As part of the initiative “I’m a Fashion Addict of ARTEH® Hotels!”, we publish the interview to the Portuguese-Venezuelan fashion designer Katty Xiomara.

Get to know Katty’s motivations, current tendencies, the Fashion world and the secrets of her stay at the Areias do Seixo, an ARTEH® Hotel in Santa Cruz that now celebrates its 1st anniversary.

What do you think of the initiative launched by ARTEH® - Hotels and Resorts, “I'm a Fashion Addict of ARTEH® Hotels!”?

It is an interesting initiative because it joins work forms and life experiences which are aesthetically different but with the same purpose, it makes us feel well with ourselves.

In your opinion is there a link/connection between fashion and charm hotels?

There is, without a doubt  a strong connection, the fashion world wants to have charm, to be distinct, to be beautiful and to make us feel special and these are similar sensations to those which hotels such as Areias do Seixo offer us.

Do you believe that fashion designers should participate more in the decoration of our hotels? Of course these are different areas, but when the fashion designer creates or promotes a tendency for clothing in a certain season, can he not widen it to the decoration of spaces, in this case hotels?

I believe that in this sense, interesting partnerships can be established, I in particular like to explore other creative areas, and decorating is one of them, I believe that the creative language is similar, but I have the clear notion that a decorator has technical know-how that escapes me, has more perception of the spaces, of the dimensions and of the needs, thus team work would be ideal.

As you know before the Farol Design Hotel opened its doors, it did something of unheard of in our country, it invited several fashion designers to decorate its rooms. Do you agree with this approach? From your point of view could fashion designers/designers do more for boutique hotels in Portugal?

It seems an interesting initiative; it has been done in other countries, not only with the fashion area but also with plastic artists, illustrators and designers. It is an artistic dynamic that stimulates fresh looks.

Regarding hotel tendencies, more and more people search for native products, authentic and national products. That is, they want to come to Portugal, and find a hotel that breaths Portugal and not something standard that they could find in Paris or New York. Do you see yourself contributing towards the decoration of a hotel project made in Portugal?

Yes, it is true, increasingly more people want to feel the place they are visiting, in its entire sense and thus the hotel has a very important role, more and more people search for the authenticity of things, for this has become rare…

Continuing with the tendencies. Green care is without a doubt a tendency that came to stay. How does this concern affect your work?

More and more people worry about the care and preservation of the environment, unfortunately despite the preoccupation that might exist results are still short and insufficient, so we must continue to insist on environmental care and demonstrate it in our practices.

Did you enjoy your stay in the ARTEH® Hotel - Areias do Seixo?

I loved it! It seemed to have the perfect combination; great professionalism allied to a very distinct personality, there is no hotel like it, given there are no other Martas or Gonçalos or a team like that one... the hotel has a very personal stamp, it looks like the home everybody would like to have, but nothing is left at random, everything has a purpose and everything results in a fantastic content.

What did you like most, during your stay in the hotel?

Everything! The sensation of being in a refined 21st century country house.

What is your opinion about the hotels decoration? What sensations or emotions were awakened?

I loved it. I found that it had a personal stamp inspired with extreme care and expertise.  A very "bohemia-chic" decoration with delicious details. I must say that the bathrooms are marvellous!

What are your sources of inspiration or places that stimulate your creativity, during the creation of a new collection?

Places like this are a great creative stimulus, but I should be honest to the point of telling you that less positive sources of inspiration exist but are equally necessary for our work.

How can we define the Katty Xiomara style?

It would be very good that if we could speak about a Katty Xiomara style… I think we must mark people’s life concept in a very special way, in order to speak of our conception as a style, but we will soon get there.

The Katty Xiomara brand has a very female coquettish spirit; it is perceptive and audacious from a sweet point of view, and is able to remind women, what it is to be a woman.