Last year I got a very exciting opportunity from DUKES Hotel Mayfair. I have been wanting to tell everybody for a long time but had to keep it all under wraps! I was asked to go down to London to visit the hotel and meet the general manager Debrah to discuss an exciting opportunity... to do a collaboration with DUKES Hotel. I was asked to design a bespoke silk scarf for the DUKES staff! When I approached the hotel I instantly fell in love with it! A small courtyard tucked away down a quiet side street in Mayfair, it is a true hidden gem.
DUKES is part of the very prestigious 'Small Luxury Hotels of the World' group and is the winner of the coveted prize of 'England’s Leading Boutique Hotel'
Ian Fleming, best known for creating the James Bond series was a regular guest of DUKES Bar. It was here he got the
inspiration for the classic James Bond line regarding his Martini: “shaken,
not stirred.”
Every part of the hotel is steeped in heritage and full of charm. Whilst sat in the cigar garden I noticed above me were a set of beautiful mirrors and picture frames. Straight away I knew I wanted to take elements of the hotel and set them in some miniature hand drawn picture fames. The elements of the hotel I thought were important and wanted to incorporate on the scarf were: A bottle of Perrier Jouet, the hotel’s house champagne; a martini glass
and cocktail shaker, emblematising the world famous martinis served in
the DUKES bar; a Dachshund representing the cast iron ‘Dukesie Dog’ that
welcomes guests on arrival in the hotel lobby and a British flag to
highlight the hotel’s traditional, British heritage.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed designing this scarf and cannot wait to see it on the staff at DUKES Hotel.
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