Marriott announced that they will bring designers' touch to their chains. With big names designers like Starck and Graves who lift Target to the contemporary design class, I think it is really a matter of time that they bring their ideas to hotels, restaurants or even gas stations. Hip hotelier Ian Schrager, the founder of the concept of boutique hotels, is partnering up with Marriott.
According
to Mr. Mariott, "Schrager
is going to be developing a new experience for people looking for more than
just a bed, and breakfast."
For those who is old enough to remember that Mr. Schrager was co-founder of the Studio 54 and
Palladium nightclubs in New York City in the late 70s. His other project included Royalton and
Paramount hotels in Manhattan to the Delano in South Beach and the Mondrian in West Hollywood and that's
how we earned the rock-star status of hip hotelier. I love the Delano. By tapping into his
circle of renowned architects and designers, Schrager can definitely transform
these properties.
While there's no announcement on who those "renowned architects and designers" will be, Schrager says, "...believe me, I'm not going to have a book of standards. It will be..." He paused for effect. "The anti-chain." That's the strategy and probably a smart one. Coincidently, my business partner Scott and I were talking about the idea of bringing contemporary designs to many less obvious industries. I think there's a lot can be done with this "anti-chain" idea. The three biggest opportunities would be the transformation of "de-chain" of 1/ fast food chain 2/ car dealership and 3/ chain restaurants. May be I need to be pitching these ideas soon. Scott, start your idea engine!
Original Post: http://mootee.typepad.com/innovation_playground/2007/08/experience-desi.html
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