Latest news with #DouglasCoupland
Forbes
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Douglas Coupland ‘Suite X' At Fairmont Pacific Rim Is Canada's Most Stylish
A reimagined Fairmont Gold Suite: this stunning 1194 space was conceived by famed visual artist and writer Douglas Coupland. Fairmont Pacific Staying at the splashy new Suite X at Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver, Canada, is akin to delving into the brilliant and eclectic mind of Douglas Coupland, the internationally revered Canadian visual artist and author. As Jens Moesker, Regional Vice President and General Manager, Fairmont Pacific Rim manager attests—it was the perfect synergy between Coupland and the hotel's co-owner and developers, Westbank and Peterson— all whom share the same vision and ethos of what hospitality entails Farimont Gold Suite X primary bedroom. Fairmont Pacific Rim This passion project for Douglas Coupland wasn't just to make it the most aesthetically alluring suite, but in many respects—it's an extension of his psyche. Moreover, this grande capsule is a visual-textural tapestry that pays homage to one of his most prominent works, Generation X: Tales For An Accelerated Culture. It's a book that's become part of the canon of Canadian must-reads, defining a (Boomer) generation and has made an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of his fellow citizens and beyond. Additionally, in echoing his reality—Coupland spent a lot of time on the road (moving from one hotel room to another) so this Suite X is also a deeply personal rendition of what hotel utopia would look and feel like to him. Most importantly—for Coupland—its most salient elements are that while it's tonally sophisticated, it is ultimately grounded in comfort. Living room and dining room featuring a private patio that offers panoramic views of Vancouver harbour. Fairmont Pacific Rim Newly unveiled at the end of May 2025 and situated on the 17th floor, at 1194 this reimagined one-of-a-kind Fairmont Gold Corner Suite sees the convergence of culture, design, fashion, and technology. Many accent pieces, books (including those from the Taschen library), and gallery art come directly from Coupland's private collection, resulting in a curated feast for the senses. The suite includes custom-designed furniture, an in-suite bar, private patio that overlooks the Vancouver harbor and North Shore mountains, a dining room, two bathrooms (including one with a soaker tub), and living room. The charming space is meant to evoke a sense of wonder and awe everywhere you turn—and acting as not only a place of rest and recovery—but one with an intention to spark curiosity, discovery, and conversation. FAIRMONT GOLD REFRESH The Fairmont Gold lounge and respective rooms/suites were renovated and reopened to the public in March 2025. Fairmont Pacific Rim On the subject of breathing new life into something, tangential to the Suite X refresh (of which the unit is under the family of Fairmont Gold category of stays), the remaining 60 rooms and suites (which occupy floors 20-22) were also given a revival, including the Lounge area. Conceived by interior design studio Nivek Remas, the aim for partners Samer Shaath and Kevin Chan was to make these spaces feel more residential instead of static. This was achieved through the use of earthy, warm tones, and black marble; and such thematics were further enriched through additional features such as floor-to-ceiling windows, Bocci light fixtures, and B&B Italia furnishings. Revealed to guests in March 2025, acclaimed luxury interior design studio Nivek Remas conceived of the refreshed vision for all the Fairmont Gold category of rooms and its lounge. Fairmont Pacific Rim ADDITIONAL ON-SITE GEMS TO HIGHLIGHT: DINING DELIGHTS An award-winning restaurant, Botanist features Pacific Northwest cuisine that highlights local Canadian suppliers and farmers. Fairmont Pacific Rim Botanist is the flagship award-winning restaurant of the hotel. It emphasizes 'Pacific Northwest' cuisine with flourishes of international intentionality, thanks to Executive Chef Hector Laguna—who has taken his global culinary sojourns (which includes working in Toronto and San Francisco)—and applied it to the menu here. Dishes like the hand-cut tagliatelle is amplified with locally foraged mushrooms, mushroom soil, crispy piave; and black pepper-crusted salmon is laced with lavender, sourdough, smoked salmon roe, and dill champion the seasonal bounty of Canada by honoring and spotlighting local suppliers and farmers. Bento boxes are available for lunch at The Lobby Lounge and Raw Bar. Fairmont Pacific Rim The Lobby Lounge and Raw Bar transports you to sushi bars of Japan, thanks to Chef de Cuisine Youssef Jbari whose previous stints at Nobu Marrakech have given the dishes an international playfulness. It means that you can relish in sushi and sashimi platters, but also creations like sake and ginger steamed mussels; and roasted red shrimp with espelette peppers. In partnership with Vancouver's Equinox Gallery, art featured at the hotel includes local and International talents. Fairmont Pacific Rim Bonus: The hotel's Building Artistry Program brings to life their ethos of being a living, breathing organism that celebrates art, music, and fashion in all its manifestations. For instance, the lobby is dotted with rotational couture pieces from Fairmont Pacific Rim's hotel owner Ian Gillespie's personal collection; as well The Pacific Gallery (occupying the 1st and 2nd floor of the hotel)— which is a showcase of Canadian and international art that's been curated by Equinox Gallery. SPA SERENITY Along with treatment rooms, guests of the spa can enjoy the jacuzzi, mineral bath, dry cedar sauna, steam room, fitness centre, and indoor lounges. Fairmont Pacific Rim The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star awarded spa is an urban sanctuary located in downtown Vancouver. Services and treatments are aplenty and span from massage and body treatments to facials and evolved wellness (such as reiki and meditation). Beauty products featured include Nelly De Vuyst, Biologique Recherche, and Beauty Through Balance—with an overarching focus on customized, natural, and holistic skincare. Favorite treatments include their 'Water-Coastal Mountain Cleanse'—a detoxification wrap (in blue green algae), dry brush exfoliation, steam treatment, and massage; and their 'Fairmont Signature Massage'—a Swedish style aromatherapy massage done on a vibrational sound bed with use of custom body oils (aromas of rhododendron, pine and cedar) sourced from the woods of the Pacific Northwest and Vancouver.
