It’s no longer just about red-bottom heels – Christian Louboutin has now a new red-bottom hotel in the game.
Louboutin means shoes. It always has, ever since Sex and the City, but 2023 might be the year that the French designer challenges that. We’re only days away – four, to be extremely precise – from the opening of Vermelho, Louboutin’s boutique hotel stay in Melides, Portugal.
With only thirteen rooms and three storeys tall, Vermelho (which means red in Portuguese) exemplifies exclusivity. It is very Louboutin in style, with eclectic designed tiles, and a lot of his signature red. The hotel is rich with textures and hand-crafted details designed by Louboutin’s very own friends, which grant Vermelho an extra touch of intimacy and personality. The garden around which Vemelho is built upon was designed by notorious landscape architect Louis Benech, textiles were Carolina Irving‘s work and the hotel itself is to Madalena Caiado‘s merit.
The result is nothing short of striking. Every one of its 13 rooms is distinct in character; some boasting of maximalist tiles, textures and colours, whilst others embrace the more natural palette of deep crimson and the occasional blue touch. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered, and the project culminated in a myriad of high-end collaborations with exciting artists, such as Konstantin Kakanias, the greek painter in charge of some of the room’s murals. The result is a hotel rooted in Louboutin’s fascination with cultural mélanges, bringing Mediterranean and North African touches in a serene and playful manner.
Besides the mesmerising design, Vemelho hosts the Vermelho restaurant, Xtian. Led by Portuguese Chef David Abreu, Xtian plays with local cuisine staples with a contemporary twist. The restaurant’s design doesn’t skimp either – its elaborate bar takes cues from a paso de palio (an ornate catholic sculpture), and tableware comes from a local design store.
But why did Louboutin decide to venture into the hotel world in Portugal? For those in the know, it should come as no surprise. Louboutin’s fascination with Portugal began twelve years ago, when the designer injured himself in a retreat in Comporta, near Lisbon. Although clearly unfortunate, the event led him past Melides on the way to the hospital, a small but mighty locality with luscious forests and lagoons. He soon acquired a property in the area, which he used as a retreat to entertain and was his only link to the locality, until Vermelho, that is. Now, with Vermelho just a few days away from its grand opening, We have found out that Louboutin has plans to venture into two more hospitality ventures due to open in 2024.
We’ll keep you posted.
