Caroline and Sabri Farouki, partners behind New Orleans-based studio Farouki Farouki, bring a personal and global perspective to their practice. Caroline grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana in a home designed by Louisiana architect A. Hays Town, known for pioneering reusing materials. Surrounded by antiques and architectural details, her passion for design started early. She studied architecture in college, but shifted to environmental studies with a minor in architecture before earning her...

Suchi Reddy’s creative journey began in Chennai, India, where she grew up in a vibrant home curated by her mother—think scenic wallpaper, terrazzo floors embedded with marble fragments, and a rich mix of textures. Surrounded by gardens and books, Reddy developed an early sensitivity to how environments shape our sense of self. That awareness grew into a passion for architecture, which she pursued both in India and the U.S. In 2002, she founded her New York–based multidisciplinary studio, Redd...

Born in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, Jacu Strauss’ early years were marked by his imagination—crafting dollhouses from wine boxes and drawing urban streetscapes in the dirt. With limited access to TV or the internet, he turned to encyclopedias and magazines to fuel an inner world that laid the foundation for his future. At 18, he left for London on what was meant to be a brief gap year. It quickly turned into a journey through banking, architecture studies in New Zealand, and ultimate...

As founder of his eponymous New York firm, visionary architect Morris Adjmi's work is deeply rooted in a respect for heritage while embracing innovation. With a career shaped by early experiences working alongside Pritzker Prize-winning architect Aldo Rossi, Adjmi developed a distinct approach that balances modern aesthetics anchored in a deep understanding of architectural and cultural history. His projects, spanning adaptive reuse to new construction, reflect a meticulous attention to...

From her childhood in Larchmont, New York to leading a renowned wellness company, Cathy O'Brien’s wide-ranging career spans the music industry as well as the beauty and wellness sectors, where she helped rethink brand strategies at luxury companies like Jo Malone. Driven by her vision for holistic wellness and inspired by her own health challenges, O'Brien came to Naturopathica in 2022 with the goal of revolutionizing the way people approach self-care. Recognizing the powerful conne...

When Jason Brown and Brad Guidi joined forces to create hospitality real estate private equity firm Blue Flag Capital, they weren’t just building hotels—they were crafting experiences rooted in storytelling, design, and a sense of place. Their journey began with a bold vision on Nantucket and has since expanded to destinations from Martha’s Vineyard to Jackson Hole. With a philosophy of hospitality as theater, Blue Flag Capital, with Brown and Guidi at the helm, continues to redefine hospital...

Growing up in Brooklyn, lifelong friends Matthew Sears and Darius Davie started their entrepreneurial journey thanks to a shared passion for design, grooming, and community. Enter Groom Guy, their take on a luxury salon concept that blends wellness with hospitality. Davie, a former hairstylist, envisioned Groom Guy as a resource hub for men’s self care, while Sears—who has a background in finance—helped shape that vision into a thriving business. In 2020, the duo launched the inaugural ...

A driving force behind the evolution of Las Vegas dining scene and beyond, Elizabeth Blau began her F&B journey under the legendary Sirio Maccioni at Le Cirque in New York. That foundation propelled her to Las Vegas in the late ‘90s, where she played a crucial role in transforming the city into a culinary powerhouse. Today, as founder and CEO of Blau Associates, she continues to shape the future of hospitality alongside her husband, chef Kim Canteenwalla, blending her passion for de...

Icelandic hotelier Sigurlaug Sverrisdóttir has built a reputation for her innovative approach to creating immersive guest experiences.Growing up in a small town near Reykjavik, she developed a deep connection to Iceland’s rugged natural beauty, a bond that would later shape her career.After nearly two decades with Icelandic Airline, Sigurlaug returned to Iceland in 2013, where she transformed a former geothermal power plant staff building into the ION Adventure Hotel—a boutique property that&...

From working in a butcher shop as a child to immersing himself in the world of art and architecture, Vincent Celano’s upbringing in Brooklyn, New York instilled in him a love of storytelling and a deep appreciation for the power of design.After graduating from Pratt Institute, he cut his teeth at design giants like Rockwell Group, Jeffrey Beers International, and ICRAVE, where he honed his craft in experiential and hospitality design.In 2005, he founded Celano Design Studio, a multidisciplina...

