Marcel Wanders
Wanders, who was one of the early members of the cutting-edge design collective Droog, has once again expanded his repertoire. The prolific Dutchman spent February promoting the new Miami hotel Mondrian South Beach, for which he designed the interior. Wanders, 44, conceived the hotel as "Sleeping Beauty's castle," with gardens that serve as indoor and outdoor living spaces, featuring cabanas, tented play spaces for children and a hanging chandelier above the elegant pool. The hotel rooms, which resemble theater boxes, overlook the gardens so that "everyone has the best seat in the house," he says. The 2006 Elle Decoration designer of the year furnished the hotel with original pieces, such as lighting fixtures, sofas and even floors from his studio. Now that the hotel is complete, Wanders can focus on his next endeavors, including a line of accessories for Puma, due in stores this spring.