by stylites_admin -

“City Garden” By Yiwen Studio

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Yiwen Studio is not a brand that gets talked a huge amount by Western fashion media, bloggers, etc.  Former actress Cao Yiwen started her brand about five years ago and has a very loyal following of stylish, affluent ladies in Beijing and Shanghai, where she has boutiques in Sanlitun and Julu Road in the Former French Concession, respectively.  She has also shown at Shanghai Fashion Week.

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Her pop-up at the Four Seasons Hotel Beijing just started.  Click below for more photos.

by stylites_admin -

Woopin @ FSBJ

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For Beijing Design Week, we have arranged something truly special at the Four Seasons Hotel Beijing.  Beijing design cooperative Woopin, under husband and wife team Jia Li and Gao Yin, have put together a nature-focused installation that celebrates sustainable design as well as natural materials.

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There are over 20 designers, mostly local, featured in a modular pop-up that uses bamboo units that will be transferrable to future sites.  More details on this brilliant project in future posts, but click more to see more photos.

by stylites_admin -

By the Butterfly Net

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Some of the “Beau Monde” attending the launch night of 吾号 pop up store at the 4 Seasons Hotel were happy to pose for Stylite and kept pretty composed even though the time was already quite late. Contributor to the curation such as Nick Wu, graphic designer (who dreamt up the butterfly wall decoration) looked fresh and relaxed with tasseled suede loafers and oxford cotton shirt.

by Jane Frye -

The St. Regis-藏风纳气的纽约城中之选

与坐落北京的瑞吉酒店一样，纽约的瑞吉酒店也异曲同工的选址在坐落城市中心的藏风纳气宝地，距繁华的时代广场和第五大道几步之遥，但进入大堂却立即有身临静谧尊贵之感，有一切尘埃落定，心里妥妥当当的质感。虽然酒店非常繁忙，接待游客的同时，更有诸多多年的熟客，每次到访纽约必要住在这里。一层的The King Cole Bar & Salon经常被电影取景，同时也是当地精英聚集之地。本来就不大的一块地方，加上日夜交替的“丝竹”和“案牍”，还是值得游客身临其境去品一下，去见仁见智一番。客房都配有管家服务，热茶咖啡，随时新鲜供应，皮鞋保养等小而周到的服务也一应俱全。尊贵是传承与从容，在这里感受的恰好。

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位置：5th Avenue. At 55th Street

当下预定价格：http://www.stregisnewyork.com/

by Jane Frye -

中城与中产—卡萨布兰卡酒店、Elysée酒店与Library 酒店

把这三间酒店放在一起，一是因为是同一个管理集团，二是因为都位于曼哈顿中城，相距不远但各有特色。

如果觉得太热闹会聒噪，太时尚有点稚气。喜欢静谧的环境，又想享受地道的纽约生活方式，推荐来这三家酒店，都是位于曼哈顿中城极佳的地段；都全天供应茶点、水果与咖啡；每天下午五点还供应各种奶酪、红白葡萄酒与香槟。不仅对入住客人，对客人的客人也同样免费。坐落的来客基本都是中年人，听口音是美国、英国和法国的居多。有些在聚会，有些是待客，大家都各得其所。没有耀眼奢华的的服饰、类似好莱坞电影里年轻人的口音和动不动就兴奋的情绪，能逃避开这一切，在纽约其实也是种难得的幸福。其中卡萨布兰卡酒店每周四晚上5点开始有现场钢琴演奏，弹者自称已经在此弹奏15年之久，钢琴家与客人自然的“拉家常”，轻松的慢时光可以用来多尝几种葡萄酒和奶酪。卡萨布兰卡这个名字，自然是从经典电影中得到的灵感， 酒店的创立者有一个穷困潦倒移民美国，白手起家的励志故事。通常是这样企业家会更有魄力，为了一部钟情的电影，在纽约最繁华的街道上，建起这样一座怀旧酒店。Elysée酒店因为招待过浪漫的名人无数而闻名，坐落的大楼于30年代左右建成，是颇具代表性的纽约艺术装饰风格老建筑。至于Library酒店，中文直译就是图书馆了，它的特点是煞费苦心的把图书馆建到了每个房间里和休息区。首先每个楼层是不同的分类，如科学、艺术、文学等。进到每个房间便是不同的科目，如恐龙、儿童文学、欧洲艺术。在预定酒店的时候可以先选择喜欢的分类，房间是入住的时候进行再分配。Library楼顶上的酒吧不仅是客人消遣的地方， 也因为传承的文化和独特的风景，成为地道纽约人聚会的选择之一。客人群体偏成熟，如果想避开浮躁的喧嚣，就躲在这里。

