The Luxury Item with Scott Kerr

Scott Kerr sits down with Sam Ioannidis, managing director of The Plaza, New York City's iconic hotel, to discuss how it achieved near-mythical status and what makes it so unique in the world of luxury hospitality. Sam also talks about recently joining The Plaza after a 30 year stint at The Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, how he keeps the 120-year-old hotel relevant and forward thinking, his strategies for creating a wi...

Scott Kerr speaks to Aerin Lauder, founder and creative director of luxury lifestyle brand AERIN, about launching her own business in 2012 after a 25-year stint at Estée Lauder, the beauty empire founded by her legendary grandmother. Aerin discusses why she launched her eponymous brand, the ways she's continually inspired by Estée's life and career, and why the AERIN brand story appeals to consumers. She also talks about h...

Scott Kerr is joined by Eyal Shani, iconic Israeli celebrity chef and founder of the hospitality brand, the Good People Group, which includes Shmoné, Miznon and a global lineup of some of the most respected and popular restaurants. Eyal discusses how he gained notoriety as the "godfather of Israeli cuisine" from his high-end Tel-Aviv restaurants and carving out a reputation as a chef who disrupts the status quo. He also ta...

The ‘luxury hotel superyacht’ is one of the most competitive and exciting new areas of luxury travel. The Ritz-Carlton was the first to market with the launch of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s 'Evrima' superyacht in 2022. Scott Kerr sits down with Jim Murren, executive chairman and CEO of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, to discuss why the Ritz-Carlton expanded into superyachts, the complexities of designing and bui...

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 th...

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 ...

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 expect...

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...

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 exper...

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 brou...

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...

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 fo...

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...

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 tod...

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...

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 trave...

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 popul...

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 ...

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 other...