The popular chain of hotels is celebrating the art of travel by launching the exclusive, One&Only Heritage Collection by Jay Ahr, a limited edition of custom-designed vintage Louis Vuitton Keepalls. Drawing on the natural beauty and rich culture of each location of One&Only, every bespoke bag is a blend of timeless travel and distinctive craftsmanship.
Sourced from the 10 global resort destinations, each treasured bag has been hand-picked and transformed with the highest quality embroidery that Jay Ahr is renowned for. The bespoke designs are inspired by the local heritage, celebrating each destination. Every authentic Louis Vuitton Keepall is traced to its provenance, and informs a design that continues to tell a story. Only two bags have been designed for each resort, each completely distinct in design, and are exclusively available for purchase from One&Only.
“Fashion is an intrinsic part of our guests’ lives,” commented Philippe Zuber, Chief Operating Officer, Kerzner International. “Collaborating with the incredibly creative artist Jonathan Riss for Jay Ahr allows us to create something truly bespoke for our guests that inspires dreams of travel, trips of discovery and a deep connection with the destination. These bags are timeless, and all have a story to tell.”
Founder of Jay Ahr and artist, Jonathan Riss commented, “With The Heritage Collection, One&Only is the perfect partner as truly each bag I produce is the one and only bag. I love to discover different cultures and destinations and each One&Only resort is a true celebration of that. Transforming these vintage bags adds to the storied life span with something different, new and compellingly modern.”
Growing up, Riss spent much of his time immersed in the work of modern and contemporary artists and was captivated by travel at a young age and developed his skills across a number of countries including Belgium, Ukraine and Mumbai. He founded his own label in 2005, and JAY AHR (the name is a phonetic spelling of Riss’ initials) is a collection of bold pieces comprised of innovative fabrics and embroidery, celebrating his passion for travel, design, art and culture.
In his collaboration with the hotel chain, every country where there is a One&Only resort, has either a bag showcasing the national flag or the representative passport of that country. A second bag is available for each resort with a design that epitomizes the inspiring location that was hand-picked for the resort, in celebration of the destination.
These redesigned bags are a rare find as they all have a distinct past as well as new signature and identity. Made from Louis Vuitton’s signature monogram canvas that only gets better with age, the original craftsmanship is unrivalled and the One&Only Heritage Collection of repurposed investment pieces builds on this history. “Just like any good story, these collectors’ items are passed from one owner to another - a treasure never to be disposed of, but loved from one generation to the next.”
The One&Only Resort in Dubai is currently presenting two of these timeless bags and in an interpretation of the United Arab Emirates, the national flag is super-imposed over the lyrics to the national anthem. The lyrics are written in a heavily stylized calligraphy reflecting the elegant simplicity of the original local architecture. This bag, found in the UAE, was originally made in July 1994.
In the second bag, the Passport collection celebrates pride in national identity, whilst also being an overt statement of international travel. The Red Passport is a ‘Diplomatic Passport’ is issued to diplomats serving in Emirati embassies abroad and to high-ranking officials from the executive branch and their families during their period of service. The bag is also a playful wink to the iconic status of these instantly recognisable bags – my bag is my passport...This bag was first ‘issued’ in April 1982 and sourced from Abu Dhabi.
To purchase one of the limited-edition bags, contact [email protected]. For more information, please visit oneandonlyresorts.com.
