Q: Filippo, hotels today focus extensively on sensory experiences. How does Frette approach this evolution?

Filippo Arnaboldi:
Our approach is deeply personalised, much like a tailor designing for a client. When partnering with a hotel, we immerse ourselves fully, understanding its iconic features, heritage, and unique story. Our design team, in collaboration with general managers and property owners, crafts bespoke linen collections reflecting the distinct character of each property—essentially, its DNA.

We’ve moved far beyond the catalogue approach of the past. Today’s hospitality linens must provide a unique guest experience, ensuring each stay is authentically memorable.

Q: How does Frette’s heritage inform your innovation strategy?

Filippo Arnaboldi:
Our heritage is our compass. Since Edmond Frette founded the brand in 1860, quality, craftsmanship, and impeccable design have remained our core principles. Yet innovation is essential. Today, we offer innovative fabric blends tailored to diverse climates, blending luxury with practical durability.

One unique advantage is our dual presence in hospitality and retail. Insights from our retail stores inspire hospitality innovations, and vice versa, keeping us consistently ahead of trends.

Q: Creating bespoke collections is clearly central to Frette’s ethos. Can you elaborate on this process?

Filippo Arnaboldi:
Absolutely. Our process is collaborative and creative. We begin by understanding the property’s unique qualities and the vision of hotel managers. Our design team creates sketches or digital concepts reflecting these insights—not just for bedding, but extending to dining, spa, pool areas, and gift items. It’s all about crafting a unified, immersive experience.

This highly customised approach is driven by guests’ desires and property managers’ expectations, making Frette not just a supplier, but an advisor, bridging creativity with operational needs.

Q: Sustainability is increasingly vital in hospitality. How is Frette responding?

Filippo Arnaboldi:
Sustainability is indeed complex, especially in luxury textiles. While hotels increasingly encourage guests to reuse linens, sustainability in textiles remains challenging, primarily due to water-intensive cotton production and chemical treatments.

However, Frette offers a retail line, ‘Naturalismo’, featuring organic cotton processed without chemicals, demonstrating our capability in fully sustainable products. Yet the challenge for hotels remains significant, mainly due to higher costs and incompatibility with industrial laundry practices. Our current sustainability strategy emphasises durability and longevity, ensuring our linens remain luxurious over extended use, reducing overall waste.

Q: Hotels demand linens that are both luxurious and durable. How do you strike that balance?

Filippo Arnaboldi:
It’s always a careful compromise. Luxury hotels require linens that withstand rigorous commercial laundering yet retain a luxurious feel. Before production, we extensively test each product’s washability and durability. Sometimes, operational requirements override creative ambitions, but our primary aim remains guest satisfaction without compromising practicality. Durability and aesthetic elegance must coexist seamlessly.

Q: With the wellness trend booming, how does Frette cater to this area?

Filippo Arnaboldi:
Wellness areas have become crucial spaces in hotels, demanding specialised products. Frette has developed comprehensive spa collections, including plush robes, slippers, and gym towels, ensuring guests have consistent luxury throughout their wellness journey—from the suite to the spa and fitness facilities.

We constantly refine our spa-focused collections to enhance the tactile, sensory experience, aligning perfectly with the growing emphasis on holistic well-being.

Q: How crucial are first impressions in luxury hospitality linens?

Filippo Arnaboldi:
First impressions are everything. When guests enter a room, the visual and tactile luxury of linens should inspire comfort, not intimidation. We focus heavily on creating an inviting aesthetic—linens that evoke immediate delight, encouraging guests to dive right in.

At turn-down, we aim for a distinctly different experience, transitioning the guest from daytime elegance to evening relaxation effortlessly.

Q: Frette recently launched the Frette Academy. Could you explain its significance?

Filippo Arnaboldi:
The Frette Academy, launching soon in collaboration with Pedersoli, addresses the vital need for training hotel staff in the proper care and presentation of luxury linens. It’s about maintaining the quality and appearance of products throughout their lifecycle. Initially starting in Italy, this programme will soon expand internationally, reflecting our commitment to lasting partnerships and excellence.

Q: Lastly, what do you anticipate as the future innovation in luxury hotel textiles?

Filippo Arnaboldi:
Future innovation will revolve around advanced fabric blends and textile technologies. Recently, we introduced blends like cotton-silk-cashmere for our retail lines, offering exceptional comfort and luxury. While commercial practicality currently limits similar introductions in hospitality, continuous research promises future breakthroughs in innovative materials and enhanced product performance. Coupled with consistent training, these innovations will set new standards for luxury hotel textiles in the coming decade.