Sydney Morning Herald
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Being a Gen Xer is my affliction. Is Gen Z's enthusiasm curing me? Hmm, maybe
Were I to find myself held captive by alien anthropologists, keen to learn more about my generation, Generation X, I would tell them that we were so wry, cynical and intimidating during the 1990s – the peak of our cultural dominance – I didn't even know I was one. Imbibing Douglas Coupland's seminal novel Generation X, reading The Face magazine and watching Richard Linklater's 1991 cult classic Slacker, the high priests and priestesses of Gen X seemed so far removed from my own droopy teen dagdom, the idea that I could count myself among their number was laughable. It was not until my mid-30s that the penny finally dropped. This may be the most inadvertently Gen X thing I've ever done: not bothering to learn what generation I'm a part of. That's slack. If Gen X suffered from one malady, it was self-consciousness, with a secondary diagnosis of apathy. These are not useful traits to be holding on to in 2025, when the chaos enveloping the globe demands more than a shrug of the shoulders and contemptuously raised eyebrow. To pinpoint the moment when the rehabilitation of my jaded Gen X heart began, let's rewind to June 2023. I'm surrounded by open browsers, but I'm not trying to prevent an unauthorised nuclear missile launch. It's much more important than that: I'm trying to secure tickets to the Melbourne leg of Taylor Swift's Eras tour. The stakes are stratospheric. My oldest daughter is what you might call (if you were given to understatement) a Swiftie, but better understood as someone whose obsession warrants its own Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders entry. Her moods rise and fall based on Swift's musical output; she confessed recently her low spirits were not the result of VCE pressures, but Swift's extended break after her tour. Floating on a sea of browsers, conscious of the maelstrom of emotions that will be unleashed should she miss out, I begin to understand that this is not just another domestic chore, like arranging dental appointments and parent-teacher interviews. To secure tickets, I must believe in the mission itself. I must buy into not only the Swift phenomena, but the unbridled enthusiasm of Gen Z. Could I become less Gen-X'y? This is no small undertaking: my Gen X snobbery is as much a part of me as the legs I walk on, and as reflexively deployed, a billowing smokestack of uppity disdain for mainstream culture that can be seen from outer space, like the Pyramids of Giza. There was no one less prepared than me to raise a Swiftie. A child who worships stadium-filling pop stars, rides the wave of each new viral trend without shame (her bedroom is currently filling with Labubu dolls), and doesn't take sincere displays of emotion to be a measure of deep uncoolness; who doesn't pretend not to care when really, she cares a lot. An earnest student of teen girldom, she manages her insecurities not by affecting an air of nonchalance, but by being the most fully actualised, CinemaScope version of a teenage girl she can be. Her music, her clothes and her make-up are not a studied rejection of mainstream aesthetics, as mine were, but a bear-hug of what she loves. Gen Z may carry many anxieties and burdens, but appearing unmoved by everything is not one of them. In my experience, ambivalence – about work, relationships, our very existence – was the sine qua non of Gen X. Don't try too hard. Don't let anyone know how much you want it – professional success, or love or money. Affect an air of affectlessness. Earnestness and sincerity were anathema. Our self-conscious ambivalence is perhaps best exemplified in a 1991 TV interview with Kim Gordon, of Sonic Youth. She has just produced a record, and the purpose of the interview is to talk about her experience of producing a record. 'Is producing something you do a lot of?' the interviewer asks. 'Oh yeah' replies Gordon, her voice dripping with sarcasm, eyes shaded by large black sunglasses. 'I try to do it at least once a week.' She has the air of someone who's been on the phone with Telstra all day, trying to fix a billing error. God forbid she should answer the question sincerely, or cop to enjoying what she does. This was the attitude I was marinated and cooked in.
