & Make-up: Hara Papanicolaou, Styling: Vina Neofotistou, Model: Ilva Heitman, Production Assistant: Katharina Hein

RIANNA + NINA

What special magic resides in vintage pieces? Rianna: We love the feeling of looking for our fabrics as if they were treasure. I was born into a vintage family and as a child spent a lot of time with my parents at flea markets and antiques fairs. The feeling of discovering a special piece of fabric, elaborate door knobs or something like that is unlike anything else. Anyone can go into a shop and buy fabric, but that’s too boring for me. We’re often awestruck when we find a special piece and know that it was made a really long time ago with great dedication and craftsmanship. We then pay tribute to the past by continuing the story of the fabric through our creations, and our customers add their own personal experiences.

RIANNA KOUNOU AN D N I NA KNAU DT A RE BRI NGI NG MAGIC BAC K TO T H E WOR L D. WI T H T H EI R EX T RAOR DI NARY DE SIGN S AN D UN IQUE FA BR IC S, E VE RY PI E C E F ROM T H EI R LUXU RY L ABE L R IAN NA + N I NA WH I SK S YOU AWAY ON A FAN TAST IC AL JOURN EY F UL L OF H ISTORY AN D DR E AMS.

Which parts of the world do your fabrics come from? Rianna: We find vintage fabrics during our travels all over the world. From Southern Europe, we source things like vintage silk and lace, and from Eastern Europe we get traditional pieces of embroidery like suzani and Matyó. From a dealer we made friends with in Japan, we buy original vintage kimonos from the 1940s that we then incorporate into our “One-of-a-kind” designs. We really like bringing together different cultures and histories in one piece of clothing in the form of unique prints and patterns, and making a harmonious whole. How much of an item’s story passes on to the new wearer? Nina: There’s definitely something magical about slipping on one of our Obi jackets, for example, and knowing that Rianna has combined the finest couture brocade from 1960s Paris with Japanese obi belts from 1920. Or our Volant dresses, which are a mix up to 15 different vintage silk scarves. They’re so much more than just items of clothing. They’re considered as works of art by our customers, and of course that’s something we’re delighted about, because Rianna and our team in the atelier really do work like artists.

Haute Couture

“FOR OUR ‘ONE- OF-A-KIND’ COLLECTION, WE CREATE INIMITABLE AND ONE- OFF DESIGNS THAT ARE MADE BY HAND IN OUR BERLIN ATELIER. FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, RIANNA CURATES LUXURY VINTAGE MATERIALS DURING HER INTERNATIONAL TRAVELS – 1920S OBI BELTS FROM JAPAN, A TABLECLOTH FROM 1960S GREECE AND VINTAGE SILK SCARVES FOUND IN FRANCE. EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF CLOTHING MADE OUT OF REUSED VINTAGE FABRICS WEAVES TOGETHER THE HISTORIES OF DIFFERENT CULTURES AND GENERATIONS.” N I NA KNAU DT

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

24 Left page: Left-hand model: BLU Ruffle Dress Rebekka, 100% Silk, Right-hand model: BLU Robe Manteau Elena Shantung, 100% Silk Right-hand page: BLU Caban Jacket Roberta, 100% Cotton

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

Photos: Thanassis Krikis, Hair & Make-up: Hara Papanicolaou, Styling: Vina Neofotistou, Production Assistant: Katharina Hein

STYLE

What do you have in common with your colourful fabrics? Rianna: We don’t just work with vintage fabrics, we also have a collection of prints we’ve designed ourselves that are printed in Italy, so I am virtually at one with our fabrics. Sometimes I wake up in the night because I can see brightly coloured horses dancing with monkeys before my eyes, then I bring this scene to life with the help of our wonderful graphic designer. The fabrics are like me: very fun-loving and enthusiastic, full of pride, a bit crazy and yet timeless. Which curiosities form part of your own lives? Rianna: My flat could absolutely be described as a “cabinet of curiosities”. I am a passionate collector of various things from masks to ceramics, snow globes to colourful toy figures. It all has a place in my home and is part of my colourful world. Where are you going on your next trip? Nina: Normally we travel a lot for RIANNA + NINA: pop-ups in lovely hotels, Fashion Week in Paris, photo shoots for the new collection. We just love travelling together and can’t wait to finally be able to discover the world again. Paris, California and London are definitely on the agenda, and for Rianna, finally, back to her beloved Greece.

“WE ASPIRE TO CREATE READY-TO -WEAR DESIGNS THAT SURVIVE THE RELENTLESS RHYTHM OF FASHION. RIANNA + NINA IS THE EMBODIMENT OF THE TIMELESSNESS OF COLOUR AND THE IMMORTALITY OF PATTERNS. OUR READY-TO -WEAR COLLECTIONS HAVE THEIR OWN SIGNATURE STYLE THANKS TO THE PRINTS WE DESIGN IN-HOUSE THAT ARE PRINTED IN COMO, ITALY, ON THE HIGHEST QUALITY SILK .” RIANNA KOUNOU

riannaandnina.com

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

LUXURY CULT BRAND 19-69 CREATES FRAGRANCES INSPIRED BY ICONIC MOMENTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY. FOUNDER JOHAN BERGELIN IS CONTINUALLY ON THE SEARCH FOR ART, MUSIC, TRENDS AND CULTURES TO LEAVE THEIR MARK ON THE SCENTS HE PRODUCES, FOR WHICH HE PLACES GREAT IMPORTANCE ON QUALITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP.

