Le Meridien's LM100

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Dec 6th 2007 at 8:02AM

Hotel chain, Le Méridien, is trying to up their hip quotient with a program called the LM100. The hotel plans to sign up 100 design experts as consultants by 2012. The goal of the program, besides being an intriguing marketing hook, is to create distinctive amenities for the hotel chain that will help it stand out in an increasingly crowded field of upscale hotel brands.

The head of the program is a French contemporary art guru, Jérôme Sans, who will serves as the cultural curator. He will be responsible for advising, finding and enrolling new members who can advise Le Méridien and help transform the hotels into more creative spaces. The first 12 members of the LM100 are Sans, chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, wine advisor Linda Grabe, artist Michael Lin, photographer Ralph Gibson, film maker Kiki Allgeier, musician and composer Henri Scars Struck, desiger Nick Dine, artist Sam Samore, artist Hisham Bharoocha, perfumers Eddie Roschi and Fabrice Penot, and Andrea Illy, shown at right, from the Illy coffee company.

LM100 design initiatives include art-themed key cards, a signature scent, coffee and wine tastings, a newly designed bed, distinctive music for the lobbies and elevators, and from Sam Samore, a book of fairytales, specifically written for Le Méridien, which was launched during the ONE NIGHT Miami event on December 2, 2007.

Tags: design, hotel chain, hotels, le meridien, lm100