Scott Kerr is joined by David Pearson, president & executive chairman at Joseph Phelps Vineyards, one of the most respected and acclaimed wine properties in the United States. Founded more than a half a century ago, the family-run winery was acquired by LVMH’s Moët Hennessy in 2022, adding to its portfolio of luxury wines and spirits. David discusses the winemaker's legacy of revolutionizing California winemaking in the 1970s, how its flagship Insignia wine became a status symbol around the world, and why the brand was sold to Moët Hennessy. He also talks about ways the wine industry could right-set its many challenges and how its winery is adapting to climate change. Plus: How Canada's retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. has impacted his business
Featuring: David Pearson, President & Executive Chairman at Joseph Phelps Vineyards (josephphelps.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!
The lifestyle hotel segment is red hot, driven by experience-focused offerings that appeal to new generations of travelers. Scott Kerr speaks to Amar Lalvani, president and creative director at Hyatt's new lifestyle group, a dedicated division primarily focusing on lifestyle hotels including brands like The Standard, Thompson Hotels, Dream Hotels, Bunkhouse Hotels, and others. Amar discusses why Standard International was sold to Hyatt, the thinking behind Hyatt's brand groupings strategy, what's driving the boom in lifestyle hotels and how Hyatt is enhancing its leadership, the strategic benefits of being part of Hyatt's massive loyalty program, and the biggest changes in hospitality over the last 10 years. Plus: Why the buzzy new concept hotel The Manner in New York City 'feels like the living room of your coolest friend'
Featuring: Amar Lalvani, President and Creative Director, Lifestyle Group at Hyatt (hyatt.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!
Scott Kerr is joined by world-famous fashion designer Gilles Mendel, who recently launched a new business venture House of Gilles, a couture atelier he founded along with his daughter Chloe Mendel Corgan. Gilles discusses the next chapter of the family-run house and how its offerings are bringing the essence of a Parisian atelier to New York City. He also talks about the rise of young couture clientele and their new expectations, why there has been a greater appreciation for artisans, why couture defies the economic climate, and designing costumes for New York City Ballet dancers. Plus: A new couture bridal footwear collaboration with Casadei
Featuring: Gilles Mendel, Fashion Designer and Co-Founder of House of Gilles (houseofgilles.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!
Scott Kerr sits down with David Rosenblatt, CEO of online luxury design marketplace 1stdibs, to discuss how the 25-year-old company evolved from providing vintage and antique offerings of the Paris Flea Market online into a publicly-traded $400 million e-commerce powerhouse. He also talks about taking the helm of 1stdibs and transitioning the business model from a listings platform to a full online marketplace, why wealthy buyers and professional sellers are attracted to 1stdibs, capitalizing on the digital shift and housing boom in the COVID-era economy, the decision to IPO, why it entered and exited the NFT and online auction business, the effects from tariffs, and what the future holds for expanding into brick-and-mortar. Plus: Design trends from the latest 1stdibs luxury e-commerce report.
Baccarat, French luxury crystal house with a remarkable legacy, recently celebrated its 260th anniversary. Scott Kerr sits down with Adam Banfield, president and CEO of Baccarat North America, to discuss the brand's vision of moving beyond crystal and become a true lifestyle brand. Adam talks about how it brings Baccarat's brand identity to its hotels and residences, investing in its boutiques to improve the shopping experience, expanding into wax, porcelain and leather product categories, winning over younger audiences with the success of its 'Emily in Paris' collaboration and becoming a TikTok sensation for its Rouge 540 fragrance. Plus: The strategy behind moving its Manhattan flagship from tony Madison Avenue to the Meatpacking District.
Featuring: Adam Banfield, President and CEO of Baccarat North America (baccarat.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!
Piaget is among the most recognized luxury watch and jewelry brands in the world. Scott Kerr is joined by Jean-Bernard Forot, head of patrimony at Piaget, to discuss how the 150-year-old Swiss company evolved from being a movement manufacturer for established watch brands into a renowned luxury watchmaker and jeweler. Jean-Bernard also talks about his role as gatekeeper to Piaget's archives and how new collections are brought to life, celebrating 150 years with a record-setting ultra-thin tourbillon watch, honoring Piaget's enduring friendship with Andy Warhol by re-releasing his favorite timepiece, and how the jeweled Polo watch became a tangible emblem of luxe elegance in the 1980s. Plus: The launch of 'Piaget Society' magazine
Featuring: Jean-Bernard Forot, Head of Patrimony at Piaget (piaget.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!
As the world of luxury travel continues to evolve, expedition cruising has emerged as a remarkable fusion of adventure and refined indulgence. French luxury cruise operator Ponant Explorations Group (which is owned by Kering's parent holding company Artémis) takes adventurous travelers to some of the world’s most remote and untouched corners. Scott Kerr sits down with Sam Chamberlain, CEO of Americas at Ponant Explorations Group, to discuss why expedition cruising on small ships has been a breakout travel trend for the wealthy and what's driving their interest. As France's only cruise company, he talks about Ponant's emphasis on traditional French hospitality uniquely positions it in a fast-developing segment, its world's first luxury icebreaking cruise ship Le Commandant Charcot reaching the North Pole of Inaccessibility, and seeing more solo and younger clientele taking expedition cruises. Plus: Collaborating with the non-profit Explorers Club on scientific voyages.
