Hotel visionary Ian Schrager has entered a joint venture to expand his Public brand internationally, with the first property under the new partnership – Public West Hollywood – scheduled to open in LA this May. Olivia Palamountain reports

For five decades, Ian Schrager has operated on his own terms – reinventing luxury hospitality through boutique hotels, the Edition brand and his Public concept, which delivers sophisticated design at accessible price points.

Now, for the first time, he is handing operational control to a partner, teaming up with hospitality management company Highgate to scale Public globally while retaining full creative authority.

The partnership is structured around a deliberate division of labour – Schrager retains full creative authority and brand stewardship while Highgate, which operates more than 80,000 keys across North America, the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe, handles operations and management across new global markets. "I could have chosen anyone in the industry to partner with, but I chose Highgate," says Schrager. "They are the smartest, most talented, and most disciplined operators and investors in the business. This partnership allows me to focus entirely on what I do best – concept, product, positioning and experience, while allowing Highgate to do what they do best. To me, it's a dream team, where 1+1 = 10."

Mahmood Khimji of Highgate says: "Ian is the greatest hotelier of the modern era. He literally invented the lifestyle category. We are extremely excited to be working with him to operate Public Hotels." Public West Hollywood will embody Schrager's latest concept, designed around what it doesn't include rather than traditional luxury amenities. Each guestroom will also function as a private screening room – a deliberate nod to the property's West Hollywood location.

A forthcoming food and beverage collaboration at Public New York, with what Schrager describes as "one of the most cutting-edge and talented figures in modern hospitality", will be announced later this year. Schrager's Public concept centres on luxury for all – delivering sophisticated design and service at accessible price points, reflecting broader industry trends towards democratic luxury that prioritises experiences over traditional status markers.

"Luxury is now about experiences and how something makes you feel," says Schrager. "This is a very important social and cultural shift."