卡萨布兰卡酒店位置：147 West 43rd Steet

当下预定价格：http://www.casablancahotel.com/

Elysée酒店位置：60 East 54th Street

当下预定价格：http://www.elyseehotel.com/

Library酒店位置：299 Madison Avenue

当下预定价格：http://www.libraryhotel.com/

（图集） 卡萨布兰卡酒店

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Elysée酒店

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Library 酒店

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by Jane Frye -

Williamsburg – 纽约酒店琐记

题记：   我希望我第一次来纽约的时候看过这片文章，就不必憨傻的花400美金一个晚上住在崭新美式装潢的Trump SOHO, 再另付40美金早餐和平均每天10美金的各种小费。

1、破产姐妹住不起的Williamsburg—King & Grove

火的不得了的电视剧《破产姐妹》的故事发生地距曼哈顿多远？地铁10分钟，出了地铁到KING&GROVE酒店，最多再走10分钟。这里有什么?当地的大啤酒工厂几乎就在酒店对面，他们有公共开放时间，就是散客进去可以低价开怀痛饮的时间，纽约的水质是全国出名的好，现在深呼吸一下，联想夏天步入这个本地工厂畅饮冰凉啤酒的感觉…当然你要和一大群人挤着。再走几步有另一家工厂厂房改造的古董+二手+全新的仓储店，进去了轻松就要花掉2小时，这里的东西不是按照尺码分，而是颜色，一个个圆形的展架，密密麻麻的排布，一个展架是一个色系，人在里面蹭着走，展架顶上陈列着适合搭配这个色系的鞋子。这里要自己扎进去慢慢淘才行，没人服务你那么多，他们要节约成本，收好东西，卖低价格，所以淘一件双面真丝的中国旗袍风小礼服裙也只用35美金。顺手还可以给家人朋友带礼物，本地工作室做的手工蜡烛，小首饰等单设一区。酒店的一层大堂外面有游泳池，隔壁大楼上整面墙的涂鸦是最原始的装饰，绝不浮夸。顶层有小酒廊，因为氛围好，位置也方便，来客不一定是住客，尤其夏天，这里就变成了年轻人约会休息的聚集地，当地名流碧昂斯等也会偶尔出现在这里的顶层酒吧，想看碧昂斯的屁股到底有多翘，值不值得她上了百万美金的保险，来这里。想看看曼哈顿的全景到底有多美，值不值得无法定居在岛上的人咒骂，来这里。没来之前想到Williamburg，总是条件反射的想吃杯子蛋糕，（cupcake）看过之后才了解，电视剧果然不可信，破产姐妹住不起曼哈顿，其实也住不起这里。

King & Grove酒店位置：160 North 12th Street，Brooklyn

当下预定价格：http://www.kingandgrove.com/

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2、“本土化”到“酷化”— Wyeth酒店

进到这里大堂，还没来得及看建筑与装饰，先被接待处旁边一个年轻人看管的POP UP图书馆吸引，什么意思，简而言之就是借用宝地，做一个临时的图书馆，过一段时间或者找到下一个合适的地方就搬家。组织者用这个方式降低成本，店家用这个方式保持新鲜感，还是很天才的概念。之所以最初发现了Wyeth，就是因为他们策划的活动多样且有趣，在社交网络上传播的很广。比如这个图书馆的项目，是卖一个小小的手绘本子，25美金，无论来自世界各地的任何人买了，回去把本子画满也好，贴满也好，大概亲满了都无所谓，再寄回给他们，他们会编辑目录和条码，一一上架在他们的图书馆，寄回来的成品本子不是卖的，他们会带着这个图书馆再去各个好玩儿的地方，给同样有趣的人看，甚至和一些国立图书馆合作，让你的作品在不同的图书馆、博物馆展出，其中布鲁克林艺术图书馆会永久收藏这些作品。空白的本子线上线下都可以购买，浏览他们的网站www.sketchbookproject.com了解更多。类似这样有趣的POP UP店经常有，艺术展，手工艺术家现场制作表演也常有，酒店选用的产品全部“本地化”，从客房用品到餐厅的食品供应。这也是最近纽约流行起来的一个概念，支持本地经济和产业，国人一说本土就想到“土”，在这里，“本土化”已被“酷化”。鼓励更多有想法的人创业，相互支持，同时减少物流造成的污染。当然是因为他们已经度过了追求品牌和奢侈品的阶段是前提。如果来纽约不是公务缠身的话，williamsburg是当下有趣体验的居住首选。

Wyeth酒店地址：80 Wythe Ave. at N. 11th Williamsburg, Brooklyn

当下预定价格：http://wythehotel.com/

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by stylites_admin -

Elegant Textures

With the opening of the Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou, designer Tony Chi (an interview with Mr. Chi will be here soon) creates an elegant, new definition of China Modern sure to exert a lasting influence on hotel design.

