LESS IS MORE? NOT ON PHILIPP PLEIN’S DIAMOND-STUDDED WATCH! THE GERMAN FASHION EXTRAORDINAIRE TURNS THE VOLUME TO THE MAX AT HIS FIRST-EVER HOTEL PROJECT IN MILAN
BY AMANDA McCOY
In the kingdom of Philipp Plein, every show is a spectacle. Since his label’s official catwalk debut at Milan Fashion Week in 2010, the tatted-up, German-born provocateur has crafted a reputation as the runway’s reigning rebel, weaving pyrotechnics, probing neon lights, and massive props into his headline-nabbing parades of pomp and pageantry. Think jet skis, rollercoasters, monster trucks, and even a 100-foot UFO, plus special guest stars like Busta Rhymes, Paris Hilton, and NYC’s famed Naked Cowboy. Suffice it to say, Plein rarely does anything quietly, so when he announced his first-ever hotel concept a few years back, superfans expected nothing short of glorious excess.
Plein launched his eponymous brand in 1998. Originally a furniture designer, he famously sold €1,500 luxury dog beds before christening his ready-to-wear fashion label in 2004. Today, the Philipp Plein Group includes his namesake label along with Billionaire (a high-end menswear line), Plein Sport for luxury sportswear, and Plein Golf, amassing more than €200 million in sales annually. Plein’s most recent endeavor is an ultra-swanky hospitality sub-brand, and his Plein Hotel is only the beginning.
Dubbed an urban resort, the Plein Hotel is a 16-room boutique with four distinct dining venues: Philipp’s Restaurant and Club, Sukaru Ba, La Jungle de Plein, and Crystal Beach. Though originally slated for a 2022 debut, the hotel underwent a string of delays and officially opened its doors last fall in the former Krizia headquarters in Milan’s city center. The design aesthetic is unmistak ably Plein: loud luxury, rock ‘n’ roll glamour, delicious decadence. Think chairs topped with fuzzy pink flamingos, solid gold faucets fashioned into swans, and entire walls covered in small golden skulls (a Plein signature).
“We are maximalists,” Plein said about the hotel’s concept. “We love to have fun, enjoy, and decorate; we love to be over the top. All of our concepts reflect these attributes.”
Plein’s maximalist ethos is evident in each of the 16 guestrooms. Every space is equipped with full marble bathrooms, glossy parquet wooden floors, and dramatically oversized chandeliers, while some throw in private saunas, expansive outdoor terraces, and freestanding bathtubs positioned at the foot of the master bed. Final finishes and materials vary from room to room, but expect gold-trimmed mirrors smothering the walls or ceilings, neo-contemporary furniture in sculptural shapes, and contrasting precious metal accents at every turn. Guests are treated to 24/7 butler service, offering everything from champagne and fresh flowers on demand to a deluxe pillow menu.
The four dining destinations are each standalone concepts, boasting their own individual signature. Philipp’s Restaurant & Club is a dual-purpose dreamscape one part fine-dining restaurant, one part sleepless nightclub drenched in flash. The kitchen, guided by Michelin-starred chef Roberto Conti, serves
Italian staples, but with a pinch of Plein panache, of course. Carpaccio, for instance, is dressed with rare black truffles, while saffron risotto is finished with 24K gold. Caviar makes regular appearances across the board, popping up like butter in baked potatoes, fries, and homemade pasta. As the night grows darker, the energy heats up with thumping DJ sets and state-of-the-art light shows, all accompanied by creative interpretations of classic cocktails.
For herbivores, La Jungle de Plein is a pastel-cloaked postcard that specializes in organic, plant-based comfort fare. Nestled into baby pink or olive green seating surrounded by a garden of fresh blooms, diners feast on vegan delicacies like porcini pizza with black truffles or homemade tagliatelle with San Marzano tomato sauce and fresh basil. And then there’s the grand Asian odyssey at Sukaru Ba, which translates to skull bar in Japanese, a fitting moniker for a venue covered in golden skulls. Traditional gold-framed Japanese fabrics cling to the walls and chair backs, juxtaposed by black marble floors and tabletops. Dinner is equally theatrical, with caviar presented amid dry ice on black stone, while sushi rolls wrapped in gold leaf are served on samurai swords.
At the top, Milan’s first beach club, Crystal Beach, features Korean BBQ-style dining, a snack bar, and a Roman-inspired, garden-sheathed pool deck with stunning views of the Italian cityscape.
The multi-concept urban resort is the debut project in Plein’s budding hospitality portfolio, and the avant-garde disruptor has made it clear it’s far from his one and only. Plein plans to roll out at least 20 additional venues around the globe in the next two to three years. A lofty ambition? Perhaps. But for the former dog bed designer who built an €800 million brand on attitude and anti-establishment, anything and everything seems possible.
The Plein Hotel