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...

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...

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...

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...

Scott Kerr is joined by Benoit de Clerck, CEO of Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Zenith, to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the 160-year-old brand and his vision for continued growth. He also talks about what brought him over from Panerai to LVMH Watches to lead Zenith, why Zenith's El Primero watch movement is regarded as one of the world’s best and most accurate, how Zenith has been faring through a slumping luxury watch market, and how it's bringing more younger watch...

Scott Kerr sits down with Andrea DeMarco, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, one of the world's leading luxury cruise lines, to discuss why the cruise industry is booming at record highs and why more new-to-cruise guests are wealthy Gen Xers and luxury hotel side travelers. She also talks about why Regent Seven Seas puts itself in ultra-luxury category, how it competes against the slew of new luxury hotel brand yachts, what goes into creating luxury cruise itineraries that appeal to UHNW...

Scott Kerr is joined by Hendrik Malinowski, CEO of French luxury automotive manufacturer Bugatti, a 115-year-old brand renowned for producing luxurious, well-crafted, multi-million dollar high-performance cars.  Hendrik discusses the legacy of company's founder, automobile designer Ettore Bugatti and the marque's extraordinary rise to a world-class luxury brand. He also discusses why Bugatti vehicles are sold out well into the next couple years and doesn't see a slowdown, why expensive art...

In this encore episode of The Luxury Item (published September 13, 2022), Silvio Ursini, Bulgari Group executive vice president in charge of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts division joins Scott Kerr to discuss the steady and calculated expansion of the Italian jeweler's ultra-luxury hotels. Silvio talks about the recent opening of its seventh property in Paris and breaking from the usual clichés of Parisian architecture, how ultra high net worth customers are keeping its hotel business strong,...

Scott Kerr is joined by Tiara Chesmer-Williams, vp and head of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity at wine & spirits giant Moët Hennessy, to talk about how DEI can drive business success for luxury brands and the programs she's implemented to create a more inclusive corporate culture. Tiara discusses how she works with parent company LVMH on diversity and inclusion goals, ways a company can build a culture of curiosity, whether DEI efforts in the luxury industry are backsliding, and why...

Scott Kerr speaks with Frédéric Fekkai, legendary celebrity hairstylist and founder of FEKKAI brands. Frédéric discusses reinventing the luxury hair salon experience by creating the concept of beauty hospitality at his namesake salon atop New York’s Bergdorf Goodman and why he bought back his brand after going through a handful of different owners. He also talks about how listening to customers informed his strategies and innovations, why he and his wife purchased French beauty and lifestyle...

Scott Kerr speaks with Sabine Brunner, president of MCM Worldwide, the legendary German luxury lifestyle goods and fashion house founded in 1976 and known for its high-quality leather goods and instantly recognized monogram — the Cognac Visetos. Brunner, who joined MCM in 2023, discusses injecting new energy into the brand with a fresh design team, major marketing push, and buzzy campaigns starring A-list celebrities like Cindy Crawford and Cara Delevingne. She also talks about why MCM...

Scott Kerr sits down with Giuseppe Santoni, chairman and executive president of Santoni, the nearly half-century-old luxury Italian footwear company famed for its artisanal craftsmanship, high-quality leather and contemporary style. Founded as a men's shoe business by his father Andrea Santoni in 1975, Giuseppe talks about the workshop being his "playground" as a child, taking over the helm of the company at 21-years-old and growing it into one of the world's leading brands in men's luxury...

Scott Kerr is joined by Christian Vernet, CEO of La Compagnie, a unique Paris-based airline that offers premium all-business-class transatlantic flight experiences but at competitive pricing. Christian discusses why the 10-year old company's all-business-class model has endured while others have failed in the space, how post-pandemic trends have influenced its strategies and offerings, and why upgrading from Boeing to Airbus jets was a game changer. He also talks about La Compagnie...

Scott Kerr is joined by Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO of American luxury electric automaker Lucid Motors, to talk about how the company evolved from an electric battery and powertrain supplier to a frontrunner in the electric vehicle market competing head-on with the German luxury manufacturers. Rawlinson, an auto industry veteran who engineered the Tesla Model S, discusses the technology innovations and design thinking behind the Lucid Air (its first vehicle) as well as its upcoming Gravity...

