Starck first gained international attention when he was commissioned to refurbish the private apartments in the Élysée Palace (1983–84) in Paris for French President François Mitterrand. He went on to design restaurant interiors for the Café Costes (1984) in Paris, Manin (1985) in Tokyo, Theatron (1985) in Mexico City, and Teatriz (1990) in Madrid, among others. Starck was also responsible for the interior design of the Royalton and Paramount hotels (1988 and 1990) in New York City, work that subsequently inspired hotels throughout the world to seek his services. Over the course of these varied commissions, he did not develop one distinct aesthetic or a preference for certain materials. Rather, he addressed the needs of an individual client, whether it was the somewhat conservative character of state apartments or the more flamboyant tone needed for a trendy nightclub. Some constants did develop in Starck’s work, however, such as a preference for fluid, organic forms and the inclusion of subtle, playful details. For example, in the Delano Hotel (1995) in the South Beach area of Miami Beach, Florida, each room has a metal apple holder affixed to the wall; the phrase “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is printed on the holder, promising a daily replenishment of apples.