AbonnéTravel & Wellness

How Arles Became Trendy

Aymeric Mantoux

By Aymeric Mantoux27 juin 2024

In just a decade, the former stronghold of the far-left wing has transformed into an essential destination for the fashion, art, and luxury world. The Rencontres d’Arles photography meetings have played a significant role in putting this ancient city on the map of trendiness—a phenomenon that is only just beginning.

Relatum - ‍Ciel sous Terre (2022) is a meditative work by Lee Ufan in collaboration with architect Tadao Ando, exhibited at the Fondation Lee Ufan Arles (Lee Ufan)

Following Cannes, the Monaco Grand Prix, Roland-Garros, and Fashion Week, the luxury and fashion social season continues with the opening of the Rencontres d’Arles on July 1st. This event inaugurates a week of parties, openings, cocktails, and dinners hosted by Dior, Louis Vuitton, and major international photography galleries.

The LUMA Tower, Frank Gehry's masterpiece, houses the LUMA Foundation and is the centerpiece of Arles' art center, a project initiated in 2008 by Maja Hoffmann (Adrian Deweerdt)

On this date, the Lee Ufan Foundation and Parisian gallerist Esther de Beaucé will also present one of the rare jewels of the renowned contemporary Franco-Korean artist. The opening of the Art & Environment Prize, created by Lee Ufan and Guerlain (LVMH), will take place on July 3rd,. The Arles crowd is expected to attend the star-studded cocktail event at the Alyscamps. Recently, French artist Bernar Venet, whose works are featured in the collections of the world's leading museums, inaugurated one of his monumental sculptures at the city's entrance, on Place Lamartine. This installation, consisting of thirteen Corten steel arches, each 27 meters long and weighing over 40 tons, was gifted to the city by private patron Théodore Schneider, former owner of the Breitling watch brand. "Arles has a vast past and a vast future," Venet celebrated, adding, "Arles is the most international, open, and cosmopolitan French city."

The Role of Patrons

Maja Hoffmann, heiress to the Swiss pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche, is an art collector and founder and president of the LUMA Foundation (Annie Leibovitz)

At La Chassagnette, a three-star inn run by talented chef Armand Arnal in the heart of the Camargue, bookings are nearly full for the entire summer. Arles' patron, Maja Hoffmann, heir to the Swiss pharmaceutical labs Hoffmann-La Roche, who owns the property, has attracted the elite and her protégés, including architect Frank Gehry with his foundation LUMA, choreographer Benjamin Millepied, in residence with his dance company, and artist Lee Ufan. Armand Arnal, the trendiest chef of the moment, also prepared the dinner following Chanel's haute couture show in Marseille this spring. Nearby, Jean-Pierre Marois, owner of the former Parisian nightclub Les Bains, recently opened "Les Bains Gardians" in the Camargue Natural Park: 67 rooms and 48 locally aesthetic cabins in a 4-hectare garden. Vogue has named it one of the ten most beautiful openings of summer 2024.

Pour continuer à lire cet article, abonnez-vous maintenant

CHF 10.- par mois / CHF 99.- par année

  • Accès illimité à tous les contenus payants
  • Des analyses approfondies sur l'industrie du luxe que vous ne trouverez nulle part ailleurs.
  • Des études et rapports sur les principaux défis à venir ainsi que leur décryptage.
  • Des articles académiques élaborés par des professeurs et des doctorants membres du Swiss Center for Luxury Research, ainsi qu’un certain nombre d’universités à l’étranger.
  • Des événements réservés aux membres pour enrichir vos connaissances et votre réseau.

Partager l'article

Continuez votre lecture

Sedona: A Mystical Pilgrimage to the Far West
Travel & Wellness

Sedona: A Mystical Pilgrimage to the Far West

Known as the New Age capital, this small town with breathtaking landscapes is also a wellness city boasting numerous high-end resorts. It’s a dream destination for hiking enthusiasts and a retreat for Hollywood celebrities seeking rejuvenation.

By Isabelle Campone

The Growing Phenomenon of Artist-Made Jewelry
Watches & Jewellery

The Growing Phenomenon of Artist-Made Jewelry

Globally, artist-made jewelry’s value continues to rise, and the rare exhibitions dedicated to their collectors are in high demand. Here’s a look at a recent phenomenon that’s gaining momentum.

By Aymeric Mantoux

S'inscrire

Newsletter

Soyez prévenu·e des dernières publications et analyses.

    Conçu par Antistatique