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As a symbol of luxury, innovation and quality in the world of spa
and hospitality, much of RKF Luxury Linen’s success comes from its
highly client-centric design process, says CEO Riadh Bouaziz
Bouaziz says the group is unrivalled when it comes to originality and attention to detail
Growing up in Tunisia and holidaying with his family at hotels and resorts, Riadh Bouaziz – even from a young age – was captivated by how an atmosphere of luxury could impact a person’s feelings and emotions. “It made me determined to work in the hospitality industry in some way, and spread these feelings of comfort and happiness to other people,” he says.
Fast forward a few decades and that aspirational young boy is not only the founder and CEO of a French company serving the luxury hospitality and wellness markets – he’s also regarded by his peers as an inspirational change-maker who has successfully elevated the design and manufacture of linen to a commercial art form.
With Bouaziz at the helm, RKF Luxury Linen was always destined to be so much more than ‘just another product supplier’ to luxury brands. It’s grown into a sought-after partner for the creation of hospitality and wellness linen concepts that are unrivalled in their originality and attention to detail.
“Our partners are proud to be associated with RKF, because they know how our B2B reputation will enhance their own brand, and bring the customer experience to a whole new level,” says Bouaziz.
The client journey In addition to this, the RKF-client relationship has always been key, as “that’s where the magic happens”, says Bouaziz. “We love to be involved from the very beginning of a project, ideally even before the designers have been appointed, as we see linens as integral to the development of the interiors and overall customer experience.
“Every design must tell a story – an authentic, captivating and enchanting story – and that’s what we set out to do on each project, paying homage to the past while creating a vision for the future.
“Before we even discuss the choice of fabrics or colours, our design team undertakes an in-depth period of research around elements such as the history of the building, its unique architectural forms, the landscape that surrounds it, etc,” says Bouaziz.
For one high profile hotel project in London, Bouaziz was inspired by the undulating shape of the balconies, and for historical context, researched the fabric manufacturing processes and trends of the 60s – when the building was first erected. “Our site in Luxeuil les Bains is the oldest textile factory in Europe, dating back to 1834. This enables us to access archives to research the fabric processes of the time – to come up with something that’s authentic, yet with a modern twist.”
On another luxury project – this time a wellness retreat in a desert landscape – the RKF team researched the indigenous plants of the region and discovered a desert herb that only needs a few droplets of water each year to survive in an intensely arid environment.
So the team based their whole linen concept around this plant that, as a symbol of thriving life and resilience, fitted perfectly into the ethos of the wellness resort.
Made in France Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020, RKF has worked with more than 25,000 clients, from prestigious French palace hotels to five-star global hotel chains and many private projects for sheiks, princesses and celebrities.
In all that time, RKF has stayed committed to its ‘Made In France’ roots, investing heavily in research, development and manufacturing, so its clients can be confident in both the provenance and quality of its materials.
Three of its award-winning fabrics – DreamSoft®, Timeless® and MicroFeel® – are patented. And Bouaziz, who originally studied engineering in the northern France region where his empire now flourishes, says three new patents are pending this year.
The past two decades have seen explosive change and growth for RKF, and there are no signs of this slowing down. One recently signed contract is with the prestigious Raffles Group, which is in the process of redesigning all its global properties. RKF has joined the project at the ground level – so that linens for the restaurant, bedrooms and spa will be integral to the new Raffles look worldwide.
And this, of course, is just where Bouaziz wants to be. He says: “For so long, linens have been an after-thought in the hospitality and wellness design process. But RKF has changed the landscape of commercial linen, making it an essential starting point – something that delivers beautiful, sustainable concepts for our clients, and an unforgettable experience of luxury for their customers.”
