Over the last three years, the fashion resale market has grown 21 times faster than the retail market, and it’s showing no signs of stopping any time soon. A $24 billion market in 2018, it’s expected to grow up to one and a half times the size of the fast fashion market within the next decade, according to the 2019 Resale Report by resale outlet ThredUP.

Though the thrill of the hunt is still a major factor in its popularity, the 21st-century version of resale uses the internet to break beyond the boundaries of traditional thrift store exploration. These days, you don’t have to rely on sheer luck to happen upon great finds in your size. Apps like ThredUP, Depop, and Poshmark make it easy to shop straight from other people’s closets and unload your own unwanted garments, shoes, and accessories.

Now, the Kardashian-Jenners are getting in on the game. You gotta hand it to them — the family of moguls have shown that they always have their finger on the pulse, growing their collective empire far beyond what anyone would have guessed back when Keeping Up with the Kardashians first premiered in 2007.

Launched in early October, Kardashian Kloset is a new online resale boutique offering items from the personal wardrobes of Kim, Kylie, and their mother Kris to start, with pieces from Kourtney, Khloe, and Kendall’s closets coming later. As you might expect, there are lots of designer pieces in the mix, but Vogue Business reports that other items will be listed for as little as $20, so there should be something for everyone (assuming your personal style is on the Kardashian wavelength, of course).

Given how few items are available at the moment, it may not seem like much — and it’s certainly a drop in the bucket in terms of contribution to Kylie Jenner’s net worth of $1 billion USD. But Vogue Business says the endorsement from these cultural tastemakers could help the resale market gain credibility in the eyes of the consumer.

“Influential celebrities can instantly eliminate the stigma attached to the secondary market,” says Marc Beckman, founding partner and CEO of Advertising and Representation Agency DMA United. He adds: “The Kardashian’s participation, if executed properly, will certainly accelerate acceptance and sales of previously owned and used merchandise.”

This isn’t the first time the Kardashian-Jenners have passed their used merchandise onto fans. They’ve auctioned off pieces from their wardrobes on sites like eBay, often donating the proceeds to charity. Very little information is available about the future plans for Kardashian Kloset, so it’s unclear thus far where the money from these sales will go or how its offerings might continue to expand.

In any case, Kardashian’s Kloset and the general popularity of resale are a promising sign for the future of sustainable fashion. Not everyone has the cash to buy brand new ethically made organic clothing (or designer clothing of any kind, for that matter), and the resale market ensures that existing items are put to the greatest possible amount of use before they’re discarded for good. If its popularity continues to grow as projected, the fashion resale market could keep a whole lot of clothing out of global landfills.

The post The Kardashians’ Latest Business Venture: Resale Fashion first appeared on Dornob.

Social media “fitness influencers” make everything look easy, from performing circus-worthy yoga poses to dawning fresh faces after grueling workouts. But Instagram-perfect shots aren’t always what they seem, and some of them perpetuate unrealistic ideals of health and fitness. Still, it’s not hard to see why many people find them inspiring.

Naturally, the Insta-famous (and those who aspire to be them) are always looking for supremely photogenic places to work out, but that doesn’t automatically mean it’s all about looks and selfies. You might not think the setting has much to do with the quality of the exercise, but if a beautiful studio helps motivate you to stick to your routine, it’s probably worth seeking out.

Among the most visually striking fitness studios in Los Angeles is Paris Pilates, which is every bit as chic as it sounds, despite all the sweat. While many other boutique fitness facilities find a cool, relaxing minimalist vibe most appealing, Paris Pilates takes things in a slightly more Baroque direction, all the while remaining just as effortless as the stereotypical fashionable French woman.

From the moment you step in the door, this pilates studio has the feel of a shop on the Champs Elysées or Rue Saint-Honoré. Set in a bright modern space on Sunset Boulevard, it gets much of its immediate impact from its color palette, which includes Paris Pink and Chalky White from Portola LA on the ceiling and walls, respectively, as well as white oak, brass details, and a striking deep blue-green accent wall behind the lobby desk.

Oversized mirrors with scrolled, gilded frames lean against a wall behind the machines, while a neon logo captures the mood of the city after dark. Outside, a mural reads “Let them do Pilates.” Somehow, even the pilates machines arranged on the chevron hardwood floors have a sort of casual elegance to them.

