Dries Van Noten, Prada and Wong Kar-wai influence Paris' New Hotel Hana

Paris — Located between the Opéra Garnier and the bustling ramen shops of Rue Saint-Anne, the new Hotel Hana is an oasis of East meets West.

The boutique property, which opens Wednesday, combines traditional Japanese design with French craftsmanship, creating spacious suites and apartments, a creative collaboration between interior designer Laura Gonzalez and artistic director Oliver Leone. It has now been transformed into a stylish Hanabi bar and restaurant.

According to Leone, it's Wong Kar-Wai's “In the Mood for Love,” created through Glenn Luchford's Spring 1997 Prada campaign, which featured a young Joaquin Phoenix. Or if you lived in 1940s Japan, you might become a dreamy Dries Van Noten. Then again, it could be his 1980s Yohji Yamamoto-designed Doris store. After all, all of the above can be the cause.

“My generation, we're the generation of DJs, we take one sample from another and we filter it down. I don't think we're inventing a lot of things, but we're making changes. “It's happening,” he said.

Using these cues, Gonzalez and Leone transformed the building's Belle Époque bones into a study in Japanese minimalism filtered through the lens of fashion.

Although best known for his love of color and print, Gonzalez originally looked to the Little Tokyo neighborhood and focused on texture and traditional techniques. Fusuma frames were used around the tatami walls, and traditional shoji patterns were firmly anchored to the dark wood doors.

The rooms feature lacquered wooden cabinets, side tables, velvet headboards, and koi fish on the chairs. The candlesticks are an interpretation of traditional lanterns, the pillows feature dainty cherry blossoms, and Gonzalez created a carpet pattern that recalls the texture of wood grain, another homage to nature.

“This was an exercise in maintaining my style and soul and bringing it down in a sharper, yet very gentle way. Sharper than usual, quieter, but very sexy and feminine,” Gonzalez said. Told.

Gonzalez said Leone, co-founder of cult shoe brand Nodaleto, came on board late in the project, bringing a more masculine energy and fashion-forward perspective.

Yin and yang worked well together. “This combination was very interesting. I think it's the cherry on the cake,” she said. The two also worked with feng shui expert Hélène Weber to create a flow of energy around their sleeping space.

“French and Japanese craftsmanship share the idea of ​​'bushido,'” Leone said, referring to the samurai's code of honor and chivalry.

The restaurant's tables are made by local artisans using the traditional Raku technique of pottery glazed at volcanic temperatures, with a slightly smoky hue between pale almond green and warm matcha.

Gonzalez developed the wall technique with his longtime collaborator Les Ateliers Roma. The technique involved mixing layers of paint, brushing, polishing, and sealing with wax over a three-month period to create a subdued metallic finish.

The check-in desk is discreetly located between the restaurant and bar, and guests are personally greeted and escorted to their rooms.

Everything, including the entryway china found on Etsy, was sourced from Paris or nearby and then hand-delivered by proud artisans. The group undertook extensive soundproofing work to keep the location separate from the hustle and bustle of downtown.

The phrase “quiet luxury” may be overused, but Gonzalez hopes the quiet, quiet and luxurious atmosphere will provide a haven for busy professionals as a hidden gem in the neighborhood. .

The hotel took three years to build and finally opened during Fashion Week. This bar is sure to attract creative people.

“What I love most is fashion, but the world of fashion was getting a little less fun, so I decided to delve into other worlds,” Leone said of embarking on her first interior design project. “Now I can't wait to see how it lives up.”