TRADITIONALLY UNEXPECTED – 80 YEARS OF ICONIC MOMENTS THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE YOU LENS

Fairmont Hotel Vancouver celebrates with contemporary photo exhibition by photographer Dennis Gocer

Though it can be said that classics never age, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver celebrates its 80th Anniversary on May 25^th, 2019. In homage to its history, the hotel collaborated with international portrait photographer Dennis Gocer to create a captivating photo exhibition that re-imagines eight decades of its iconic moments, offering a contemporary lens on traditional storytelling. Captured throughout the property, the scenes convey a timeless fashion story, complemented by diamond jewellery provided exclusively from De Beers Jewellers, including the Mosaic Necklace which boasts 1,314 diamonds and a total carat weight of 145.65 cts.

The exhibition debuted to the public May 24^th, and will be on display in the hotel’s lobby through 2019. Guests can experience a memorable moment of their own with the Signature Gold Portrait Package which includes a one-hour black and white portrait session with and a two night stay in a luxurious and newly renovated Fairmont Gold Room. Fairmont Gold, a boutique hotel experience within the grand hotel, was designed for the most discerning guest with private check-in, concierge and exclusive lounge that serves complimentary breakfast, canapés and refreshments throughout the day. For the over-the-top luxury seeker, the 80^th Anniversary Iconic Moments Package features a bespoke professional photo shoot based on the hotel’s exhibition with Dennis Gocer, including wardrobe, hair and make-up, a keepsake from De Beers Jewellery, and two nights in the Royal Suite, part of the Fourteenth Floor Heritage Suite Collection, priced at $80,000 CAD.

Iconic moments that inspired the new photographs include Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger sneaking into the hotel’s Panorama Roof restaurant in 1940 for a photo opp, and though the hotel has been frequented by many celebrities, dignitaries and royals over its eight decades, some of the most fascinating stories are about former staff. There’s the craftsman in the 1930’s who placed a newspaper and personal essay inside the gargoyle he was carving, and Ethel Ferguson, the housekeeper who hid over 200 pieces of Chippendale’s furniture around the hotel in the 1960’s during a “modernization” and only came clean after she approved of the hotel’s new restoration plan more than 15 years later.

“We wanted to be able to tell our stories in an innovative way that connects with guests,” says Adam Laker, General Manager of Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. “Any heritage hotel can hand over a history brochure and trust that it’s read, but what we’ve hopefully done is create scenes that are so intriguing you want to stop and figure out what’s going on. We want guests to ask questions like, ‘Why is there a horse in the ballroom?’ and, ‘Who is this woman and why is furniture stacked behind her?’”

Dennis Gocer is an international portrait photographer, born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. Founder and Creative Director of The Collective You, Dennis has created portraits for brands such as Burberry, DeBeers, Tesla, and Omega. His work has been published internationally in Vogue, Wallpaper*, and Vanity Fair.

More information is available in the Photo Book.

About Fairmont

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is where occasions are celebrated and history is made. Landmark hotels with unrivalled presence, authentic experiences and unforgettable moments have attracted visitors to Fairmont and its destinations since 1907. The Plaza in New York City, The Savoy in London, Fairmont San Francisco, Fairmont Banff Springs and Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai are but a few of these iconic luxury hotels, forever linked to the special places where they reside. Famous for its engaging service, grand public spaces, locally inspired cuisine and celebrated bars and lounges, Fairmont promises a special brand of thoughtful luxury that will be remembered long after any visit. With a worldwide portfolio of more than 75 hotels, Fairmont also takes great pride in its deep community roots and leadership in sustainability. Fairmont is part of Accor, a world-leading travel and lifestyle group which invites travelers to feel welcome in almost 4,800 hotels, resorts and residences, along with some 10,000 of the finest private homes around the globe.

fairmont.com | accorhotels.group

Media release and image provided by Nancie Hall, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Pacific Northwest.

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