Paris Pilates creative director Jenny Williams is the multitalented mastermind behind the aesthetics of the space, taking inspiration from summers spent in the city, where she picked up on some essential style elements that are distinctly French.

She explains: “I was in Paris and after a long walk near the Seine, I rested for a glowy evening picnic. I dreamt what I wanted to bring back to LA. I wanted the feeling of French flair, of French carefree elegance, and feminine strength. I wanted a place that would transport me to Paris everyday. A place that had beautiful creaky floors like my apartment in the Marais, wooden beam ceilings painted a soothing color, modern lighting, and gilt mirrors.”

“I wanted to hear the music I heard when I was eating at my favorite restos or at the discotheque in Pigalle and feel my body move in a rhythmic pattern on the Reformer. A true experience-based environment was born. A story for the senses. We have equipped the studio with all you need to take a beautiful class, be inspired, dream of design, buy a French pharmacie favorite, and take home a souvenir.”

The results are intentional without being overly precious. They’re not the sort of self-conscious stylings you often see in contemporary businesses that are trying a little too hard to attract the Instagram crowd, like backdrops with a self-promoting hashtag painted onto them.

As you may have already guessed, you can check out more photos of the space on the pilates studio’s Instagram page.

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If you have a trip to Nairobi coming up any time soon, you’ll find that that best way to fill your stay with the local nature is by visiting the Giraffe Manor, where you can mingle with giraffes all day long, from breakfast straight through dinner. And who knows? You might even meet a giraffe nose-to-nose outside your second-story window.

In fact, you might not get to decide whether you want to get up close and personal, since the giraffes here really seem to own the place. Then again, it is their home that you’re visiting. Indeed, this herd of Rothschild giraffes typically visits the Manor each morning and evening, and it’s not uncommon for one to pop its head into the lodgings in search of a breakfast treat. During the day, they typically move into the area’s surrounding 140 acres of forest.

The giraffes come and go as they please, freely helping themselves to food served in both the second-story dining area and the lower first level. If the windows are open, the friendly creatures will crane their necks to sneak a peek, brushing their faces right up against yours.

Rothschild giraffes faced extinction due to loss of their natural habitats in the mid 1970s. Knowing this, conservationists Betty and Jock Melville coddled the three wild bull giraffes that roamed the grounds around the manor, eventually adding a new baby here and there until the herd began to grow. The Melvilles then donated a portion of the land to the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, a charity organization they helped found. The on-site Giraffe Center was added for the purpose of allowing Kenyan school children to feed the animals up close as they learned about conservation and ecology. The center also manages a breeding program aimed at increasing the natural Rothschild giraffe population by releasing them back into the wild.

While interacting with the giraffes is an amazing opportunity, the building itself should not be overlooked. Even after changing hands several times, the Giraffe Manor still represents the style and sophistication that throws visitors back into a scene from out of Africa.

The manor was built in 1932 and modeled after a Scottish hunting lodge. Throughout the decades, its owners have worked to maintain the exterior, whose stone facade is cloaked in climbing ivy and set against a backdrop of trees, blending almost seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. Indeed, the building sits on 12 acres of private land, much of which is left to grow naturally.

The interior of the Giraffe Manor is lush and elegant, with flowing draperies and natural elements all throughout. Giraffe decor adorns many walls. The surrounding savannah grassland is represented in the color choices inside the manor, the original work of which has also been meticulously maintained. The boutique hotel offers 12 guest rooms in total, two of which are suites.

Over the years, the hotel, specifically situated in the Langata suburb of Nairobi, Kenya, has become an iconic example of interacting with the wildlife in Africa. And as part of The Safari Collection (a group of upscale travel lodgings), guests can even add a tailor-made safari experience to their visit.

The post The Giraffe Manor Invites Visitors to Eat on the Wild Side first appeared on Dornob.

Opened in 2017, PUBLIC New York is a 28-story, 367-unit hotel designed by Herzog & de Meuron. It is eclectic in style yet minimalist in service. There are no valets, bellhops, receptionists, keycards, or room service. PUBLIC New York is a no frills luxury hotel — one that makes up for its lack of typical hotel services with an abundance of modern amenities. Once they’re taken up to the lobby on the second floor (a strategy the architects employed to lure guests in and up into the building), guests are invited to check in at iPad kiosks, where a concierge is present to help them through the process if needed. All keycards have been replaced by access codes, which themselves can be accessed via smartphone.

