London hotel to inspire haute couture fashion collection

London hotel The Royal Horseguards in Whitehall, famous for once housing Churchill’s favourite bar in its basement where secret passages link the building to Westminster & Whitehall, will be the central inspiration behind a haute couture fashion collection designed to bring some of London’s most iconic hotels to life.

London-based fashion designer Aimee McWilliams, one of the UK’s leading young designers and known for turning down fashion houses in Paris and Milan in favour of setting up her own UK label, will create the ‘capsule’ bespoke clothing collection. The entire collection will be unveiled in January, and later auctioned for charity in 2009, after being displayed for a period of time in the namesake hotels.

It is intended that the designs will communicate the individual style, character and history of four of London’s most individual hotel properties; Charing Cross, The Cumberland (Marble Arch), The Tower (at Tower Bridge) and The Royal Horseguards.

Located on the river in Whitehall, The Royal Horseguards hotel is built in the style of a French Chateau and as a Grade 1 listed building has welcomed many Prime Ministers through its doors. It’s believed even the Secret Service used its eighth floor as a secret base during the Second World War and the building also boasts the largest free standing marble staircase in Europe.

The Royal Horseguards is due to officially re-open in February 2009 following a £16m investment and refurbishment programme.

Aimee McWilliams said, “I have been inspired by great interiors for most of my creative life. The opportunity to create high end luxury garments that reflected the diverse and stylish interiors of each of the hotels makes this a dream project.”

Aimee, a graduate of the Central Saint Martin’s School of Art and Design, is recognised as one of today's hottest young designers. Aimee set up her own label after winning the award for the best collection upon graduation and more recently won the Designer of the Year Award at the Scottish Style Awards 2007.

Together, the four hotels will make Guoman Hotels, a new collection of deluxe London based hotels each with an individual and unique history and character, brought together with a promise of exceptional service and customer experience.

Sanjay Nijhawan, chief operating officer, Guoman Hotels, said, “We wanted to find a way of communicating the true individuality of the different hotels within the collection, and also celebrate The Royal Horseguards joining the collection early next year. Aimee is one of London’s – and one of the UK’s – most sought after up-and-coming designers and we’re delighted to have her on board. With her unmistakeable signature style, her designs will bring the hotels to life in a unique way.”

For more information, log on to Guoman.com.