Six Senses heads to Kyoto, Glossier unveils a pink dreamland in Los Angeles, and a new benchmark is set for Latin American artwork. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Frida Kahlo breaks record for Latin American art at auction
Frida Kahlo, Diego y yo (Diego and I); photo courtesy of Sotheby’s
Late Mexican painter Frida Kahlo’s 1949 self portrait Diego y yo fetched a record-setting $34.9 million at a Sotheby’s auction earlier this week, reports ArtNet. Argentinian collector and museum founder Eduardo F. Costantini bought the oil painting, which was originally estimated to sell for $30 million. The sale marks the most expensive work by a Latin American artist ever to be sold at auction. The previous record was held by The Rivals (1931)—a painting by Kahlo’s partner, Diego Rivera—which sold for $9.8 million in 2018.
Glossier makes its brick-and-mortar return
Photo courtesy of Glossier
After closing all of its stores and pop-ups last year, skincare and beauty brand Glossier rejoins the physical retail space with two new openings. A 6,200-square-foot shop opened in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood in August and just yesterday the digital-first company unveiled a permanent flagship store in West Hollywood, reports Hypebae. For the design of the space, Glossier’s in-house creative team pulled inspiration from classic Hollywood studios to create a creative, imaginative environment. The immersive experiences aims to be a community hub—bringing both locals and tourists together. In December, Glossier Alley, an outdoor space complete with a café and Instagrammable fountain, will debut adjacent to the Los Angeles outpost.
Six Senses to bring a wellness-focused resort to Japan
Thailand-based hotel operator Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas is set to launch a luxury wellness retreat in Kyoto, Japan in 2024, according to DesignWell. Six Senses Kyoto will feature 81 guestrooms situated around a central courtyard, allowing guests to engage with the surrounding nature. BLINK Design Group is envisioning a calm, welcoming environment that maximizes both openness and seclusion. The resort’s onsite spa and wellness facilities will combine traditional healing practices and Japanese Zen culture. “We’re delighted to announce our entry into Japan’s cultural heart, Kyoto. Together with our partners, Tokyo-based Wealth Management, we’re tapping into Kyoto’s rich cultural significance and our brand ethos of sustainability and uplifting experiences to develop a premier wellness-focused destination,” says Six Senses CEO Neil Jacobs.
Will Zoom bolster business travel?
During the second annual Skift Aviation Forum on Wednesday, American Airlines chairman and CEO Doug Parker reflected on the current state of the airline industry. When asked if Zoom and other online communications platforms that have surged in popularity recently will impact the similarly as the internet did in the 1990s, Parker agreed. “It makes connections easier, and over time more and more will want to get together. People will connect who wouldn’t do otherwise,” he says. “I’m bullish on business travel. Zoom or Teams aren’t going away, they’re huge advancements and we’re going to coexist.” Parker also shared that he does anticipate new patterns, especially in business travel, to emerge.
Brookfield looks to offload extended-stay hotel portfolio
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According to the Real Deal, Brookfield Asset Management is considering the potential sale WoodSpring Suites for up to $1.5 billion. The chain, which included a portfolio of 281 properties as of June 2020, provides affordable short- and medium-term hotel stays without many services or amenities. (WoodSpring Suites’ average length of stay is approximately 15 days.) The news comes after the property giant negotiated a deal with Hospitality Investors Trust in April to take control of its 100 hotels.
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