Dior Taps into the Thirst for ‘Revenge Travel’

Dior Taps into the Thirst for ‘Revenge Travel’

Call it what you want — revenge travel, comeback trip, rebound vacay — but the surge in post-COVID travel is more than just a buzzword making the rounds of the internet. Travel resurgence has already begun, and it has tangible implications reaching far beyond the hospitality industry.

The pent-up demand for travel and experiences has sent hotel rates skyrocketing, making many getaways truly premium experiences this summer. Enter the high-end designer brands hoping to seize a piece of the luxury consumer’s wallet, which has only grown more robust over the course of the pandemic. The rich are getting richer — and now they are ready to spend.

Less wealthy consumers also are spending more on travel this year, opting to splurge on vacations they may not have considered in the past as a reward for enduring the last year. In May 2021, the amount of revenue generated for travel brands is up 1,203% compared to May 2020, when the world was in full lockdown mode — according to data sourced by Awin, a global affiliate marketing network. The travel floodgates are officially open.

Many retailers are paying attention. Brands are speeding up production of swimwear and resort wear, opening pop-ups in popular travel destinations and teaming up with hotels for brand activations to meet consumers who are embracing travel again with gusto.

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Luxury label Dior, for example, recently opened its new “Dioriviera” pop-up at Rosewood Miramar Beach in Southern California. Located on the beachfront of Montecito’s Miramar Beach, Dior has taken over the resort’s Cabana Pool, Bocce Courts and Garden Bungalow Suites in celebration of the Dioriviera capsule collections. This location is one in a series of exclusive Dioriviera global activations, including seven Dior boutiques as well as 11 pop-up boutiques worldwide.

Upon entering the Bungalows, guests are welcomed into a warm Dior oasis with Maria Grazia Chiuri’s toile de Jouy prints wrapping the walls, in neon framboise pink and lime green. The bungalows lead out to the ultimate Dior hangout haven, where guests are free to lounge under Dioriviera umbrellas in the Dioriviera hammocks and fold-out chairs — all available for purchase on location. The fun factor is kicked into high gear with a Dior-branded bocce court and pool area for playing or spectating while sitting poolside.

The takeover will be open through Sept. 6, 2021.

Photos courtesy of Dior

Is a $25 Coffee Worth the Instagram Clout at the Dior and Fendi Cafés?

click to enlarge The centerpiece/selfie-taking station of Dior Café. Photo by Aaliyah Pasols