“Inoffensive” barely sounds like praise. Akin to “lukewarm” and “conventional”, most designers would prefer to hear their work called “daring” or “challenging”. Some will always be offended by a groundbreaking design, while innovation that pleases all seems almost like an oxymoron and bound to be boring. To create something completely new that is in complete good taste seems near impossible.

And yet with his design for the Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou, star designer New York-based Tony Chi will make just about everyone feel comfortable and at peace. Surprising that far from traditionalist, his work here very fresh and sure to influence hotel design throughout China. Never overt or gratuitous, Chinese culture seeps from the walls of all 233 rooms, 30 suites, 24 luxury serviced apartments and the four restaurants. Always serving a genuine function, Chinese design elements are deployed thoughtfully and with profound meaning. Guest room lay-out is inspired by traditional courtyard residences, meaning the various chambers adjoin an inner corridor that flows to the outer door. The private is discreetly separately from the public even in the standard rooms.

Unlike many properties in China that look good for a few years but then rapidly fade, the Guangzhou Mandarin Oriental will age well. Woods, lacquers, skins, and fabrics will get better with time and corners were not seem cut during construction. Passing trends are not heeded, though the emphasis on quality materials that need not be replaced every half-decade fits well with our current interest in sustainability. Owner Swire has invested with their sights set on the long-term.

Sipping champagne in the Oriental Club, one might be forgiven for preferring the view in – of linen upholstered chairs, leather couches and beautiful art books – to the view out, which is of a somewhat grim cityscape, the likes of which could be found in the center of any Chinese metropolis. Out there one has to behold all the clutter, noise, and poor color matching that would never be allowed in a Mandarin Oriental.

Indeed, guests have little incentive to leave. Local friends can be invited for afternoon tea and dim sum at Taikoo Lounge, cigars and cocktails at The Loft, or pastries and hand-painted chocolate at the Mandarin Cake Shop. Restaurants options abound and the creative presentation and organic produce of Ebony make it one of the best Western restaurants in town. Right next door is one of the best malls in China: Taikoo place, with flagships of all the usual luxury suspects plus some unique local players like lifestyle boutique, Fangsuo.

One might wonder why the Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou lacks its own lifestyle brand with a full array of products that reflect the color scheme and style ethos of the hotel. Guests frequently covet the beautifully crafted leather boxes, magnifying glasses, wooden picture frames, porcelain, and even the linen ties of the staff – all custom made for the hotel. Good taste like this is surprisingly rare in this world. Many designers strive to startle and garner media attention, but Tony has revolutionized in a more elegant, lasting way by giving us a new classic.

I was also quite impressed by the uniforms.  The colors and textures were much more interesting than the black and white found in most hotels.

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Nick Wooster (in the post below) likes when suits and ties are of the same fabric.  In this case it was a linen/wool blend.
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This fellow from the executive lounge got a nice dimple in his tie.  He was also wearing nice brogues.
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Ebony is the place for fine steaks, seafood and the best hamburger in town.
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One wouldn’t be surprised if guests hire Tony Chi to design their next home after a stay here
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Earth tones never looks as good as in the Oriental Club
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On the terrace, it’s hard to believe that this is still in the middle of a city.

The photos of people are by me.  The photos of the location come from the Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou.

by stylites_admin -

W Means Arrival

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And here’s another one from Guangzhou…The opening of the first W on the Mainland signifies that Guangzhou has graduated from industrial, commercial hub to ever-hipper, cosmopolitan metropolis.

The executive lounge is a hunting club for a posse of brawny Canadian postmodernists. Neon lips and eyes in the elevators scare little children. The global zeitgeist pours from the luminous walls, aggressive beats, and energetic, vibrant attitude of the staff. The W Guangzhou bar manager is even from Monte Carlo.

A city can host various athletic events, build some hyper towers, and conduct constant beautification campaigns, but few things suggest arrival on the global scene more than the opening of a W. This is more a test for the practical, all-business Guangzhouers than the W, in a way, because the city doesn’t seem quite avant-garde enough. But then, the W is all about taking risks, according to Brian Segrave, the General Manager. A night in Wu Bar or the soon-to-open Fei ultralounge should convince locals that their city has reached the next level.

