The Grand Tourista
The St Regis brand will always be dear to us, as long as the glorious mothership is still standing in Manhattan. This is the hotel with the King Cole Bar, suites designed by Bentley, Dior and Tiffany and hallways full of ghosts: Colonel Astor, the building’s original owner, was en route here when he boarded the Titanic.
The St Regis brand has certainly expanded in recent years, with a growing list of five star city hotels and beach resorts. At the end of last year it collaborated with New York designer Jason Wu on a particularly chic piece of luggage – the Grand Tourista Bag. If this seems like a staid brand getting into bed with a pace setting label, it shouldn’t – the St Regis was the location for some of the most happening parties in the 1970s. Salvador Dali used to hold court, and Warhol was as frequent a visitor to the grand building on East 55th Street as he was to Studio 54.
The limited edition monochrome bag – which retails for $1,995 – is an impressive poolside or in-flight item in terms of size and styling. It has a houndstooth pattern on structured canvas, with a calf leather black trim. The interior has two pouch pockets lined in Wu’s signature grey, sized to hold an iPad, Kindle and passport. The St Regis hallmarks are embosed on the interior’s leather trim. “I see St Regis as both a classic and modern name”, says Wu. “I feel it’s an apt description of my brand as well. I am really excited to be part of a legacy that is rooted in impeccable style that can stand the test of time.”
www.stregis.com/boutique
www.jasonwustudio.com