The Age
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Being a Gen Xer is my affliction. Is Gen Z's enthusiasm curing me? Hmm, maybe
Were I to find myself held captive by alien anthropologists, keen to learn more about my generation, Generation X, I would tell them that we were so wry, cynical and intimidating during the 1990s – the peak of our cultural dominance – I didn't even know I was one. Imbibing Douglas Coupland's seminal novel Generation X, reading The Face magazine and watching Richard Linklater's 1991 cult classic Slacker, the high priests and priestesses of Gen X seemed so far removed from my own droopy teen dagdom, the idea that I could count myself among their number was laughable. It was not until my mid-30s that the penny finally dropped. This may be the most inadvertently Gen X thing I've ever done: not bothering to learn what generation I'm a part of. That's slack. If Gen X suffered from one malady, it was self-consciousness, with a secondary diagnosis of apathy. These are not useful traits to be holding on to in 2025, when the chaos enveloping the globe demands more than a shrug of the shoulders and contemptuously raised eyebrow. To pinpoint the moment when the rehabilitation of my jaded Gen X heart began, let's rewind to June 2023. I'm surrounded by open browsers, but I'm not trying to prevent an unauthorised nuclear missile launch. It's much more important than that: I'm trying to secure tickets to the Melbourne leg of Taylor Swift's Eras tour. The stakes are stratospheric. My oldest daughter is what you might call (if you were given to understatement) a Swiftie, but better understood as someone whose obsession warrants its own Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders entry. Her moods rise and fall based on Swift's musical output; she confessed recently her low spirits were not the result of VCE pressures, but Swift's extended break after her tour. Floating on a sea of browsers, conscious of the maelstrom of emotions that will be unleashed should she miss out, I begin to understand that this is not just another domestic chore, like arranging dental appointments and parent-teacher interviews. To secure tickets, I must believe in the mission itself. I must buy into not only the Swift phenomena, but the unbridled enthusiasm of Gen Z. Could I become less Gen-X'y? This is no small undertaking: my Gen X snobbery is as much a part of me as the legs I walk on, and as reflexively deployed, a billowing smokestack of uppity disdain for mainstream culture that can be seen from outer space, like the Pyramids of Giza. There was no one less prepared than me to raise a Swiftie. A child who worships stadium-filling pop stars, rides the wave of each new viral trend without shame (her bedroom is currently filling with Labubu dolls), and doesn't take sincere displays of emotion to be a measure of deep uncoolness; who doesn't pretend not to care when really, she cares a lot. An earnest student of teen girldom, she manages her insecurities not by affecting an air of nonchalance, but by being the most fully actualised, CinemaScope version of a teenage girl she can be. Her music, her clothes and her make-up are not a studied rejection of mainstream aesthetics, as mine were, but a bear-hug of what she loves. Gen Z may carry many anxieties and burdens, but appearing unmoved by everything is not one of them. In my experience, ambivalence – about work, relationships, our very existence – was the sine qua non of Gen X. Don't try too hard. Don't let anyone know how much you want it – professional success, or love or money. Affect an air of affectlessness. Earnestness and sincerity were anathema. Our self-conscious ambivalence is perhaps best exemplified in a 1991 TV interview with Kim Gordon, of Sonic Youth. She has just produced a record, and the purpose of the interview is to talk about her experience of producing a record. 'Is producing something you do a lot of?' the interviewer asks. 'Oh yeah' replies Gordon, her voice dripping with sarcasm, eyes shaded by large black sunglasses. 'I try to do it at least once a week.' She has the air of someone who's been on the phone with Telstra all day, trying to fix a billing error. God forbid she should answer the question sincerely, or cop to enjoying what she does. This was the attitude I was marinated and cooked in.
