DESIGN
The private salon is a 12-seat speakeasy . flamboyant eccentricity of 98-year-old fashion icon Iris Apfel .
“ Studio Shamshiri imagined a house that might act as her beloved base , displaying objects she collected on trips around the world ,” says Sawdon . “ Our vision was to create a place that was as romantic as it was rebellious , transcendent of trends and luxuriant in its irreverence for convention .”
They ’ ve passed with flying colors . Silk and wool rugs depict imaginary tiger skins and , as a nod to the city ’ s spiritualist side , ouroboroses with pomegranates in their mouths symbolize the circle of life . The lobby ’ s tribal masks and vibrant paintings with Egyptian hieroglyphics add exoticism , while in the guest rooms , bespoke tables embossed with zodiac signs and custom serpent-shaped shower door handles build the mystique .
Locally created art appears throughout , with numerous pieces by New Orleans native Clare Crespo including porcelain nautical snakes , ornate velvet heart
Detail of a tiger rug
The lobby employs tribal masks and paintings with hieroglyphics .
46 hotelsmag . com January / February 2020