"RKF is a leader in the luxury linen market, with unique, high quality materials that are appreciated by our clients, and fulfil our aim to offer them the very best. Lancôme and RKF have been partners for almost 20 years, and our projects have always been based on collaboration, flexibility, trust and a desire to innovate". Karolina Abdelbary, Lancôme
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 1
Editor's letter: Time to shine
As spas reach peak revenues, now’s the time for our industry to act as a catalyst in working out how we measure the impact of an experience and the ‘return on wellness’ says Spa Business' editor Katie Barnes
Promotional feature: TechnoAlpin
If you want to deliver a hot and cold experience as part of your wellness programme, adding a snowroom will introduce a delightful and more gentle form of cold therapy, as Sara Brenninger explains
Trends: Spa Foresight™
Climate emergency, gen alpha and brain optimisation are among Spa Business’ latest trend predictions
Promotional feature: The Wellness
Investing in children’s facilities gives a spa and wellness offering a competitive edge, as well as helping the next generation achieve their potential, explains Mohammed Ibrahim, CEO of industry design and consultancy practice, The Wellness
Promotional feature: RKF Luxury Linen
As a symbol of luxury, innovation and quality in the world of spa and hospitality, much of RKF Luxury Linen’s success comes from its highly client-centric design process, says CEO Riadh Bouaziz
Design: Heat of the moment
From giant golden eggs and converted ski lifts to rustic, hand-crafted huts, we showcase the latest in heat experience design and innovations
In a world where imbalance often accumulates quietly, Wildsmith unveils its newest
wellbeing innovation: Silent Loads, an approach designed to meet the needs of modern spa
guests with precision and depth. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Elemis
Elemis was founded in London in 1989 by Linda Steiner whose vision was to create a skincare range as [more...]
Cariitti Oy
Cariitti is a Finnish family business founded by Kari Ruokonen in 1998 that offers versatile lightin [more...]
As a symbol of luxury, innovation and quality in the world of spa
and hospitality, much of RKF Luxury Linen’s success comes from its
highly client-centric design process, says CEO Riadh Bouaziz
Bouaziz says the group is unrivalled when it comes to originality and attention to detail
Growing up in Tunisia and holidaying with his family at hotels and resorts, Riadh Bouaziz – even from a young age – was captivated by how an atmosphere of luxury could impact a person’s feelings and emotions. “It made me determined to work in the hospitality industry in some way, and spread these feelings of comfort and happiness to other people,” he says.
Fast forward a few decades and that aspirational young boy is not only the founder and CEO of a French company serving the luxury hospitality and wellness markets – he’s also regarded by his peers as an inspirational change-maker who has successfully elevated the design and manufacture of linen to a commercial art form.
With Bouaziz at the helm, RKF Luxury Linen was always destined to be so much more than ‘just another product supplier’ to luxury brands. It’s grown into a sought-after partner for the creation of hospitality and wellness linen concepts that are unrivalled in their originality and attention to detail.
“Our partners are proud to be associated with RKF, because they know how our B2B reputation will enhance their own brand, and bring the customer experience to a whole new level,” says Bouaziz.
The client journey In addition to this, the RKF-client relationship has always been key, as “that’s where the magic happens”, says Bouaziz. “We love to be involved from the very beginning of a project, ideally even before the designers have been appointed, as we see linens as integral to the development of the interiors and overall customer experience.
“Every design must tell a story – an authentic, captivating and enchanting story – and that’s what we set out to do on each project, paying homage to the past while creating a vision for the future.
“Before we even discuss the choice of fabrics or colours, our design team undertakes an in-depth period of research around elements such as the history of the building, its unique architectural forms, the landscape that surrounds it, etc,” says Bouaziz.
For one high profile hotel project in London, Bouaziz was inspired by the undulating shape of the balconies, and for historical context, researched the fabric manufacturing processes and trends of the 60s – when the building was first erected. “Our site in Luxeuil les Bains is the oldest textile factory in Europe, dating back to 1834. This enables us to access archives to research the fabric processes of the time – to come up with something that’s authentic, yet with a modern twist.”
On another luxury project – this time a wellness retreat in a desert landscape – the RKF team researched the indigenous plants of the region and discovered a desert herb that only needs a few droplets of water each year to survive in an intensely arid environment.