click to enlarge Avocado toast at the Fendi pop-up. Photo by Aaliyah Pasols

click to enlarge A $25 Dior Café café Photo by Aaliyah Pasols

If there’s one thing Miami is known for besides partying and, it’s the abundance of bougieness: The flashy cars, the designer accessories, the expensive cocktails — and all of the Instagram stories that come with them.Perhaps this is why Miami has become home to not one, but two designer cafés. Dior Café opened in January of 2019 as a pop-up but has been so successful it now has an open-ended run. This past May, the Fendi Caffè opened inside OTL Restaurant. It will last until Tuesday, July 6, as a pop-up. Both are situated in the Miami Design District, one street apart from each other.The trendy cafés have been impossible to avoid on social media — but that’s because they were likely created with precisely this in mind. Beyond the opportunity for the perfect Instagram post, is a $25 coffee at one of these designer pop-ups worth the money?On a Saturday afternoon, the Fendi Caffè had a line that began at the counter and ended in between the actual Fendi store and the café, directly beneath the afternoon Florida sun.QR codes on the front door lead to a website with the menu, some free digital stickers, and an Instagram filter.The café’s interior is bathed in Fendi’s signature yellow, inspired by the brand’s Fendi FF Vertigo Summer 2021 Capsule collection , created in collaboration with artist Sarah Coleman Menu items include Fendi branded French toast ($11), grilled cheese ($12) and avocado toast ($11).Drinks include an iced latte ($4.50), a “Coco” lemonade made with coconut water ($5.50), and the “In Pursuit of Tea,” which is, basically, your choice of tea ($4).We ordered French toast and a grilled cheese. After a 25-minute wait, the toast arrived, followed about 15 minutes later by the grilled cheese.The French toast was sprinkled with sugar, and came with a side of maple syrup and fresh blueberries and strawberries. The syrup was sweet, the brioche toast soft and buttery. The grilled cheese was festooned with two tiny paper flags adorned with a psychedelic Fendi pattern — really the only thing that differentiated the sandwich from any other grilled cheese in Miami.To get to the Dior Café, you must walk through the store, passing all manner of Dior apparel and accessories as you climb the mirrored stairs to the second floor. From there, you’re escorted to an elevator that leads to the third floor.The café is a small rooftop terrace with lush greenery all around. Various sculptures of animals are scattered throughout the space, outfitted with patio furniture that sports Dior-branded pillows and umbrellas. The centerpiece is a selfie magnet in the form of the brand’s name spelled out in large, golden capital letters, with a life-size sculpture of a monkey cheekily perched atop the. The entirely outdoor space is outfitted with fans to mitigate the Miami heat.A waitress helped decode vague names on the menu, such as “J’Adore” and “Dior Bee.” Like Dior’s iconic handbags, prices are extravagant. An avocado toast costs $23, while an organic Greek yogurt with granola and berries checks in at $19. Sweet offerings include a mousse-like dessert called “Coconut Delice” and the above-mentioned “J’Adore,” a mango mousse. Each dessert arrived with a Dior-branded chocolate on the side.That chocolate was delicious, but the service was next-level. When my friend dropped his bonbon on the floor, our server noticed and swiftly delivered a replacement on a plate, with two dollops of whipped cream and a blue syrup “smile” to make a smiley face.Priced at $25, the “Dior Café Miami” is a frozen coffee beverage served in a margarita glass, topped with the Christian Dior logo in cocoa powder and adorned with a mini green tropical umbrella. The drink was delicious, but $25 is a tad steep for a beverage without even the kiss of alcohol to deaden the pain.If you’re on a budget and just want to experience dining at Dior, the cheapest menu offerings are the beverages: espresso, espresso macchiato, and good old American Coca-Cola cost $8 a pop.Overall, Dior Café brings the vibes, design, presentation, and service befitting the brand. Yes, it’s costly, but it’s a quality experience.

Tout savoir sur le défilé Haute Couture Dior automne-hiver 2021-2022

Après un an et demi bousculé par la pandémie, la maison Dior a présenté son premier défilé en physique depuis trois saisons ! Et c’est la Haute Couture qui a réouvert ce bal esthétique ce lundi 5 juillet 2021.

Dans un monde qui se réveille anxieusement de plusieurs mois passés dans des pièces lounge, quelle place peut trouver l’excellence de la Haute Couture, dont l’apanage est de célébrer un vêtement qui n’est pas amené à être porté plus d’une fois ? Réponse de Maria Grazia Chiuri.

Les valeurs de la Haute Couture Dior

Au moment du dernier déconfinement, nombreux étaient les commentateurs mode à se demander comment nous allions nous habiller désormais. Après un an dans nos intérieurs s’agirait-il de sortir nos pièces les plus flamboyantes ou bien continuer à porter des pièces confortables ?

À cette question, Maria Grazia Chiuri, première directrice artistique femme de Dior, a trouvé un entre-deux qui se dessine comme le vestiaire idéal post-pandémie. Du côté des vêtements de jour, on retrouve des matières au toucher précieux comme le cachemire ou le tweed. Tailleurs gris chinés, jupe taille haute, blazer de velours… La femme Dior Couture mêle l’élégance à la décontraction et s’impose visuellement dans l’espace.

C’est dans les robes du soir que s’exprime toute la fluidité et le romantisme de la collection. Jeu de transparence, de luminosité, de drapé et de volant, les mouvements du corps sont mis en avant. Finies les entraves, la liberté et la sensualité s’affirment faisant la part belle à la beauté des savoir-faire artisanaux de la Haute Couture.

Vidéo du jour :

“C’est une chose métaphorique, de dire que nous sommes tous connectés”, a déclaré la créatrice dans une interview à Vogue US. Une connexion à nous-même, à la nature, mais aussi aux autres comme le prouvent les broderies indiennes commandées à une école, soutenue par la maison Dior, qui forment de jeunes femmes aux métiers artisanaux.

Plus qu’un retour à la normal, c’est une amplification du message porté par Maria Grazia Chiuri qui, depuis son arrivée chez Dior, tisse avec talent le lien entre mode et questions sociétales.