Kmart and the Chateau Marmont

I would never expect to mention the Chateau Marmont and Kmart in the same conversation. Yet, here I am.



At lunch one day early this week, the TVs in the dining hall were showing a commercial with Adam Levine, jumping out of bed in a hotel room.



I immediately recognized it as the Chateau Marmont, and once I saw the room's door number (64), I knew it was the 1500 square foot Howard Hughes Penthouse Suite.



The Adam Levine Kmart commercial was shot at the Chateau Marmont by director Jonas Akerlund, underscored by the Maroon 5 track "Love Somebody." According to an article at dailymail.co.uk, the reason was to advertise his new line of clothing...which is being sold at Kmart. Who would have guessed?

In an interview in People magazine, Levine was quoted: "In a way I'm not into fashion. What I'm trying to do is something that in a lot of ways is the anti-fashion line, and not necessarily based on momentary trends." He described the collection as "basic, simple and timeless...clothes I would definitely have in my closet....I love the way the leather jacket turned out. It was really simple and cool. I have definitely lined my closets with my stuff." Whether he actually designed the line himself or just how much input he had is unclear.

I have only been in Room 64, once (so far...), on Christmas Eve 2002, when one of the Managers invited me over for drinks with a few of his friends.



Thanks to a few crappy shots I took with my film camera that night, I was able to do some comparison shots. The living room, where Adam's clothes (which just happen to match his new menswear line) are strewn about:





The Chateau has very distinct vintage bathroom tiles.



I love 'em!



Adam buttons up his chambray shirt (yours for only $24.99) on the terrace; what a view!







A shot I took in 2002 of the view from the terrace at night, overlooking Sunset Boulevard:



This is the same terrace I saw Natalie Portman and husband Benjamin Millepied on a few years back, watching a friend getting married.



Adam rushes out the suite and into the hallway, sporting his very affordable $69.99 Distressed Faux-Leather Jacket.



Hard to miss that gorgeous carpet and the sturdy banisters/railings.



Forgetting his keys, he must return to the scene of the crime, as his girl from the night before slinks down the hallway to answer the door of the suite.



I very much remember that checkered hallway.



Then it's off to the garage to pick up his car.



I've been down that drive many a time myself.



You can view the commercial for yourself:

As well as this behind-the-scenes video:

I'm still not sure how I feel about the Chateau being used for a Kmart commercial. Had it been Kenneth Cole or Dolce & Gabbana, it would have seemed a better fit. I would say that Kmart definitely got the better end of the deal, since being associated with one of Hollywood's most famously secluded hot-spots could only improve the retailer's reputation. I did take a look at the clothes, and some of them look pretty decent. I'll let you know how they're made when they arrive. Yes, I ordered a few for myself.

What can I say? The Chateau sold me.

See more Daveland Chateau Marmont photos on my Chateau Marmont web pages.