So the team based their whole linen concept around this plant that, as a symbol of thriving life and resilience, fitted perfectly into the ethos of the wellness resort.
Made in France Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020, RKF has worked with more than 25,000 clients, from prestigious French palace hotels to five-star global hotel chains and many private projects for sheiks, princesses and celebrities.
In all that time, RKF has stayed committed to its ‘Made In France’ roots, investing heavily in research, development and manufacturing, so its clients can be confident in both the provenance and quality of its materials.
Three of its award-winning fabrics – DreamSoft®, Timeless® and MicroFeel® – are patented. And Bouaziz, who originally studied engineering in the northern France region where his empire now flourishes, says three new patents are pending this year.
The past two decades have seen explosive change and growth for RKF, and there are no signs of this slowing down. One recently signed contract is with the prestigious Raffles Group, which is in the process of redesigning all its global properties. RKF has joined the project at the ground level – so that linens for the restaurant, bedrooms and spa will be integral to the new Raffles look worldwide.
And this, of course, is just where Bouaziz wants to be. He says: “For so long, linens have been an after-thought in the hospitality and wellness design process. But RKF has changed the landscape of commercial linen, making it an essential starting point – something that delivers beautiful, sustainable concepts for our clients, and an unforgettable experience of luxury for their customers.”
"RKF is a leader in the luxury linen market, with unique, high quality materials that are appreciated by our clients, and fulfil our aim to offer them the very best. Lancôme and RKF have been partners for almost 20 years, and our projects have always been based on collaboration, flexibility, trust and a desire to innovate". Karolina Abdelbary, Lancôme
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2020 issue 1
Editor's letter: Time to shine
As spas reach peak revenues, now’s the time for our industry to act as a catalyst in working out how we measure the impact of an experience and the ‘return on wellness’ says Spa Business' editor Katie Barnes
Promotional feature: TechnoAlpin
If you want to deliver a hot and cold experience as part of your wellness programme, adding a snowroom will introduce a delightful and more gentle form of cold therapy, as Sara Brenninger explains
Trends: Spa Foresight™
Climate emergency, gen alpha and brain optimisation are among Spa Business’ latest trend predictions
Promotional feature: The Wellness
Investing in children’s facilities gives a spa and wellness offering a competitive edge, as well as helping the next generation achieve their potential, explains Mohammed Ibrahim, CEO of industry design and consultancy practice, The Wellness
Promotional feature: RKF Luxury Linen
As a symbol of luxury, innovation and quality in the world of spa and hospitality, much of RKF Luxury Linen’s success comes from its highly client-centric design process, says CEO Riadh Bouaziz
Design: Heat of the moment
From giant golden eggs and converted ski lifts to rustic, hand-crafted huts, we showcase the latest in heat experience design and innovations
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in
Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness.
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a
series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, has opened a 2,800sq m spa called The Sanctuary,
with the design and concept inspired by the Native American people that populated Florida’s
Southwest coast – the Calusa.
Swire Hotels’ luxury hospitality brand Upper House has revealed it will roll out its two-day
House of Healing retreats at its three hotels in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Shanghai.
LVMH-owned beauty house Guerlain will launch up to five spas with partners a year as part of
its plan to expand globally, according to the brand’s international spa and wellness director,
Diane Davody.
A new global study by Kevin Kelly and Peter Yesawich, called WELLSurvey 2.0, has revealed
more than half of consumers in the UK, US and Germany would not choose numerous high-
profile wellness resort brands for a future trip.
Luxury hospitality and wellness pioneer Jeremy McCarthy has launched Leisure Alchemy, a
digital platform that will provide professionals with strategic guidance on how to build
transformational leisure experiences that drive profit.
In a world where imbalance often accumulates quietly, Wildsmith unveils its newest
wellbeing innovation: Silent Loads, an approach designed to meet the needs of modern spa
guests with precision and depth. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Elemis Elemis was founded in London in 1989 by Linda Steiner whose vision was to create a skincare range as [more...]
