Francois Frossard

Francois Frossard is the founding principal of Francois Frossard Design (FFD), and regarded as one of the most cutting edge interior designers and interior architects in the country. Frossard’s signature “grand style” infused with “high bold drama” can be found in celebrated venues around the world. He is known for pairing fanciful design elements with tradition.

Frossard was born into the world of design in Megève, a small town in the French Alps, where he studied cabinetry making and carpentry. After earning a degree in design at the prestigious Ecole Boulle of Design in Paris, renowned designer Lee Weitzman tapped Frossard as his new Industrial Designer. His scope of work continued to broaden when he later accepted a position in Chicago as Head of Design & Production for internationally acclaimed designer, Jordan Mozer, which opened the door to significant commercial projects including Las Vegas Bellagio Hotel & Casino’s Race and Sport Book Lounge, Cirque du Sole il Retail Store, and Disney Quest.

In 2002, Frossard opened his own design firm Francois Frossard Design (FFD) in Miami, a move predicated by Miami Beach’s evolution from bohemian hot-spot to America’s Riviera, and one in need of great designers to meet and exceed the expectations of well-heeled visitors and residents. Around this time, Frossard pioneered a new era in nightlife design, setting new standards in interior design around the world.

While in Miami, The Opium Group, a national nightclub firm known for their jet-set celebrity clientele, retained Frossard as lead designer. He unveiled PRIVE, the first in a series of uber-chic venues for the group and the first American nightclub to depart from traditional dark bawdy atmospheres, focusing on the elegance of simplicity and modern style. Establishing himself as the genius behind the award-winning designs of iconic nightclubs including Mansion, SET, Arkadia, Story, Frossard’s vast portfolio evolved to also include pioneering concepts for the hospitality industry at large.

As his first foray into the hotel design world, Francois undertook the redesign of the Sunrise section at Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun, where he oversaw the glamorous interior design of the hotel. He was also responsible for the resort’s on-property nightclub, Noir; sophisticated lounge, Sky Bar; Japanese restaurant, Momo; and Italian restaurant, La Gondola. Francois also designed the Nizuc structure of Moon Palace including the lobby, Manglar restaurant, Presidential suites (a residential rental concept later adopted by other properties), Nuptial suites, Sweet & Coffee shop, the Tea Room, the English Pub, beauty salon and standard rooms. These design efforts led to several other projects under the Palace Resorts brand, many of which will debut in 2015 and 2016.

Further establishing himself as one of the foremost leaders in hospitality design, particularly within Miami, Frossard was also the visionary behind some of Miami’s most beloved treasures, including Villa Azur and The Forge Restaurant. For the latter, Frossard undertook the high stakes job of refreshing the iconic Miami Beach restaurant – a debut which was met with international praise and acclaim.

The year 2014 brought the fruition of several more significant projects for Francois Frossard Design – Anatomy at 1220, an impressive 13,000-square foot  lifestyle-inspired health and wellness center envisioned by South Beach nightlife veteran Chris Paciello that has revolutionized the industry following its debut, and Provocateur Dubai in The Four Seasons Resort, the first American nightlife brand in the UAE. The year 2014 also welcomed the much anticipated Francois Frossard Design Interactive Showroom and Office. Featured in the New York Observer, this brand new 6,000 square foot showroom features open-plan workstations and dedicated gallery spaces to accommodate FFD’s growing business.

In 2015 FFD was called up once again by the owners of Villa Azur to design their new Brasserie Azur in Midtown Miami. The French farmhouse vibe is accentuated by brick walls, stone tables and a pergola overhead woven with LED-lit bougainvilleas that evoke a disco-happy French chalet. For his redesign of this legendary Paris nightclub Queen FFD injected the decades-old club with a fresh new energy. The larger space, still located on the  avenue des Champs-Elysées,  features a purple-hued color scheme, a DJ cabin suspended above the dance floor, a rotunda that can be privatized with benches, and the bar placed in the center of the room.

Through his work, Frossard has carved a significant niche in the design world for himself as each new project continuously manages to outdo the last. Currently, Frossard and the FFD team are focusing on a multitude of projects for the upcoming years.