I was reading in Time magazine that Ian Schrager, who created the first truly trendy and chic hotels, is pulling a Madonna (reinvention) on us....


He's now spearheading a project he's calling "the antithesis of hip." It's a completely redone Gramercy Park Hotel that won't resemble the hotels we have come to instantly associate with him.
It's a response to what he sees as the omnipresence and over-accessibility of hip. Schrager calls his new style "eclectic bohemian" and feels it will speak to the growing market of retiring baby boomers. The question is, Can a man whose personal brand is synonymous with hip be taken seriously in his new venture?
I think Schrager will be successful in his new endeavor. He is a proven brand in the hotel industry. His hugely successful hip and trendy boutique hotels spawned many copies (the Gotham Group, W Hotels, etc). Clearly one of his brand attributes is visionary.
I think anti-hip just might be the new hip. Time will tell.
What do you think?
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