In one 2017 article, Schrager opined that the only way forward for the hotel industry would be to create “a stronger idea than Airbnb.” Even as Airbnb continues expand its services, he believes that the short-term lodging giant cannot offer guests common areas that act as energized social settings the way a hotel can. Although Airbnb hosts can offer home-cooked meals, provide tips on a particular neighborhood from a local perspective, and allow guests to experience unique moments of human interaction, Schrager believes that his no frills luxury concept is a hedge against Airbnb.

Examples of energized common areas are PUBLIC’s living room, rooftop bar, and PUBLIC Arts area. The living room is a second-floor business lounge with the ambiance of a WeWork hotdesking space. In the basement, a multimedia event space known as PUBLIC Arts hosts parties, art exhibitions, and film screenings.

Since PUBLIC has less services to pay for, its rooms should be cheaper than that of a normal hotel. Just after the opening of the hotel, some rooms were said to be going for as low as $150 per night, but it seems economically unlikely that such a low price will continue to be feasible for a luxury hotel — especially one in New York City. The rooms are like exterior cabins on a cruise ship, and they leave little useless space. The architects conceived of the compact rooms, all between 140 and 198 square feet in size, as consisting of three walls, with a floor-to-ceiling window acting as the fourth. Of course, the rooms’ minimalist design is not all positive.

For example, the absence of furniture with drawers could be good for guests who have a habit of forgetting personal items in hotel rooms (something that most of us have done at least once). On the other hand, not having nightstands is pretty inconvenient for people who read in bed and like to place their glasses nearby when they go to sleep. There is no place to put a book or a glass of water to take with medication in case of sickness. The bathroom only has a toilet and shower. The vanity, with its small sink under a backlit mirror supported by a fluted wall, is positioned outside of the bathroom. The architects believed that such an elegant element should not be hidden behind walls. The large windows permit the rooms to be flooded with daylight, but they have also been criticized for showcasing a few unwanted spectacles to neighbors.

PUBLIC New York’s no frills accommodation serves to attract guests and events, but its challenge to Airbnb feels limited. No matter how much energy a hotel can contain, there will always be travelers that prefer to stay where the locals live, away from the tourist strips and in lesser-known parts of a city.

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Although it first opened in 1989, The Rittenhouse recieved a fresher look in 2012, in the form of an $18 million renovation to its common areas, guestrooms, and suites. Its construction was organized by two New York-based interior design firms, Champalimaud and Bill Rooney Studio. The final phase of the renovation is expected to be completed in 2018. The five-story luxury hotel overlooks Rittenhouse Square, home to both a park and a neighborhood where the Victorian gentry of late-19^th century Philadelphia once lived.

Luxury hotels can sometimes feel ostentatious, but The Rittenhouse retains an air of humility. Its rooms are not filled with one-off objects begging for attention and instead showacase calm symmetry and purposeful organization. Spaces like the new “Library Bar” use Philadelphia’s history as part of their décor. A faux classic fireplace sits between two bookshelves fitted with lamps, shining a light on books about Philadelphia and art. Both linen and leather upholstered seats surround an elegant glass coffee table. Above the fireplace, a mirror reflects the light of a black crystal chandelier hanging above the room. Artwork provides a lighter contrast to the dark surfaces, making the library a suitable place for reflection.

The bar portion of the library continues the same color palette. The central focus of the back bar is an etched glass map of Old Philadelphia, which itself sits behind rows of colorful and alluring bottles.

Connected to the Library Bar is a long, almost ceremonial, hallway lined diagonally with chairs and alcoves. Each ensemble of seating provides private places where guests can have intimate conversations inside of a public area. Their privacy is also aided by sound absorbing carpets.

The 118 guest rooms and 27 suites are some of the largest hotel rooms in the city, with some units measuring as much as 1300 square feet. On top of that, each of these rooms boasts a marble bathroom and custom-made furniture that you will find nowhere else but The Rittenhouse. Each suite is accessed through a private gallery of books and art, similar to those found in the Library Bar.

