One year after the passing of our dear friend, Mimi Chanard (fondly known as Mimi de Biarritz) and the opening of the Warren Street Hotel, we wanted to create something commemorative to remind people of the artist whose witty and original work is admired by so many in our hotels.
In the UK, there is a tradition of hanging blue plaques outside the homes of significant individuals (you can learn more about those that have inspired us in a recent podcast here). We thought it would be fitting to design a special blue plaque for Mimi as a tribute, with the inscription: ‘Artist and Muse, Forever Original.’
The plaque was designed by Willow Kemp and brought to life by ceramicist Katrin Moye and mosaic artist Sophie Robins. It beautifully depicts Mimi, wearing a floral headdress and an embroidered dress, with her arms gracefully outstretched to invite birds to rest. We first reached out to Katrin Moye to bring the design to life, and it was her brilliant idea to collaborate with Sophie Robins. Katrin had observed that Mimi sometimes incorporated mosaics into her own artwork and we loved the idea of blending both mediums. The result, a beautiful fusion of ceramic and mosaic, feels perfectly “more is more”— true to Mimi’s style. We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome and we’re certain Mimi would have been overjoyed.
The plaque now hangs at the centre of the mantelpiece in The Orangery at Warren Street Hotel, above a magnificent sandstone fireplace. It gazes down upon a large marble urn, frequently overflowing with flowers or champagne bottles on ice.
We feel deeply privileged to have known and spent so much time with Mimi over the years and we hope our plaque serves as a fitting tribute to her legacy!