Greg Chait: Founder of The Elder Statesman β Cashmere, Colour, Craftsmanship, & Playful Luxury
The Gstaad Guy Podcast
Who Bought the First Pieces
Greg identifies early customers as contemporary art collectors and how they became long-term supporters.
The Gstaad Guy sits down with Greg Chait, founder of The Elder Statesman, to trace the unconventional path from throwing parties and collecting blankets to building one of fashionβs most distinctive luxury brands. Greg shares the origin story behind receiving his first cashmere blanket, discovering the power of yarn, and why leading with intuition, not trends, became the foundation of his creative philosophy. From early exposure to fashion to stumbling upon the identity that would define his brand, he reflects on living many lives before finding the one that felt right.
The conversation explores colour theory, self-expression, and becoming the first to put tie dye on cashmere, a move that reshaped perceptions of luxury as something playful, cosy, and deeply personal. Greg breaks down the evolution from blankets to ready-to-wear knitwear, expanding into womenswear, designing retail experiences, and building a brand with soul. They discuss value alignment, creative collaborations, customers turned partners, and the balance between being an artist and an operator. Along the way, Greg opens up about empathy, therapy, emotional overload, and how becoming a father reshaped his perspective on leadership and life.
Filmed at Casa Cipriani New Yorkβs Premier River View Suite.
Chapters:
(00:00) Intro β¨
(00:40) Colton π€β¨
(01:26) Positive Luxury πΏπ
(02:25) The Origin Story πβ¨
(03:50) First Exposure To Fashion πβ¨
(04:31) Discovering Number Nine π9οΈβ£
(05:50) Being Gifted The First Cashmere Blanket ππ§£
(07:26) βItβs All About The Yarnβ π§Άπ―
(08:23) Colour & Expression π¨π¬
(08:36) Close To Loro Piana π€π»π
(09:44) The Beauty In Imperfection πΈβ‘
(10:25) From Blankets To Ready-To-Wear Knitwear π§£β‘οΈπ
(12:42) Maxfield LA ποΈποΈ
(18:45) Figuring Out The Right Path π§β¨
(24:04) Value Alignment π€π»π€π―
(25:31) Expanding Into Womenswear π©π
(26:32) Tie Dye On Cashmere ππ§£
(27:03) Stumbling Upon The Elder Statesman πβ¨
(30:40) Designing The Retail Experience π¬π¨
(34:20) Upcycled Teddy Bear & Home Goods π§Έβ»οΈ
(36:06) The Early Days of The Elder Statesman π±π
(36:55) Building An Identity Takes Time β³π§¬
(48:20) Behind The Name: The Elder Statesman ππ©β¨
(44:29) Some Things Stay Behind The Scenes π¬π
(43:05) If You Know, You Know ππ€«
(45:05) βThe Brand Has Soulβ β€οΈβ¨
(46:45) Spectrum Of Collaborations ππ€π»
(47:56) Being A Creative & An Operator π¨βοΈ
(49:26) Customers Turned Partners π€π»πΌ
(50:42) What Seems Right For The Business vs. Yourself βοΈπ§
(54:04) The Beauty Of Being A Founder ππ±
(55:40) Empathy π€π€π»
(56:06) Being A Father π¨βπ§β€οΈ
(58:03) The Next Phase Of The Brand πβ¨
(1:00:56) Urban & Resort Customers ποΈποΈ
(1:03:00) Playful Luxury ππ
(1:05:18) There Is No Easy Path To Success π§ββοΈπ
(1:07:28) Weβre Emotionally Overloaded π§ β‘
(1:09:14) Therapy ποΈπ¬
(1:11:13) Γ La Poubelle vs. Fantastique ποΈβ¨
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