Behind every unforgettable space and every extraordinary experience is a certain je ne sais quoi. If anyone has an idea of what exactly that is, it’s the hospitality impresario and Studio 54 co-founder Ian Schrager. For more than four decades, Schrager has been a defining cultural catalyst and beacon across industries, from hotels and nightlife, to art and architecture, to fashion and food, and beyond. Since the early 1980s, Schrager has devised and developed more than 20 ahead-of-the-curve hospitality properties, including the Public hotel (2017) in New York City and the Edition line of hotels, as well as, going further back, the Morgans (1982), the Paramount (1990), the Hudson (2000), and the Gramercy Park Hotel (2006) in New York; the Mondrian (1996) in Los Angeles; the Delano (1995) in Miami; St. Martins Lane and the Sanderson (both 1998) in London; and the Clift (2000) in San Francisco. Beyond designing for mere aesthetic appreciation, Schrager cultivates places with a soul and spirit all their own.

On this episode—our 100th—Schrager discusses his tried-and-true design philosophies and definition of luxury today; his admiration for the visionary thinking of Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Walt Disney; and the enduring aura of Studio 54.

Special thanks to our Season 8 sponsor, Van Cleef & Arpels.

Show notes:

[00:33] Ian Schrager

[02:54] Morgans Hotel

[02:59] Studio 54

[03:02] Steve Rubell

[06:26] Edition Hotels

[06:33] Arne Sorenson

[12:44] Public Hotels

[13:03] Paramount Hotel

[13:29] The Royalton

[14:45] Hudson Hotel

Series 3: Discovering that missing ingredient 3/10

FT Start-Up Stories

Joining Be My Eye as UK GM

The AI-powered Podcast Player