Ian Schrager

Legendary American entrepreneur and hospitality pioneer

For more than five decades, Ian Schrager has shaped the world of hospitality. Born in New York City, the 79-year-old entrepreneur's first steps into the field were as large as they come, founding the iconic Studio 54 nightclub in 1975, followed by a host of other party-centric discotheques in the city.

After writing history in the Midtown club, Schrager adjusted his lens to the world of luxury accommodation to open Morgans Hotel in 1984. Where large chains and historic household names defined the Big Apple's scene, Schrager and business partner Steve Rubell wanted to craft a fresh offering that appealed to their own generation, rather than their grandparents'. Compact and design-driven with impeccable service, Schrager had birthed the concept of the boutique hotel, a model that can now be found in every corner of the globe. 

After leading a host of other hotels across the world, including the Delano Hotel in Miami beach where Schrager coined the term 'urban resort,' he joined forces with hotel titan Marriott to bring the Edition brand to life in 2007. Today, the group operates 21 properties across the globe from Reykjavik to the Riviera Maya with a further 10 locations in the works.

In 2022, Schrager parted ways with Marriott to put his focus into his project, Public. The first Public opened in 2011 in Chicago as Schrager's first solo venture, before the property was sold and made way for the Manhattan flagship in 2017. The hotel operates with the aim of bringing accessibility back into lifestyle-focused hotels, maintaining high-class amenities and lodgings while keeping the prices palatable. The concept has been a roaring success in the years since, with Schrager's now set on its expansion, with locations in Los Angeles and Miami already in the pipeline. 

At each stage in his career, Schrager has pushed existing boundaries to new heights. Behind each of his projects is an unmatched understanding of human hospitality and the current and future trajectory of design and lifestyle trends that have allowed his hotels to transcend beyond being simply a good stay. A visionary from day one, Schrager is deservingly named the winner of the SevenRooms Icon Award 2025.

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