The Rittenhouse Hotel’s mix of Philadelphia history, art, and modernity makes it one of the most desired places to stay in the entire city.

The post The Rittenhouse Hotel and Its Contemporized History of Philadelphia first appeared on Dornob.

Some hotels rely on their distinctive interior designs to draw in guests. Frequent travelers may start to feel like all their hotels look the same after a while. The difference between hotel A in Atlanta and hotel B in Houston becomes indistinguishable in a blur of neutral colors. But the Blue Moon Hotel in Miami is definitely a place that’s distinguishable. After a major renovation in 2015, it became memorable in a powerfully colorful way.

The Blue Moon is located in the Miami Beach Architectural District, commonly known as the Art Deco District, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Conceived of in 1997 as a fusion of two existing hotels (the Lafayette Hotel from 1934 and Florel Apartment Hotel from 1940), the Blue Moon Hotel quickly became dated in the years after its opening. When it came time to revamp the complex, the designer’s biggest challenge was remaining respectful to history while also giving it a contemporary feel. In the end, a mix between art deco artistry and 21^st-century modernity was achieved. It’s now a hotel where you can experience Miami Beach around colors and textures that simulate the sensation of being outside even when you are inside.

Painted four different shades of blue, the hotel’s reception desk resembles a vintage dresser, with each level of decorative drawers separated from the others by a metal trim. The handles exist purely for ornamentation, giving the desk a unique identity that foreshadows the tranquility locked away in the rooms upstairs. Blue Moon presents old imagery as something new, giving you the feeling of a place that you think you have been before, but really have not.

Each of the hotel’s 75 rooms and four two-room suites give guests a choice between enjoying the city like a tourist or living like a true Miamian. With their blue accent walls and white and light brown furnishings, the more traditional rooms provide enough visual balance to be comfortable but still exciting. In other rooms, the accent walls are adorned with contemporary imagery and art deco patterns for a more audacious look. In every room, the natural light from a large set of windows creates the perception of a vast interior space.

The art deco theme can also be traced throughout the hotel’s common spaces, from the hallways to the meeting rooms. This theme is only interrupted by the restaurant and pool, where white tables are offset by an array of colorful seating. The splashes of blue and green on the restaurant’s only wall nicely tie the deisgn together, simultaneously acting as a kind of exclamation point.

The Blue Moon Hotel provides its guests with an intimate experience without coming off as over the top or gaudy. The hotel’s judicious emphasis on contemporary design in some areas and the art deco style in others keeps it feeling fresh and relevant. Something like that is usually hard to attain in historic places, but here it seems to have been effortlessly achieved.

The post Miami’s Blue Moon Hotel Attracts Guests with Color first appeared on Dornob.

Stunning, simple, ingenious, semi-invisible and yes, bird-safe despite its dangerous mirror-camouflaged exterior (thanks to a thin infrared film on the outer walls visible only to birds). When you last read about it here, it was just a design in the making. Now it is a real-life, three-story micro-hotel just north of nowhere, Sweden.

Nestled near the Arctic Circle, the Mirrorcube Treehotel is one of a series of boutique stand-alone structures in a unique system of nature-oriented hotels. Inside, amazingly enough, one finds a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room space split between two interior stories (with a rooftop deck above).

Also on the construction agenda: a so-called UFO, a hanging Bird’s Nest and a more-contemporary suspended Cabin as well as a 12-person Tree Sauna and other community and support structures, variously hung from above or lofted from below.

The Mirrorcube has, of course, had to compromise certain details to be built. The seamless glass box that looked like a glossy container of perfection in plans and drawings might be a bit more difficult to keep clean in reality (and comes with attached cables that detract from its pure form).

Plywood on the inside, and mirrored aluminum on the outside, the unit provides 360-degree views (albeit through smallish windows) from a few stories up in the air – not a bad way to spend the weekend watching wildlife. The original ladder leading up, though, was discarded in the final design in favor of a ramp, which detracts somewhat from the standalone shape of the cube.

“The Mirrorcube is a truly different tree room, a cube measuring 4x4x4 meters. The room is surrounded by mirror walls which both reflect and blend in with the surroundings. A tree trunk grows through the room and is enclosed by an aluminum frame, which forms the base of the room. All walls are covered in mirror glass.”

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