Travel Daily News
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel Daily News
Fairmont Pacific Rim unveils Suite X
Fairmont Pacific Rim debuts Suite X, an immersive art-meets-hospitality experience created with Douglas Coupland, celebrating Generation X and contemporary Canadian culture. VANCOUVER, BC – Fairmont Pacific Rim, has debuted Suite X – a one-of-a-kind concept designed in collaboration with internationally acclaimed Canadian visual artist and author, Douglas Coupland and the hotel's co-owner and developers, Westbank and Peterson. Inspired by Generation X, Coupland's novel that helped define and popularize an entire generation, this immersive experience pays tribute to the demographic that reimagined identity, technology, and art. Blurring the lines between art, design, and hospitality, Suite X is a vibrant extension of the newly renovated Fairmont Gold experience, offering guests an exclusive opportunity to step inside Coupland's world – a living gallery inspired by his fascination with contemporary culture, technology, and Canadian identity. Drawing on his signature pop-art aesthetic, the suite integrates bold visuals, custom-designed furniture, an in-suite bar, and unexpected design moments that invite introspection and spark conversation. 'I'm very much a product of the late 20th century, and this suite reflects my deep love for that era.'says Douglas Coupland. 'When I was growing up, Vancouver felt like nowhere – and then, post-Olympics, it suddenly became somewhere. I never expected to witness such a transformation, but I've had the privilege of being part of the city's full evolution.' Located on the Fairmont Gold floor and offering sweeping views of Vancouver's waterfront and mountains, Suite X features original works by Coupland and curated literature from the artist's own personal collection and the TASCHEN library. The experience evokes the feeling of sitting in Coupland's own living room – every detail has been thoughtfully considered by the artist himself. Suite X marks a bold evolution in Fairmont Pacific Rim's ongoing mission to celebrate local art and culture while offering guests next-level experiences rooted in creativity and design. It also expands on the hotel's reimagined Fairmont Gold offering, which now offers a nature-inspired sanctuary featuring elevated amenities and bespoke services tailored for the discerning traveler. 'Suite X represents the intersection of hospitality and artistry, a place where inspiration lives and guests can connect with a truly unique Vancouver story.' says Jens Moesker, Regional Vice President and General Manager, Fairmont Pacific Rim. 'Collaborating with Douglas Coupland has been an incredible creative journey.'
The Province
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
Step inside the new Vancouver hotel suite inspired by artist Douglas Coupland's living room
Fairmont Pacific Rim's Suite X offers an intimate glimpse into artist's space Vancouver artist and author Douglas Coupland has created a concept called Suite X at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver. Photo by Fairmont Pacific Rim Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Douglas Coupland has spent a lot of time in hotels. 'I lived in hotels like 35 years,' the multidisciplinary artist and author says. That lengthy experience in suites around the world has made Coupland keenly aware of exactly what he feels is missing from most hotel room setups: personality. 'So many hotel rooms, even super good ones these days, are just like soul-crushingly generic,' Coupland says. The Vancouver-based artist's latest project at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel offers a solution. Called Suite X, the project saw Coupland offer a long-overdue update to the luxury hotel property's room 1706, a space previously themed around the 2010 Winter Olympics. 'It needed a little bit of Charlie Brown Christmas tree love,' Coupland jokes of the former space. And boy, did it get it. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Vancouver artist and author Douglas Coupland has created a concept called Suite X at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver. Photo by Fairmont Pacific Rim In a news release shared by the property, the suite was described as being inspired by Coupland's bestselling novel, Generation X (hence the name). But, according to the artist, it's perhaps best described as a near-perfect replica of his personal living room. 'It's like my living room, away from my living room,' he says. The idea for the colourful, fully loaded space came about during a party at Coupland's house where hotel owner and Westbank Corp founder Ian Gillespie suggested they redo suite 1706 to look just like Coupland's personal living room. 'I was like, okay, we can do that,' Coupland recalls. The project took place over approximately three months, according to Coupland. During that time, the room received updates such as new flooring and installations — along with a whole bunch of pop culture pieces curated by the artist. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'This is the hotel room I wish I could have stayed in,' Coupland says. Suite X at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Photo by Fairmont Pacific Rim A 'living gallery' of sorts, the suite features art pieces including a Lego model of Coupland's famous Digital Orca, canvasses, and books from both the artist's personal collection and from Taschen. Marine drift pieces recovered following the Japanese tsunami off the beaches of Haida Gwaii also feature prominently in the space, with some of the recovered items displayed as is, while others have been painted gold or covered in resin. 'It actually turns out it's all about a marine ecology, which I think is the understory there,' Coupland says of the book and suite. 'I certainly love pop culture, especially sort of 20th century pop culture. And so you put the two of those things together, and you got this very interesting combination.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. For those who can't stay in the new suite themselves, Coupland says the room will be featured in a new book about the space to be released soon. The room will change over time, with new installations and art being moved in and out of the space. 'They like trying out new ideas,' Coupland says of the property. 'So they'll always be something new.' Suite X at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Photo by Fairmont Pacific Rim When prompted to pick a favourite aspect of the newly redesigned suite, Coupland provided a very Vancouver response: the view. 'It overlooks the grass roof of Canada Place … you're looking at the harbour,' Coupland says of the impressive expanse. 'It's like a crazy view.' Aharris@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Sports News
