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The luxury set’s go-to hotel designer talks about the business of upscale design in a down market.
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By Mary Scoviak
After 30 years of spreading his gospel of easy elegance, Pierre-Yves Rochon's name is synonymous with modern luxury. Normally, that would be a good thing. It's why most of the hotel chains and dozens of independents that command $400-plus per night average rates have come calling with the most interesting commissions around. And it's a major force in his Paris-based firm's growth into one of the world's 20 largest hospitality interior design specialists. But how do these credentials work when the global economy is taking a beating? Not badly, says the French native. He shares his ideas on the right look and the right operations approach for weathering this storm.
How are your current designs balancing five-star expectations with the mood of austerity?
The 1930s are definitely an influence. This was an age that saw the dawning of contemporary design. These styles remain timeless. Mies van der Rohe's "Barcelona" chair is as relevant today as it was decades ago. We're also integrating more art that's influenced by the simplicity of African, Oceanic and so-called "primitive" styles. The look suggests a new kind of luxury. It's chic but not out of touch.
Are you seeing pullbacks in the pace of RFPs as investors get nervous?
We currently have numerous projects on our boards from Chicago and Paris to Taipei and Bahrain and we expect to see more from the largest luxury operators. Fortunately, we are in a slightly different position than some other ateliers. We have great collaborative relationships with hospitality brands such as Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Orient-Express Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton and The Peninsula Hotels. Most of the hotels we design continue to seek our services for years to keep them fresh. For example, we're doing a Hollywood-inspired suite at the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris to create a more contemporary premium offer. So we have a steady stream of renovation work. Times are challenging, certainly. But hotels are still opening and being redesigned in all parts of the world.
Do owners and operators want safer design now, either for psychological or fiscal reasons?
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