Highstay, Paris: stay over in Karl Lagerfeld’s former office

karl lagerfeld saint-germain I highstay — (Image credit: Courtesy of Saint-Germain I, Highstay)

Across French film director Éric Rohmer’s oeuvre, the Parisian pied-à-terre emerges as a leitmotif: a vehicle for independence, mischief, and fleeting urban life. Yet the concept long predates Rohmer. In the 18th century, wealthy Europeans began maintaining modest apartments in major capitals as bases for business and social engagements.

The appeal of a home away from home endures. When Jess Levy and brothers Eric and Michael Dayan founded Highstay in 2020, they posed a simple proposition: what if five-star hotel service could be delivered within a private residence in one of Paris’s most desirable neighbourhoods?

Available for short- and long-term bookings, properties in the Highstay portfolio are dreamt up by a team of interior designers and architects and serviced by a dedicated in-house staff of house managers. Additionally, through the ‘Curated by’ collection, the group also acts as custodian of architecturally and culturally significant addresses.

This range currently comprises seven residences, from a light-filled apartment overlooking the Champs de Mars to a 650-square-metre private mansion near the Trocadéro. The most recent addition is the former Paris office of Karl Lagerfeld, the late polymath who left an indelible mark on global visual culture and even guest-edited an issue of Wallpaper* in 2009 (W*127).

Highstay unveils Saint-Germain I in Paris

Located in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the three-storey space occupies an early 19th-century building. After its sale to a private owner in 2024, the office was transformed into an intimate, multi-level residence by French interior architect Pauline Leprince and is now open for bookings. It sits just steps from Serge Gainsbourg’s former home on Rue de Verneuil.

Throughout, minimalist and Space Age sensibilities are expressed through a restrained palette of steel and ivory. At its centre stands a dramatic curved staircase, anchored by an intricately sculpted steel bannister designed by Lagerfeld in collaboration with Australian industrial designer Marc Newson. Nearby, a Dos à Dos armchair from Leprince’s 05-FP-23 collection completes the composition.

In the living room, soaring ceilings and twin steel bookcases – also designed by Leprince – serve as sculptural focal points while referencing Lagerfeld’s well-known bibliophilia; he notoriously founded the Parisian bookshop and library 7L. Meanwhile, two fully-equipped kitchens and an intimate bar are accented with warm wood tones.

Upstairs, the master bedroom sees a bed encased within a steel capsule with integrated shelving, whilst a second, independent bedroom with its own bathroom completes the sleeping quarters. On the lower level, a wellness area with sauna and hammam awaits. Key artworks in the residence include Head in the Clouds XL by French sculptor Laurence Perratzi, Whisper Dinner Tonight by London-based Ukrainian artist Lizii Chan, and a geometric composition by French painter Jacques Daibehesse.

As part of the 'Curated by Highstay' collection, Saint-Germain I guests can opt for a bespoke ‘Karl Itinerary,’ conceived by Highstay’s dedicated concierge, tracing the couturier’s favourite Left Bank addresses, from Café de Flore to Maison du Caviar.

For bookings, visit highstay.com. The Saint-Germain I apartment is located at Rue de Verneuil, 75007 Paris, France

TOPICS

Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. A self-declared flâneuse, she feels most inspired when taking the role of a cultural observer – chronicling the essence of cities and remote corners through their nuances, rituals, and people. Her work lives at the intersection of art, design, and culture, often shaped by conversations with the photographers who capture these worlds through their lens.