Dan Mazzarini has reintroduced his New York design studio under a new identity. The firm formerly known as BHDM Design now operates as Mazzarini & Co., marking a strategic rebrand that reflects 13 years of evolution whilst honouring its narrative-driven approach to hospitality design.
The rebrand, announced on 3 November 2025, signals more than cosmetic change. Mazzarini positions the new identity as recognition of the studio’s trajectory since its 2012 founding, drawing on his formative years as director of decorative for Polo store development at Ralph Lauren from 2006 to 2011.
“Reintroducing our studio as Mazzarini & Co. marks more than a new name – it reflects our ongoing evolution as a creative collective at the intersection of narrative and space,” Mazzarini said. The studio’s guiding philosophy centres on a single question applied to every project: “Why Wouldn’t We?”
Portfolio spans continents and sectors
Since launching as BHDM Design, the firm has worked across four continents with clients ranging from Ralph Lauren and Waldorf Astoria to Google and One Medical. The studio has revitalised historic landmarks including Grand Central Terminal and the Harvard Club of New York whilst pioneering concepts for developers, venture capital firms and high-net-worth individuals.
The timing of the rebrand coincides with completion of the firm’s first New York hotel, M Social Hotel New York Downtown. The 569-room Financial District property features bold, fluid architecture with red-and-gold tones and sustainable materials designed to capture Lower Manhattan’s energy and resilience.
Mazzarini’s approach emphasises cross-pollination of ideas across sectors. The studio maintains a deliberately diverse portfolio spanning hospitality, retail, residential and corporate interiors – a strategy Mazzarini attributes to lessons learned early in his career when retail-focused firms struggled during the 2000s economic downturn.
Career foundations inform current approach
Before establishing his own practice, Mazzarini spent his early career at Kramer Design Group in New York, where he led the global launch of the Michael Kors brand. At 24, he was appointed design director and increased the interiors and branding business by more than 300 per cent, working with clients including Calvin Klein, John Varvatos, Shiseido and Movado.
His six years at Ralph Lauren proved formative. During his tenure, he designed and installed more than 150 flagship stores across 16 countries, managing over £40 million in decorative sourcing and purchasing. The experience taught him to curate concepts like collections – melding substance and style across diverse brand aesthetics.
That retail foundation now informs the studio’s hospitality work. Recent projects include the comprehensive renovation of Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead, which drew on Atlanta’s “city in the forest” identity to create nature-inspired interiors featuring custom dogwood-patterned carpets and hand-painted forest murals.
Strategic positioning in evolving market
The rebrand positions Mazzarini & Co. within broader hospitality design trends emphasising narrative-driven experiences and multi-functional spaces. Industry research shows hotels increasingly prioritise wellness amenities, biophilic design and authentic storytelling – areas where the studio has established credentials.
The firm’s “hospitality-forward” approach extends beyond traditional hotel work. Projects for startups including Casper, Tend and Real demonstrate application of hospitality principles to healthcare and technology sectors, creating welcoming environments that reduce anxiety and encourage engagement.
Mazzarini has assembled a collective of designers, architects and artists who approach each project by first asking clients: “What’s the story you want to tell?” This narrative framework shapes everything from material selection to spatial flow, creating what the studio describes as “memory points” – distinctive moments that surprise and delight users.
Growth trajectory and team development
The studio expanded to the West Coast in 2017 and relocated to new New York headquarters in 2019. Recent internal promotions reflect continued growth, with senior leadership now overseeing distinct portfolios in hospitality, residential and commercial sectors.
In 2023, the studio launched ARCHIVE by Dan Mazzarini, a direct-to-consumer platform offering curated home products and lifestyle content. The venture demonstrates Mazzarini’s long-held ambition to act as merchant alongside designer, creating shoppable content that makes design expertise accessible beyond bespoke client relationships.
Looking ahead, the studio will expand its reach across hospitality, workplace and residential design whilst maintaining focus on balancing strategy and creativity. The rebrand reinforces commitment to concept-driven processes that treat design as storytelling rather than decoration.
For senior leaders evaluating design partners, Mazzarini’s approach offers a model for how cross-sector experience can enhance hospitality outcomes. His background in retail branding, corporate interiors and residential work informs a distinctive methodology that prioritises user experience whilst maintaining operational efficiency – a combination increasingly relevant as hospitality spaces evolve to serve multiple functions.
