Les Bains: The World's Most Covetable Bathhouse
With beginnings as an 1800's bath house, the mythical Les Bains Douches drew parallels to New York's Studio 54 as the Parisian nightclub of the 1980's.
As André Saraiva, graffiti artist and nightclub impresario behind exclusive Parisian clubs like Le Baron, recalls, “Oh, there was no other nightclub. It was like a place of freedom. A temple for night culture. And it was cool.”
Built in 1885 as a public bathhouse frequented by Marcel Proust, the venue redefined the "bathing" amenities by becoming known as the place where models stripped down to their underwear and romped in the pool as DJs spun spontaneous sets late into the night after PFW fashion shows.
Revelers in the pool during the club’s ’90s heyday. Photo: Foc Kan, WireImage
Now, thanks to owner Jean Peirre Marois, the locale has been rebirthed as home to a sophisticated and stylish hotel, restaurant, bar, and venue for gallery openings and, of course, afterparties for major fashion houses like Balmain. Featuring minimalist, modern interiors with marble trims, iconic porcelain bathtubs, and outdoor showers on the rooms' balconies, Les Bains still draws a covetable crowd of artists: Fashion influencer Kristina Bazan touts it "her favorite place to stay in Paris," and Joy Division even dedicated an album to the club's opening four decades ago.
Watch her campaign video with Mugler, shot in a room at Les Bains, and book a room below:
Speaking of Paris...
Sry bout it.