{"id":1689455,"date":"2026-09-17T07:30:45","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T11:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/observer.com\/?p=1689455"},"modified":"2026-08-27T17:15:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T21:15:32","slug":"claridges-london-hotel-fashion-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/observer.com\/2026\/09\/claridges-london-hotel-fashion-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Claridge’s Century-Long Love Story With Fashion"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Claridge’s. Courtesy Claridge's<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In February 2007, London Fashion Week came to a boisterous close as Marc Jacobs <\/span>staged a lavish show<\/span><\/a> at Claridge\u2019s for his Marc by Marc Jacobs line. It was the American designer\u2019s first time showing outside the U.S., and the affair was suitably grand. The front row was filled with A-listers, from Naomi Campbell to Selma Blair to Sofia Coppola. The moment was considered a renaissance for LFW, reigniting the twice-annual event with a sense of fun and flair.<\/span><\/p>\n

Four years later, Jacobs debuted his decidedly provocative Autumn\/Winter 2011 collection as creative director of Louis Vuitton; he revealed that Claridge\u2019s was the inspiration for the dramatic line. \u201cI love it when I see these exquisite creatures coming out of the elevator,\u201d he <\/span>told the Times<\/span><\/a>. \u201cSome of them maids, hookers, mistresses \u2026 it\u2019s very interesting to see who leaves hotels at what time, and what they\u2019re wearing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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