The W is more than just the very hippest place to stay and party in Guangzhou. It is also a patron of local designers, artists, and musicians, a platform on which local talent can shine. They will be working with fashion designers like Uma Wang and Exception and are also promoting local DJs. The dark glass structure by Rocco Yim, comfortable but hyper-modern interiors by Yabu Pushelberg, and 19 meter high Luminous Water Wall by WETDesign are all talking points for locals.

But the W is not a 24 hour shock to the system. Materials like skins, petrified wood, and metal are truly rarified and specially commissioned artwork matches both the chic of the hotel and the local culture. Guests can bring friends over to the exciting, eclectic, stylish living room – W lobbies are welcoming, fun and vibrant – but then escape to their rooms for some calm. The rooms are surprisingly understated and soothing with the very most convenient in high-tech including the newest toto toilets and music and TV that can be adjusted from the bath.

One thing for sure is that Guangzhou has never had so much glamour and eccentricity packed into one building. From scent to sound, the 43rd W of the world is a full body experience and its acolytes, the forever young cool kids who trot the globe imbibing the latest trends in all its corners, will be thrilled to enter this new property, the first of is brand on the Chinese Mainland.

by stylites_admin -

Cloud City on the Pearl

“You truly belong here with us among the clouds.” – Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back

Occupying the top third of the diamond-clad IFC tower, the Four Seasons Guangzhou symbolizes the city’s aspirations and newfound glamour.

The 45 second elevator ride to the 70th floor of the IFC Tower sweeps guests into a fantasy world of energetic light, dreamy clouds, and dashing colors. Named The Atrium for the thirty floor high chamber that rises to a glass crescendo above, the lobby lounge is the ideal platform for viewing local luminaries and ladies about to lunch. It also showcases some of the art work for which the hotel is gaining renown. Defining the lobby is a triumphant red piece Australian by sculptor Matthew Harding that symbolizes eternity, while the rooms and other public areas feature ink paintings by Wu Xiao, sculptures by Qu Guangci and other established artists.

From eel-skin walls and Armani leather couches in Japanese restaurant Kumoi to giant fish tails made from mother-of-pearl at seafood restaurant Catch, no expense was spared in creating these magnanimous spaces. Eight and nine are the luckiest numbers for Chinese. Thus, few points are more auspicious for cocktail hour or high tea than the 99th floor of this, the world’s 88th Four Seasons to open. The Executive Lounge and Tian Bar provide breathtaking panoramas of the miniature world below or, frequently, the tips of cranes peering out through the clouds. Especially for those not staying in the hotel – every single one of the 344 rooms, including 42 suites has a stunning view – the Four Seasons is an essential destination for viewing Guangzhou. Why pay 160 RMB to ascend the TV Tower, lying opposite on the south side of the river, when an artfully mixed champagne cocktail awaits at the same elevation in the Four Seasons?

Guangzhou may only have one long, humid, season and the same subtropical appearance throughout the year, but the Four Seasons clearly delineates spring, summer, winter and autumn in its design and artwork. Every six guest floors represents a different season, as reflected in the decor. However, the consistent feature throughout the hotel is a theme of clouds and dragons that appears on carpets, elevator doors and in furniture in the room elevator. Now a showcase work for esteemed US interior design firm Hirsch Bedner & Associates (HBA), the Four Seasons Guangzhou shows the way traditional Chinese elements can fused with the latest in contemporary design and feel playful and fashionable.

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A focal point of Guangzhou life: the 30 floor atrium Four Seasons 3
White supporting beams and views of the TV tower feature throughout Four Seasons 4
Outside the Cantonese restaurant, an artist’s impression Go phenomenon Nie Weiping defeating his former teacher Fujisawa Hideyuki at the China-Japan Supermatches Four Seasons 5
Carpets with a cloud pattern match the views from the hotel Four Seasons 6
Catch, the Western-style seafood restaurant by famous HongKong designer Steve Leung, is already a favored place for locals to make wedding proposals. “Yes” is guaranteed in this atmosphere. Four Seasons 7
The bar at Tian Bar is cut from a single 8-meter piece of rare, multi-coloured agate.

Photos: The

by stylites_admin -

Junior Marketer

We are looking for a junior marketing and social media specialist to work full-time, primarily on a hotel client account. These need to be native level Chinese speakers/readers who are intelligent, self-motivated, have a great attitude and be eager to learn. Needed are:

– Familiarity with Wechat, Weibo, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and, ideally, experience on using them to market for businesses native Chinese and excellent English.

– A very good exterior – applicants need to be presentable and have a pleasant attitude

This is a full-time position in Beijing, near Sanyuanqiao.

Ideal are recent college graduates with a certain level of sophistication, excellent work habits, and the ability to be pro-active.