Hospitality Design - July 2010 - 92

Women of Influence

launch of ArquitectonicaInteriors, an interior design practice; Laurinda Spear Products, offering more than 150 design products; and ArquitectonicaGEO, a landscape architecture practice focusing on environmental land planning and design. (Tempo Miami Hotel shown.)

development for the likes of the Soho House Group (Soho House New York shown); dabbled in product design (lighting, seating, and champagne glasses); and made inspiring designs for hotels like the Grand Hotel Stockholm and Kranzbach Spa Hotel. “Ilse has built an impressive portfolio of clients and her thought-provoking interior designs have earned her the highest recognition and praise,” says the Grand Hotel’s Filip Odelius. “Since opening Matsalen and Matbaren [restaurants], the Grand Hotel has received international recognition. There is no doubt that this is augmented by the beautiful and dramatic interiors created by Ilse.”

(Graphics for DBGB in New York shown.) “She is a force of nature,” says David Ashen, principal, d-ash design. “Denise is not shy and never is hesitant to express her point of view and her point of view is usually formed from her rich experience in hospitality and her high level of creativity. She doesn’t have a huge ego, and therefore, is a great creative collaborator. I find that her input enriches our work and that I get a lot of inspiration from her work.”

Elizabeth Blau
Founder & CEO Blau & Associates Las Vegas
Elizabeth Blau has helped establish Las Vegas as one of the country’s top gastronomic destinations through the sound expertise she provides at Blau & Associates, the strategic restaurant planning and development company she founded in 2002. Blau first launched her restaurant career working with Sirio Maccioni, opening three of his outposts. At MGM/Mirage, she attracted top chefs to Las Vegas to forge a new dining scene. She has also worked with Steve Wynn to create an award-winning F&B program for Wynn Resort, overseeing 22 different concepts. (The Viceroy Snowmass restaurant shown.) “Describing her culinary vision for the city, Elizabeth convinced me that Las Vegas was a city where I should be involved,” recalls Blau’s business partner, Kerry Simon, chef of his namesake Simon Restaurant & Lounge. “She’s intelligent, worldly, and doesn’t back down; she’s able to convince you when she truly believes in something through effective communication.”

“Laurinda has given the community intellectual, romantic, and graceful designs throughout her career,” says her sister, New York-based architect Alison Spear. “Her new found interest in landscape architecture now brings full scope to the projects by melding buildings with their landscapes. In my mind, Laurinda’s most salient design talent is her sensitivity to her community and her sense of community service served through the profession.”

Celeste Fierro
Senior Vice President of Operations The One Group New York
After making her mark as one of the preeminent event planners in New York, Celeste Fierro partnered with Erica Cohen to open restaurant and lounge One Little West 12th in 2004 in the Meatpacking District. (It’s new incarnation, the Collective, shown.) Since then, she has helped turn one venue into the One Group, a nightlife powerhouse operating or partnering with 20 venues, with more concepts in the works in Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Chicago. “Celeste is one of the finest operators in the business,” says Michael Achenbaum, president of the Gansevoort Hotel Group. “Her understanding of the daily operations issues combined with her marketing and design sense are a rare combination. Generally you don’t have talents in three areas. Her skills in combination with the One Group’s infrastructure leaves her in a position to influence the restaurant and nightlife industry for years to come.”

Denise Korn
Principal and Owner Korn Design Boston
Since 1992, Denise Korn and her namesake brand design and strategy firm have been helping prestigious clients like Daniel Boulud, LXR, Sage Restaurant Group, and Ritz-Carlton create complete experiences through brand strategy, signage, graphics, print and marketing materials, and packaging. And people are taking notice: last year, she took home a James Beard Award for Outstanding Graphics for the Corner Office in Denver, and this year she received another nomination for Mercat a la Planxa in Chicago. But Korn’s reach goes beyond branding: she founded Youth Design, a summer mentorship program that links inner city high school students with paid design internships.

Ilse Crawford
Founder Studio Ilse London
Ilse Crawford’s 20-year career has touched almost every facet of the international design world. She started the department of man and well being at design academy Eindhoven; was founding editor of Elle Decoration; introduced Swarovski to a new market as concept creator of Swarovski Crystal Palace; raised the bar on branding and concept

Barbara Lazaroff
President Imaginings Interior Design, Inc. Los Angeles
One of the pioneers of chefdriven restaurant design, Barbara Lazaroff is largely credited with creating the first exhibition kitchen at Spago Hollywood more than 15 years ago. (Spago Beverly Hills shown.) She has continued to design timeless fine dining interiors, but as co-founder of the

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - July 2010
