EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan Simkhai Designs Capsule for Montage Hotels & Resorts’ 20th Anniversary
Montage Hotels & Resorts has tapped Jonathan Simkhai to design a capsule collection for its 20th anniversary.
The collaboration sparks from a friendship, Simkhai explained: The Los Angeles designer is good friends with Montage International’s creative director, Azadeh Hawkins. “We’ve always talked about thinking of ways that we can work together.”
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Featuring women’s and men’s sleep and swimwear ranging from $114 to $530, the line includes organic silk apparel — a V-neck camisole, long-sleeve top, pants and robe — a one-piece swimsuit in recycled nylon, board shorts in recycled polyester and a T-shirt in organic cotton. There are also accessories: a baseball cap, bucket hat, square scarf and eye mask. Many of the items feature the same wave motif, incorporating Montage’s “M” logo with signature colors associated with its various properties.
Simkhai was inspired by the waves of the ocean and mountains that surround Montage locations, he said. “I’ve frequently vacationed at the Montage hotels, and I just love how elegant they are and how unique each hotel is….I really enjoy luxury hotel experiences, and I really geek out about them. I love hosting. The whole hospitality thing in general is something I love.”
The line is exclusively sold online at shopmontage.com and inside hotel properties’ retail stores, which have previously carried Simkhai’s resortwear and après ski collections.
“It felt like a perfect way to enhance their current offering with something more custom and special for their anniversary,” Simkhai continued.
The designer finds inspiration from his customers, he added. “I spend so much time in different stores, in our own retail stores. We opened three retail stores this year. We are opening Southampton this summer. We have a new store in SoHo. We have our boutique in West Hollywood. We’re opening Dallas [in] Highland Park Village in June. Being able to be in those stores, spend time with customers and really having that direct connection and designing for real women and getting the direct feedback from the clients and from the women that are wearing the collection has always been what drives me.”
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