Featuring: Sam Chamberlain, CEO of Americas at Ponant Explorations Group (ponant.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: It's a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!
Jonas Tåhlin leads Moët Hennessy's global spirits business, overseeing prestigious Maisons such as Belvedere Vodka, Glenmorangie and Ardbeg single malt whiskies, and Volcan de mi Tierra Tequila. He also spearheaded the joint venture with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter to launch SirDavis American whisky. Jonas joins Scott Kerr to discuss how Moët Hennessy is attacking the challenging spirits market, teaming up with Harrison Ford for Glenmorangie's new global campaign, Ardbeg veering off the whisky marketing playbook with a sci-fi graphic novel for whisky fans, working with Beyoncé to bring her SirDavis whisky project to life, and keeping its ultra-premium vodka and tequila brands vibrant in a polarized market. Plus: How Moët Hennessy is integrating into the LVMH x F1 racing partnership.
Featuring: Jonas Tåhlin, President of Spirits Brands at Moët Hennessy (lvmh.com/en/our-maisons/wines-spirits)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!
Scott Kerr speaks with Stefano Peccatori, president & CEO of Rizzoli International Publications, the famed Italian publishing house recognized for producing high-end illustrated books in fashion, architecture, art, and design and its world-famous Rizzoli Bookstore in New York City. Stefano discusses how its Milanese founder Angelo Rizzoli went from poverty to successful book publisher to producing films like '8 1/2' by Federico Fellini. He also talks about how why Rizzoli is "not just a luxury brand, but part of the culture of luxury," positioning Rizzoli in a competitive high-end coffee table book market, why physical bookstores have seen a resurgence in popularity, and the story behind producing a 300-page monograph on Italian clothing label Stone Island. Plus: Working with prestigious luxury brands on tribute books
Featuring: Stefano Peccatori, President & CEO of Rizzoli International Publications (rizzoliusa.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or colleague!
Matthew Upchurch is a prominent figure in the luxury travel industry as the CEO of Virtuoso, a leading global network of travel agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel. He sits down with Scott Kerr to talk about why he believes the power of human expertise, technology, and personal connection has positioned Virtuoso at the forefront of luxury travel's future. They also have a deep conversation about who today's luxury travelers are and what they want, the resurgence of the travel advisor, why AI in travel will be about "automating the predictable and humanizing the exceptional", and what defines true luxury hospitality today. Plus: Why Virtuoso Travel Week is considered the 'Fashion Week of travel'.
Featuring: Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso (virtuoso.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!
Daniel Daggers, founder and CEO of DDRE Global and star of Netflix's luxury real estate reality show 'Buying London', sits down with Scott Kerr to discuss how the TV series has impacted his business, how his firm's revolutionizing the luxury property market in London and what's been dampening the sentiment among wealthy buyers. He also talks about who's snapping up London's high-end properties, where their wealth is coming from, and seeing the effects of the great wealth transfer play out in luxury real estate. Plus: Why social media has been a game changers for his firm
Featuring: Daniel Daggers, CEO of DDRE Global (ddre.global)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or colleague!
Scott Kerr is joined by Michael Savage, CEO of Space Perspective, a commercial spaceflight company that will take passengers to the edge of the Earth's atmosphere in a luxurious balloon-lifted capsule. Michael discusses the emerging space tourism market, what luxury services wealthy passengers will experience at 100,000 feet, successfully completing its first test flight, and how the company is striving to make space travel more accessible. He also talks about how Richard Branson became an investor in Space Perspective, teaming up with Mercedes-Maybach and why space is a new frontier for luxury brands. Plus: Responding to criticism about the environmental impact of space travel
Featuring: Michael Savage, CEO of Space Perspective (spaceperspective.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or colleague!
Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué sits down with Scott Kerr to discuss how the 165-year-old Florentine luxury watchmaker grew from supplying watches to the Italian Royal Navy to the brand of choice among Hollywood action stars and passionate watch enthusiasts. Jean-Marc also talks about its long-standing ties with maritime and its influence on design, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone accelerating the brand's popularity, how being acquired by the Richemont Group launched Panerai in the haute horlogerie territory, Panerai’s extreme watch experiences for VIPs, and engaging with the watchmaker's diehard fanbase (the 'Paneristi'). Plus: Panerai's strategic involvement the America's Cup and the Lunna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailing team.
Featuring: Jean-Marc Pontroué, CEO of Panerai (panerai.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend!
