Globetrotter | Ariane Dutzi

Ariane Dutzi, designer and founder of Dutzi Designs, has made Tulum, Mexico her home since 2005. She is a world traveler, having worked for 14 years in Paris and New York before settling in Mexico. Ariane not only produces beautiful designs with eco-friendly materials, but she also creates jobs and leads entrepreneurial workshops for locals living in the Yucatan Peninsula. Ariane is a stylish globetrotter with a huge heart- through the creation of her design firm Dutzi , she has shown the world that having a love of fashion, determination and an open mind can make positive changes in rural cultures. Ariane shared her style wishes and Tulum secrets with L-atitude, read more.

 

 

Ariane Dutzi, designer and founder of Dutzi Designs, has made Tulum, Mexico her home since 2005. She is a world traveler, having worked  for 14 years in Paris and New York before settling in Mexico.  Ariane not only produces beautiful designs with eco-friendly materials, but she also creates jobs and leads entrepreneurial workshops for locals living in the Yucatan Peninsula. Ariane is a stylish globetrotter with a huge heart, through the creation of her design firm Dutzi, she has shown the world that having a love of  fashion, determination and an open mind can make positive changes in rural cultures.  Ariane shared her style wishes and Tulum secrets with L-atitude, read more.

 

How would you describe your own personal style?

I would say casual-chic and elegance. 

 

 

 

 

 

What are your Style Mantra?s for 2013?

Be more sexy. 

 

Add some glitter. Put on some more color.

 

 

 

What is one of your most memorable Holiday staycations or vacations?

 

Definitively the time I spent in the haciendas in the Yucatan. I especially like Hacienda Santa Rosa www.haciendasantarosa.com and Hacienda Uayamon www.haciendauayamon.com. 

 

 

 

I just love the feeling of the Haciendas. The mix of the old and the new in the middle of the jungle. Elegance and perfection in the middle of Mother Nature. The food was amazing, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ariane at the Dutzi store (Courtesy of Kimberly Schwede)

 

 

What are the three things besides your passport you never leave home without?

 

My dog Lorenzo... I try to take him everywhere I go, but many places don't take dogs. And I don't take him to NY. The city is too busy and I am too busy there. Then he stays at home with his Nanny, who comes to the house. And they both go to our store and workshop, where even more women take care of him. He is a star.

 

 

 

My lipstick.... I don't use much make-up, but I love lipstick.

 

 

 

 

 

Ariane and Lorenzo

 

What are your globetrotter tips for living like a ?local? in Tulum? 

 

Everybody seems to like Hartwood, looks like I am the only one who is not a big fun of this place. The food is good, but nothing exceptional and it's really overpriced. The wine is horrible. I never had a great experience there. The service was so bad. I went there three times. I might give it another try. But I love their interior design.

 

 

 

My newest favorite place in Tulum is the restaurant Simple. Really, really fresh fish. Amazing. I had grilled white tuna there the other night. It was amazing. The fish was so fresh, that I had the feeling it melted in my mouth... I also like Casa Jaguar and my old-time favorite, if I like something more formal, Hechizo. And the restaurant at Las Ranitas has great Mexican food. These are the restaurants on the beach. In town I love Charlie's. He?s been there since ages. Since people even knew about Tulum. What a great atmosphere and great Mexican food. And I still like to go to La Nave, a great Italian place. Celti is another one, I love. It has modern Mexican food. Really good, the owner and chef is Mexican and she is a woman. She worked very hard to open her own restaurant. I admire her a lot. 

 

The restaurant Hemingway is amazing and they have very, very cute cabanas. 

