Playfulness is an important quality of a life well lived
Final digest of the year
Welcome to the last newsletter of 2025,
I’m writing this from the lobby of the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz, which was designed by Renzo Mongiardino (possibly my favorite architect & designer of all time). This week was the opening of Carsten Holler’s Pink Mirror Carousel installation on the ice rink at the Kulm Country Club:
You may have seen Carsten’s other installations, such as Synchro System (2000), the giant upside down mushrooms at Fondazione Prada, or the infamous office slide at Miuccia Prada’s office. The Pink Mirror Carousel is an immersive sculpture that rotates at a slow speed, inviting people to slow down, and take in the reflection of the mountains on the mirrored panels. After dinner, a group of us including Carsten went for a spin, and there’s something about sitting in the carousel that brings out a playful side of you:
It was also fun to experience the magic that friend-of-The Stanza Arman Nafeei creates at the Kulm Country Club, where he curates programming during the winter season. Arman had everyone, including people’s parents, dancing until late after the opening event.
St. Moritz is one of my favorite destinations in the world because it has a uniquely preserved culture of elegance that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Yes, of course you’ll get the type of tourists that like to be showy (if you know what I mean), but what separates St. Moritz from other alpine towns is its deep ties to the art world. For example, in the ‘80’s, Basquiat’s art dealer at the time, Bruno Bischofberger, brought him to St. Moritz, where he fell in love with the Engadine way of life and subsequently produced several works. This morning, we visited Hauser & Wirth’s exhibition of works produced by Alberto Giacometti showing his personal devotion to the nearby Bregaglia Valley. There’s a certain magic in St. Moritz that keeps people coming back, often for generations! A huge part of the success of St. Moritz is its tourism board, which does a fantastic job with curation, storytelling, and preservation.
Thank you all for your feedback on my interview with Fredric Biousse and Linda Hazi of Fontenille Collection. I love interviewing industry leaders and I’m so glad you’ve found my work insightful and valuable. Thank you for your support this year, and I can’t wait to unveil what I have planned for you all in 2026.
Happy Holidays,
Nadine
In today’s newsletter:
Should real estate developers buy distressed fashion brands with textile roots?
What does the continuous bifurcation between prices of ultra luxury goods versus services tell us about consumer psychology?
Is the future of fashion retail only in high-end segment?
Why is there no “best” operator doing a cohesive portfolio of European lifestyle hotels?
If you’re thinking of starting a wellness club, consider this instead:
Read previous issues of The Stanza here.
Investment opportunity: The “Chiltern Firehouse-meets-Chateau Marmont” of Sunset Harbor, Miami
BeyBey is an experiential F&B concept that sets itself apart from the South Beach member’s club scene with a distinct ‘guest list only’ model. This curated experience blends exclusivity and cultural cachet, attracting both discerning locals and global tastemakers through intentional programming, elevated hospitality, and tightly controlled access. Sales performance during the opening phase in 2024 was at 30% of future stabilized SF capacity, proving early demand for their unique experience.
The founding team are looking to raise $4M for phase 2 of the renovation program, $1M of which has already been raised to date. They’ve secured an 8,000SF space with multiple rooms on attractive lease terms, which allows for a variety of experiences throughout the evening and for several buyout opportunities for special events.
For access to the pitch deck, email classifieds@thestanzamedia.com.
Other opportunities currently live:
Job Opportunity: Membership Director at Soho House West Coast
For sale: Fully-entitled hospitality site in West Hollywood (~45,000 SF)
For sale: 18th century Georgian building in London Mayfair, which could be a private residence or members club (25,000 SF)
For all live listings (hotels for sale, investment opportunities, open job roles), click here.
Advertise with The Stanza Classifieds: via classifieds@thestanzamedia.com.