Scott Kerr is joined by Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, CEO of French high jewelry house Boucheron, to discuss how the company is preserving the innovation and creative design legacy of its founder Frédéric Boucheron and her push to revive the identity of the 166-year-old "sleeping" luxury brand. She also talks about how being a small and nimble company has enabled Kering-owned Boucheron to quickly bring boundary-pushing concepts to market, why her partnership with creative director Claire Choisne has been so successful, the rationale behind releasing two distinct high jewelry collections per year, why high jewelry has been more resilient than other luxury investments, and its big foray into the US market with standalone stores. Plus: Why the red carpet is so important to Boucheron.
Featuring: Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, CEO of Boucheron (boucheron.com)
Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast: The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend!
Scott Kerr speaks to Andrea Zagato and his wife Marella Rivolta Zagato, the powerhouse duo leading the legendary Italian design house and coachbuilding company Zagato. CEO Andrea Zagato discusses how his grandfather Ugo grew a small coach build company in Milan more than a century ago into a top name in automotive design and forging long-standing partnerships with Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Maserati, and many others. They both talk about why Zagato renews itself every 10 years, its 'rationalist' design philosophy, creating automotive 'works of art' for wealthy clients, the challenges and opportunities of the electrification era, and using ambassadors rather than dealers to promote its projects. Plus: The story behind Ugo Zagato's creative partnership and friendship with Enzo Ferrari
Featuring: Andrea Zagato and Marella Rivolta Zagato, Zagato (zagato.it)
Host:
Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast:
The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected:
Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend!
Scott Kerr is joined by Amy Smilovic, founder and creative director behind popular fashion brand Tibi, and whose personal style ethos of 'creative pragmatism' has amassed a large devoted following. Amy discusses launching Tibi nearly thirty years ago in Hong Kong and how it gained traction in the US, what motivated her to later pivot Tibi's visual design and eventually 'completely disrupt' the brand. She also talks about how the idea of 'creative pragmatism' was born out of during Covid-19 lockdown and why it's turned into a movement, why having a direct line to customers on social media has been a game changer, and what's been the biggest contributor to her brand's longevity. Plus: Why the US department store model is broken
Featuring: Amy Smilovic, Founder and Creative Director of Tibi (tibi.com)
Host:
Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast:
The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected:
Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend!
Scott Kerr sits down with Douglas Taylor, CEO of Bruichladdich, the legendary whisky distillery located on the Isle of Islay, Scotland. Douglas discusses the demise and rise of the 143-year-old Bruichladdich Distillery and why the brand is positioned as the 'antidote' to the whisky industry norm. He also talks the distillery's visionary and progressive approach to creating a diverse portfolio of peated and unpeated Scotch whiskies, why it also got into the gin business, the challenges and opportunities of taking over the leadership from a founding CEO, and Bruichladdich's achievements in sustainability. Plus: Is the Scotch whisky market slowdown here to stay?
Featuring: Douglas Taylor, CEO of Bruichladdich Distillery (bruichladdich.com)
Host:
Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast:
The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected:
Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend!
Scott Kerr is joined by Robert Ettinger, CEO and Chairman of Ettinger, the nearly century-old British luxury leather goods company known for its high-quality, bespoke products and traditional manufacturing methods. As the third generation to take over the business that bears his family name, Robert talks about the brand's journey to becoming one of the most renowned names in leather goods. He also discusses how being granted the prestigious Royal Warrant by the Prince of Wales was a game changer for Ettinger, what goes into developing an idea for a collection, why Japan is its biggest global market, and Ettinger's collaboration with the hit Netflix series "The Gentlemen." Plus: What it means to be "quintessentially British"?
Featuring: Robert Ettinger, CEO and Chairman of Ettinger (ettinger.co.uk)
Host:
Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast:
The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected:
Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or colleague!
Scott Kerr sits down with Lukas Czinger, founder, president and CEO of American hypercar manufacturer Czinger Vehicles. Founded along with his father Kevin Czinger in 2019, Lukas discusses how their 3D-printed '21C' hypercar is catalyzing a new age of designing and building cars. He also talks about why Czinger launched with a $2 million hypercar in an already saturated market, smashing production car lap records, targeting ultra-wealthy owners, and how Czinger positions itself against iconic luxury car brands with illustrious racing histories. Plus: Could its proprietary Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS) be used to manufacture luxury goods?
Featuring: Lukas Czinger, Founder, President and CEO of Czinger Vehicles (czinger.com)
Host:
Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast:
The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected:
Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or colleague!
Samina Virk, North America CEO of leading luxury fashion resale platform Vestiaire Collective, speaks with Scott Kerr about how relying on the company's core values has helped it thrive over the last 15 years. Samina talks about fast-tracking growth in the US, the company's path to profitability and possible IPO, its crowdfunding campaign, the importance of building trust through advanced authentication, and its AI-powered search engine. She also discusses its partnership with hit Netflix series 'Emily in Paris.' Plus: Does transparency influence consumer perceptions of the true value of luxury products?
Featuring: Samina Virk, North America CEO of Vestiaire Collective (vestiairecollective.com)
Host:
Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone Consulting
About The Luxury Item podcast:
The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.
Stay Connected:
Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
Listen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or colleague!