 

Tulum beach (Courtesy of Alex Gn?dinger)

 

I am not a huge fan of the hotels in Tulum. I like privacy. Tulum is not the same like 10 years ago, when I first arrived. There were 4 hotels on the beach and all of them so far away from each other. It was pitch black at night and you could see even the smallest star. So my recommendation would be to rent a house in Sian Ka'an, the natural reserve a little bit further down south on the beach road. Maybe 5 to 10km. It's really worth it. There are only very, very few gorgeous houses to rent. But they are all amazing. This would be a really unique and amazing experience. All the houses/villas are on the beach.  The hotel I like in Tulum is Coqui Coqui. Years ago I joined Nicolas Malleville, the owner of Coqui Coqui, and his partner at the time Belem Galvani, to start Coqui Coqui residence. The Coqui Coqui day spa was already open and working. We worked together on the design of Coqui Coqui and training the staff. It's still one of my favorite hotels in Tulum to stay. The other one I adore is Casa LaHa. It's gorgeous. And the owners and the staff are super friendly. The owners have an amazing taste. I love the views, the pool... wow...

 

 

Coqui Coqui Bedroom

 

 

 

There are still not many shops I like in Tulum, but from the few to choose, I like La Troupe, they have beautiful linens all hand embroidered, cushions, and hats and scarfs. Mainly home decor and accessories. Mostly made in Mexico. The store itself looks amazing. It's a container redesigned and decorated. And of course the Coqui Coqui store at Coqui Coqui. And the Caravan de Hacienda Montecristo. And for Mexican souvenirs go to Mixik.

 

La Troupe

 

 

 

 

 

Coqui Coqui Store

 

Then years ago, I arrived the first time in Tulum and fell in love with it. Many things have changed. At the time, there was no electricity. The nights were black. There is still no electricity per se, but a lot, a lot of generators. Tulum is still great, but it's starting to feel like Playa del Carmen... Rave parties, more and more restaurants, hotels, etc. I miss my old Tulum.. My temazcal...A temazcal is a type of sweat lodge, which originated with pre-hispanic, Indigenous peoples in Mesomamerica. The word temazcal comes from the Nahuatl word tem?zcalli, "house of heat". In ancient Mesoamerica it was used as part of a curative ceremony thought to purify the body.  Yes, there are more and more temazcals, but it's not the same anymore. It's all adapted to the tourists. 

 

But I still find the uniqueness of Tulum in the Sian Ka'an, the biosphere. There are hardly any hotels, only a few private homes. Some friends of mine have private houses there. That's when I feel like back in the days. Tulum, the ocean, me and Lorenzo, my dog, and nature... I love it... One place to go there is CESiak, a small ecotourism and education center; it serves as a model for sustainable development in sensitive tropical ecosystems. They have a great restaurant there, where you can watch the sunset over the lagoon and on the other side you see the Caribbean Ocean. This is really a very unique experience. I highly recommend it. I also love massages. And one great one is the Mayan Clay Massage at Maria's place, www.mayanclayspa.com. Maria's uses a technique from the old days - harvesting the Mayan clay from the bottom of the cenotes (sinkholes). The clay is amazing. Before our massage and afterwards you shower or rise in the ocean... a real delight....

 

 

 

 

What three things are you coveting from L-atitude and why?

 

 

 

Mexican Bazaar Black & White Long Tunic 

 

because I love Mexico and I never saw it in white with black embroidery.

 

 

 

 

 

laLesso Juakali Jumpsuit because I love jumpsuits and this one looks amazing. I think, you always look amazing in a jumpsuit. Casual and elegant at the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

Two Peach Monica Caftan because you never can have enough caftans if you live on the beach.

 

 

 

 

Globetrotter Stats | Ariane Dutzi

 

 

 

Souk or Department Store?

 

Definitively souk.

DIY or Concierge Service?

 

Concierge Service... and sometimes DIY

 

 

Buy Everything or Buy Nothing?

 

Really? Everything or Nothing? Can't I just buy one thing, but it will be special? Well, that's what I do... I always look for the one special thing. But, if I have to choose, than it would be rather buy nothing

 

 

Camping or 5-Star Hotel? 

 

I am not a camping person... never was... sorry... 5-star hotel it is.

 

Drive or be Driven?

 

Driven

 

Room Service or Street Food?

 

Room Service... I love street food, but I get more and more scared of it these days...

 

Lots of Luggage or Carry-on Bag?

 

Carry-on bag

 

 

 

 

 Shop the Dutzi Collection here.