A few years ago, after a few beverages on the rooftop, my colleagues and I wandered into the Ace Hotel gift shop in downtown LA. Rest in peace to that hotel.
To call it a "gift shop" is probably doing it a disservice: It was more of a curated assemblage of trendy items that on first glance of course didn't seem to go together at all, which added to their allure. I mean, why not offer me a branded gas station-style lighter right next to a pair of $800 Irish linen pajamas, ube-flavored natural-silk dental floss and a set of high-end home barbering tools? That's just so Ace, right?
I had my eye on the branded sweatshirt, but of course I couldn't find a price tag. And if you thought I was going to do something so gauche as to ask the hipster youth behind what I think was the counter of the shop the price, then that's not very LA of you at all. I'm sure the hoodie was $300. I've never stopped thinking about it.
All of this is to say, hotel merch is making a comeback.
But the key here is that to be cool and of the moment, you must go beyond the Ritz-Carlton branded golf polo that every status-seeker you know has in triplicate. Boring. Over. All that says is, "I can afford to buy a golf polo for $110 that looks like every other guy's golf polo."
No. For your merch to really exude "authentic experience," the trends now are branded, high-end kitsch and branded ultra-luxury collaboration.
High-end kitsch is what you find at the quirky indie boutique motor-court hotels in Austin, or the branded glamping spots in off-the-beaten-path locations. A few examples: Nothing says "offbeat chic" like this striped robe from Hotel San Jose in Austin, with cute "Do You Know The Way" (get it?) embroidery on the back. Or, consider the glow-in-the-dark poster of the El Cosmico in Marfa, Texas, for only $50 — I love this one.
Higher-end but just as trendy are the branded ultra-luxury collaborations popping up between fashion houses and iconic hotels and brands.
Raffles this year launched a collection of clothing, accessories and more with retailer Printemps in a collection named "The Butler Did It," which riffs off the fact that yes, Raffles does offer a legendary butler service in its luxury destination hotels. If I had to describe these pieces, I'd have to call them, yes, delightfully cheeky.
Or perhaps you'd consider The Mark in New York's collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana on Fefé, its $110 perfume for dogs. Yes, you read that correctly. I mean, it truly is a brand extension that makes sense, given that doggy visitors to The Mark can order gourmet meals and pet-friendly desserts curated by none other than Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten!
I love it all. Yes, I will buy your cute canvas tote. Yes, I will wish I could buy your $350 robe. And of course I regret missing out on an Ace Hotel hoodie from DTLA, which would be rare now for sure.
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