I don’t think that’s something we should be doing! We don’t do it at 19-69 either. All of our fragrances are for everyone. When you love a fragrance and it works with your skin, that’s the only thing that should matter. Making genderless fragrances wasn’t an active decision for us – we just did it because it’s part of the values and integrity of our brand. Is that also what you mean by “exploring beauty across the borders”? Yes, that’s right. Because of this, none of our fragrances can be classed as either masculine or feminine, so you are free to choose and enjoy. I think the world would be a more tolerant and open place if people chose to learn more about other cultures. The Kasbah Eau de Parfum, for example, is influenced by North Africa and Morocco. The heavenly scent of the markets and the friendliness of the man who sells freshly squeezed orange juice so he can look after his family. The secret of the souks and the beauty of the local mosques. My hope is that everyone discovers the beauty of other cultures, because they have so much to teach us. To what extent is the pandemic limiting us in this respect?

JOHAN

BERGELIN

iconic fragrances At the moment, I’m wearing a new fragrance called Higher Peace Eau de Parfum. It will be released shortly and has been developed in collaboration with Camp High. I also like wearing Rainbow Bar by 19-69, as it reminds me of fun times in Santa Monica. The 19-69 fragrances are references to iconic moments throughout history. What is your personal iconic moment? On a personal level, it was when I met the woman that would later become my wife.

Another moment would be when my wife and I wanted to tear down our beach hut because it was in such bad condition. It’s where our daughter was christened, a place where we gathered with our friends. We really loved it and wanted to make a final statement. Where we live is very conservative and we both thought that the local authorities were far too narrowminded in certain respects. We decided to make a huge declaration of peace by painting the beach hut in the colours of the rainbow. I took our daughter’s hula hoop and made an enormous white peace symbol on the front, with “A human family” written underneath. The message was clear and became a virtual success, and

it soon became clear that it showed how other people around us were also feeling. What we didn’t know then is that it would become a kind of mood board for 19-69. What does a fragrance allow us to express? Many things. Not just who we are, but also what we dream of. It’s a feature that’s very tolerant in the sense that you can use it regardless of your gender, body size or heritage. Why do the perfume industry, and maybe even our noses, attribute certain fragrances to women and others to men?

JOHAN BERGELIN is a Swedish artist, product developer and the founder of 19-69. The company’s first fragrances were launched in 2017 at the famous Colette concept store in Paris. All products are made by hand. 19-69 also makes scented candles. nineteen-sixtynine.com

Johan, which fragrance are you currently using?

Of course, we haven’t really been able to travel for a while now and we are still restricted by it. But we’re still trying to see the positives that have come with the pandemic, because we already know the negatives. Previously I travelled a lot for work, but now I’m able to spend more time with my family, take my daughter to school and put her to bed every night. Many companies have re-evaluated the idea of travel and reduced their number of flights, instead choosing to conduct many meetings virtually, which will have a positive impact on the environment. Because people aren’t in a position to travel at the moment, they can instead travel through fragrances and be transported to another place. In the spring, we’ll be launching a line in collaboration with Palm Angels. The inspiration for one of the perfumes was a statement from Francesco Ragazzi, “A letter from me to you”, about collective uplifting. I wanted to create an extension of that, a fragrance that conveys positivity and lightness. To be able to overcome challenges in life, it’s so important to focus on the fact that the glass is half full, not half empty.

THE Stylemate Issue No 01 | 2021

time to let Night-time, sleep and dreams evidently also awaken deep anxieties – it’s not surprising, as these states signify a total loss of control. The body goes on auto-pilot and the mind lowers its guard: when the superego takes a break, wishes, emotions and desires are able to creep into our dreams unchecked and the next morning you wonder, somewhat embarrassed, what it could all possibly mean.

Portrait of Madame Stuart Merrill, Jean Delville

SIGMUN D F REUD SAW DREAM S A S PU Z Z L I NG ENACT M EN TS OF OUR SU B CONS CIOUS T HAT A L L OW OUR R E PRES SED WI SH ES , ANXI ET I ES AN D PA S SIONS TO BE BROUGH T T O L I F E. H E A L S O RECO GN I SED I N T H E M A L L T H E CHA RACT ERI S T IC S OF F UL LY F L ED GED P SYCHO SI S , I NC LUDI NG MAN IA AN D HA L LUCI NAT IONS . N EVERT H EL ES S , H E WA S C ONVI NCED T HAT DREAM S HAVE M E AN I NG AN D CONSI DERED T H EM T O BE T H E “ROYA L ROA D TO T H E U NC ONS CIOUS”.

go!

