Hospitality Design - July 2010 - 80

Women of Influence

Anouska Hempel
Founder Anouska Hempel Design London
Credited with launching design trends on either end of the spectrum—London’s first overthe-top eclectic boutique hotel (Blakes London in ’86, shown) and the city’s first minimalist hotel (the Hempel in ’96)—Anouska Hempel could have stopped her career years ago and still have made this list. But according to the hotelier/designer, some of her most visionary work is yet to come: Warapuru, a resort in Brazil’s Bahia rain forest is due to open early next year, as well as new landmark hotels in Beirut, Lisbon, and London. “Anouska—and specifically the Hempel—allowed me to see the joining of minimalism with the everyday and comfort—no longer did minimalism need to imply cold or hard to use,” says designer Devon Smith.

has graced hotels, restaurants, and a host of classic products. Mari Balestrazzi, senior vice president of design, Morgans Hotel Group, feels that Putman “is responsible for some of the most influential design trends of the 20th century. Her work represents a seamless blend of a curator and the deviousness of a provocateur. Her seminal project (and first commission), Morgans (shown), was the birth of a new hotel typology that integrated sophisticated design with the most coveted destination nightlife venues of their time.”

have been embraced by our owners and partners around the world.”

(Fairmont Savoy shown). Not only is she responsible for creating and implementing the FF&E brand design standards for all properties, but she also continues to push the envelope, ensuring the brand works with the most proven designers in the industry.

Michele Phillips
Vice President of Interior Design Ritz-Carlton Bethesda, Maryland
After cutting her teeth at WATG and Disney, Michele Phillips joined Ritz-Carlton in 2006. Focusing on brand initiatives and development, she has been a force in Ritz-Carlton’s aggressive contemporizing renovation and expansion plan. She just finished the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles at LA Live (shown), and has projects in Toronto, Dubai, and Puerto Rico on the boards. “Michelle has been such an asset to Ritz-Carlton during its expansion phase, because she understood long ago that consistency in design appearance was no longer an asset for the company,” says Lisa Poppen, corporate senior director, marketing, Ritz-Carlton. “The need to create hotels which surprised and delighted our guests helped to dispel any thoughts that we took a cookie cutter approach. Michelle will continue to be a major force in the field because she has the ability to forecast trends before they become trends, yet design hotels whose look and feel are not ‘trendy,’ but will pass the test of time.”

Glenn Wilson
Vice President of Interior Design Marriott International Bethesda, Maryland
Glenn Wilson has had a major impact on Marriott: she rose up through the ranks, starting as a junior designer, moving up to director of interior design for the U.S. and then the international team, and then became vice president of interior design for Ritz-Carlton. In 2005, she rejoined Marriott International, where she oversees and guides eight brands including Marriott and the newly formed Autograph. Most recently, she has spearheaded a global design strategy for JW Marriott, which has 20 hotels opening in the next 20 months. (The HBAdesigned JW Marriott Shenzhen shown.) “Glenn’s passion for her work and vast knowledge of the industry make her one of the most valuable design leaders in the business,” says Marriott’s president of international lodging, Ed Fuller. “Her vision is woven throughout Marriott’s portfolio outside of the U.S., where her creative and strategic approach

Says Margaret McMahon, managing director, Wilson Associates in New York, “Eileen is a rare talent. She holds a passion for each intricate project, which includes much more than the design concept itself. She truly is a visionary and the gatekeeper of the design standards of Fairmont. We have worked together for many years and she has always been professional, graceful under fire, and a tireless advocate for design firms in our industry, as well as the value we bring to each project.”

Dana Kalczak
Vice President, Design Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Toronto
After opening theater complexes as vice president of design and construction at Cineplex Odeon Corporation, Dana Kalczak joined Four Seasons with a plan to help redefine and redesign one of the largest hotel brands. With too many openings to list in her more than a decade of helping the industry re-think luxury, her recent projects include the brand’s forthcoming New York Hotel at World Trade Center and the

Andrée Putman
Founder Agence Andrée Putman Paris
“The perfect balance between discipline and revolt” is how Putman describes good design, and her career has been an exemplar of that philosophy. Widely credited with creating the first boutique hotel with Ian Schrager, Putman’s iconic style

Eileen Slora
Executive Director, Interior Design Fairmont Hotels and Resorts San Francisco
With more than 23 years of experience in hospitality design, Eileen Slora manages the design process for Fairmont hotels and resorts throughout the world

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