For TRAVEL + LEISURE, Anne Menke photographed designer Anine Bing inside the newly reopened Waldorf Astoria New York – one of the city’s most iconic hotels, which, following a meticulous $2 billion restoration, is once again radiating Art Deco elegance across Midtown Manhattan.
The exclusive feature portrays Anine Bing throughout the hotel’s historic spaces, including Cole Porter’s piano in the legendary Peacock Alley, where Menke captures the Danish designer in a blend of timeless grandeur and contemporary cool. Known for her structured blazers, clean silhouettes and L.A.-inspired denim, Bing appears in Menke’s images every bit as iconic as the famed Spirit of Achievement sculpture by Nína Sæmundsson, the winged figure overlooking Park Avenue at the hotel’s entrance.
The accompanying story was written by Jacqui Gifford, Editor-in-Chief of Travel + Leisure, who visited the hotel with Bing just one day after its official reopening. Her words echo what Menke’s imagery conveys visually: the revival of a legendary hotel brought back to life with renewed brilliance and deep cultural heritage.
With her refined and sensitive visual approach, Anne Menke succeeds in capturing both the unique character of the Waldorf Astoria and the elegant presence of Anine Bing – a meeting of two style worlds that continues the hotel’s storied legacy in a contemporary way.