I have the feeling that mania, mysticism and lust aren’t that high up on people’s agendas at the moment, and that surely can’t just be down to a lack of opportunity because the clubs and bars are closed. Pandemics simply aren’t a good time to let loose. When a single act of carelessness can endanger your own life and that of others, the emphasis is on the opposite: self-control, discipline and resilience. Last year, I used my column here to introduce you to perfumes that help the mind and soul achieve clarity and openness in this unique time, and therefore facilitate and improve resilience. Now, perfume is actually a wicked seducer by nature, and that stems from the way it works its magic: none of our other senses besides our sense of smell are so closely linked with the limbic system, the oldest part of our brain, which is predominantly responsible for emotions and instincts.

the story of a Berlin night out with pink pepper, patchouli and oud, while Trance promises the wearer a “transformation from innocence to guilt” thanks to Turkish rose, spices and forbidden absinthe. Both fragrances were created by Veronique Nyberg. Myrrh Casati by Mona di Orio, on the other hand, is a tribute to iconic muse Luisa Casati, who with plenty of kohl, flowing dresses and eccentric headdresses looked to have just stepped out of a Klimt painting. Parfumeur Melanie Leroux elegantly channelled the Italian marchesa thanks to liquorice, incense and myrrh. No other perfume creator draws on the unconscious as consistently as Serge Lutens. Inspired by experiences that shaped his childhood and inhabited by classic and modern archetypes, the Serge Lutens universe could almost be considered the document on olfactory psychoanalysis – yet it is accessible and enriching for all who open themselves up to it. For Dent de Lait, he asked his preferred perfumer Christopher Sheldrake to recreate the experience of losing your first milk teeth using notes of heliotrope, almond and milk. For him, it is like “an initiation which marks the end of childhood and the beginning of the age of reason”.

The Sin, Franz von Stuck

Caress of the Sphinx, Fernand Khnopff

Photos: Portrait: Holger Homann / Perfume bottle: Myrrh Casati

This was obviously a hot topic of conversation towards the end of the 19th century, as around the same time representatives of the art of Symbolism discovered dreams, ecstasy and trance-like states as a source of inspiration for what were often decadent or absurd artistic creations that mixed mania, mysticism and lust in a dreamlike way. Take for example a naked lady walking a pig on a lead (Pornocrates by Albert Bertrand, 1896) or wickedly beautiful chimeras luring young men towards their doom (Oedipus and the Sphinx by Gustave Moreau, 1964).

HELDER SUFFENPLAN is an independent journalist and creative consultant from Berlin, and has had a particular passion for perfumes since he was a child. With his successful 2013 launch of SCENTURY.com – the very first online mag azine for perfume storytelling – Helder has become a recognised authority in the global world of fragrance. He has been on the jury for events such as The Arts & Olfaction Awards in Los Angeles and the Prix Inter national du Parfumeur Créateur in Paris. As a writer, he combines his passion topic of fragrances with a range of fields such as contemporary art, popular culture, literature, film and geopolitics.

A remarkable number of pieces from that time addressed the subject of sleep being the younger brother of death: a child lying in a field with flowers in her mouth; a beautiful woman in antique garments; a couple tightly entwined – in none of these works can you be sure whether the subjects are sleeping or are in fact dead. Ferdinand Hodler completed Night in 1889, which depicted a group of lifeless young bodies in a mountain landscape, with only one of them staring with wide eyes at Death in his black cloak, who is hunched over the man’s chest. Is it a nightmare or is this where it all ends?

That’s why the scent of our first love makes us reminisce, and animalic fragrances arouse lascivious thoughts that we have no control over. So it’s no wonder perfume advertising draws on the visual vocabulary of Symbolism: naked skin, seductive poses and eyes gazing off into the distance, wherever you turn. For this reason, I now wish to extend an invitation to you all to let loose a little! I mean that less as a means of escapism, and more as an exercise and inspiration for the future so that we don’t completely unlearn everything. Because in my opinion, dreams aren’t only an insight into our souls, they are also a testing ground and our direct connection to the collective consciousness, where all potential thoughts, feelings and opportunities are available to us. The first thing that comes to mind are two fragrances from Berlin perfumery Schwarzlose, which was founded in 1856 and revived in 2012. Even the names of the scents scream excess: Rausch (ecstasy) tells scentury.com

Freud has never smelled sweeter – or has he? His great-granddaughter, fashion designer Bella Freud, launched the fragrance Psychoanalysis in 2017. Unfortunately, she doesn’t reveal whether she specifically intended for the perfume to be the gateway to the unconscious, but its leathery tobacco scent would surely have pleased her great-grandfather immensely, as he was known to be a devoted cigar smoker.

ELEGANT AND TIMELESS J.J.W. by renowned Belgian architect Jules Wabbes has been a Wever & Ducré classic for years. The delicately bended lines bear witness of sophisticated aesthetics as much as of an elaborated production technology. We think that this is tradition at its best and continue the product range, including ceiling and wall luminaires, all available in two different colours. The fact that in october 2012 the »Palais des Beaux Arts« in Brussels dedicated a whole exhibition to Jules Wabbes’ work shows, that we are not alone with this opinion.

WEVERDUCRE.COM

THE STYLEMATE, Issue 01|2021: a time between times

Articles inside

surreal set