When it comes to high-end audio equipment, few companies have cornered the market quite like McIntosh Group. The group has been a leader and innovator in the premium and luxury audio category for decades and today has a portfolio of the world’s most revered audio brands including McIntosh, Sonus faber, and Rotel. Scott Kerr speaks with McIntosh Group CEO Daniel Pidgeon about how McIntosh became a favorite among audiophiles and audio enthusiasts and why the pandemic drove consumers to invest...

Scott Kerr talks Tina Edmundson, president of luxury at Marriott International, who oversees a prestigious portfolio of luxury brands including The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, BVLGARI Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, EDITION, The Luxury Collection, JW Marriott and W Hotels. Tina discusses her strategic priorities in her role since being elevated to president, why the Marriott International and Starwood Hotels merger was a "perfect marriage" and the white space it...

Scott Kerr is joined by Guido Conti Caponi, chief operating officer at Loretta Caponi, the legendary family-owned Florentine luxury label founded by his grandmother more than 50 years ago and renowned for its hand-embroidered sleepwear, linens, and ready-to-wear. Guido talks about the brand's remarkable history and how Loretta turned her love for the craft of embroidery as a young girl into a successful global business with a client list that includes top Hollywood celebs and European royals....

Scott Kerr is joined by Deborah Calmeyer, CEO and founder of ultra-luxury African safari company ROAR AFRICA, to discuss how she turned her love for Africa and her desire to share its beauty with the world into a business. Calmeyer talks about her journey from growing up in the Zimbabwean bush to moving to New York City and launching a luxury African travel company, how the company's female-centric approach is a new model for the male-dominated African safari industry, what's fueling the...

Legendary fashion designer Norma Kamali joins Scott Kerr to talk about the journey of running her own business for over 50 years, her enthusiasm for technology, and her continuous drive to learn and create. Famously known for her innovative designs like the "sleeping bag" coat and "parachute dress", Kamali, now 78, discusses her approach to designing clothes that are timeless, why she embraced e-commerce before the rest of the fashion industry, and building a custom AI tool to preserve her...

Antoine Pin, managing director of Bulgari's watch division, sits down with Scott Kerr to discuss the realities of the shifting luxury watch market, how the brand is aiming to win the battle for the wrists of wealthy buyers, and the artistic inspiration behind some of the new luxury timepieces that mark the 140th anniversary of the storied Roman jewelry house. Antoine also talks about why gold is a hallmark element of Bulgari and the current trend towards yellow gold timepieces, why the brand...

Scott Kerr speaks to Raphael Sauleau, CEO of IYC (The International Yacht Company), one of the world’s largest superyacht brokerages, about the health of the luxury yacht market and the shifting buyer demographic. Raphael discusses his main strategic focus since joining as CEO in 2022, how he's navigating a market reversal after the post-pandemic yacht-buying boom, the rising influence of wealthy Millennial yacht owners, and fashion designers taking on superyacht projects. He also talks about...

Scott Kerr speaks to Simon Kim, owner and CEO of Gracious Hospitality Management, the brand behind the highly acclaimed Michelin-starred Cote Korean Steakhouse in New York City, Miami, and Singapore as well as the newly opened high-end fried chicken and Champagne concept Coqodaq. Kim, who came to the U.S. from Korea at age 13, talks about what's driving Americas' sharp demand for Korean cuisine and his journey to fulfilling his lifelong dream of opening a game-changing Korean restaurant. He...

Scott Kerr is joined by Greg Spencer, Chief Executive Officer of Timbers Company, a leading luxury vacation homes and rentals company that offers the ability for HNWIs to buy whole and fractional ownership in vacation properties in the world's top destinations. Greg discusses how Timbers Company strives to deliver the same top-of-the-strata services and opulent experiences to its wealthy co-owners as ultra-luxury hotels, why the wrenching correction in the second-homes market didn't impact...

Scott Kerr sits down with John Gerhardt, global creative director at Moët Hennessy, the wines and spirits business of luxury giant LVMH. Gerhardt, a TIME Magazine "Design 100" honoree when he was at luxury retailer Holt Renfrew, discusses his role as the Moët Hennessy brand lead and partnering with the twenty-seven Maisons, how Moët Hennessy is re-evaluating its creative approach in a challenging market, and how its heritage brands are speaking to a new generation of drinkers. He also talks...