Matt Goodrich, principal of his New York-based design studio Goodrich, has cultivated an approach that is rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and pursuing the unexpected. With a career that spans more than two decades, including stints at Rockwell Group and AvroKO, Goodrich’s perspective champions the art of storytelling.Since founding his eponymous firm in 2017, Goodrich, who was recently named Boutique Design's 2024 Designer of the Year, has leaned into projects that push boundaries, taking...

Revisit our conversation with prolific designer Tara Bernerd, founder of her eponymous London-based firm Tara Bernerd & Partners. Back in 2020, as the world was facing an unprecedented pandemic, Tara shared how her team was navigating Covid, as well as detailed her work on projects including the Hari Hong Kong. This year, Tara was guest editor of our November 2024 issue, where she and her team highlighted the New Dolce Vita, a celebration of all things Milan, from its people, places...

Having lived across continents—from Hong Kong to Houston and Singapore to Pakistan—Aliya Khan’s upbringing instilled a appreciation for culture, architecture, and art.After studying architecture at Pratt Institute in New York, Khan began her career in residential design before transitioning to the hospitality industry, working for Starwood Hotels & Resorts (now Marriott), helping launch brands like W Hotels, Aloft, and Le Méridien.Today, as vice president of global design strategies for M...

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Tom Ito, a third-generation Japanese-American, was destined to be in the hospitality industry. He worked at his grandparents’ restaurant when he was young, and he was also inspired by his parents—his father was a bartender-turned-restaurant GM and his mother worked as a hostess. He joined Gensler nearly 40 years ago, launching the firm’s hospitality practice in the late 1990s with the renovation of the Beverly Hills Hotel. He has since expanded the practice to ...

Born in Chicago and raised in Arizona, Sam Fox’s early experiences working in his parents’ diners, Mexican restaurants, and delis shaped his understanding of the industry. He dropped out of the University of Arizona, where he was studying real estate finance, to pursue his passion, using his tuition money to open his first restaurant—all before he turned 21. Now, with a vast portfolio of successful eateries, Fox has taken on a new challenge with the opening of the Global Ambassador, a luxury ...

Raised for much of his childhood in Connecticut before moving to New York as a teenager, John Meadow developed a love for hospitality at a young age. He got his start as a dishwasher and sandwich maker at Au Bon Pain before attending Cornell’s hotel school. By 24, he opened his first restaurant, and in 2008, launched Scarpetta, which won accolades for its refined yet unpretentious take on Italian dining. As president and founder of LDV Hospitality, Meadow has built an empire that spans m...

Settling in Seattle as a Vietnamese refugee, My Nguyen began her 22-year design career as an intern for Holland America Line followed by nearly nine years at NB Design Group. Now, Nguyen leads the interior design and interior asset management teams for Holland America Line and Seabourn fleets.Through her commitment to sustainability, Nguyen has pushed boundaries in the cruise industry, transforming design processes to focus on environmental responsibility. Whether leading a design team or tac...

Juan Bremer has a deep connection to nature that has shaped his journey into the world of luxury hospitality. Growing up as the son of an ambassador, Bremer’s early years were a whirlwind of cultures, spanning Moscow, Germany, and Mexico. (Today, he splits his time between Mexico and Italy.) This multicultural upbringing instilled in him an appreciation for diverse environments and languages, a foundation that continues to influence his philosophy around development.Bremer’s creative spirit w...

Born in Florence and raised between Switzerland and Northern California, David Montalba, founder of Montalba Architects, was exposed to many different cultures growing up, which is evident in his work today from the rustic yet refined Whitepod eco-chalets in Monthey Switzerland to the bespoke Nobu Palo Alto in California.Today—with offices in Santa Monica, California; New York; and Lausanne, Switzerland—his multidisciplinary firm is celebrated for their thoughtful balance between modernity an...

Eric Papachristos, who lived in Greece before returning to the U.S. at age 10, spent his life in restaurants, working at his father's diner as a dishwasher. It made sense, then, that his path would lead him back to hospitality after earning a degree in finance.With a keen eye for collaboration, Papachristos joined forces with celebrated chef Jody Adams to open Greek restaurant Trade Boston in 2011. Thirteen years later, he has grown his empire to count 10 restaurants under his A Street Hospit...