The Luxury Item with Scott Kerr

Scott Kerr is joined by Omni Hotels & Resorts' president Kurt Alexander, who is leading the charge in the brand evolution and portfolio enhancement of the upscale 'approachable luxury' hospitality brand. Kurt discusses how the $1.5 billion brand overhaul will allow the smaller player to compete with the global hotel giants, its strategic shift towards more approachable luxury, and why Omni still builds and owns hotels in an asset-light era. He also talks about how Omni is rethinking personalization for the today's traveler and prioritizing workforce development to deliver emotionally resonant guest experiences. Plus: Has travel become a human need?Featuring: Kurt Alexander, President at Omni Hotels & Resorts (omnihotels.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Fraser Yachts is the world's leading yachting company. Anders Kurtén, CEO of Fraser Yachts joins Scott Kerr to talk about why the luxury superyacht market is experiencing continued growth, the strong and sustained appetite for larger yachts, expectations of the younger generation of superyacht owners, and how the 78-year-old company stays relevant in a highly competitive field. Anders also discusses what's driving the latest yacht design trends, the surge of luxury fashion brands partnering with yacht manufacturers, Fraser's highly regarded business intelligence team, and the measurable steps the company takes to reduce its environmental impact. Plus: How wealthy superyacht buyer are dealing with tariffs.Featuring: Anders Kurtén, CEO of Fraser Yachts (fraseryachts.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Scott Kerr sits down with Luca Fuso, CEO of Cassina, the renowned nearly century-old luxury Italian furniture brand that blends tradition, innovation, and collaboration with world-famous architects and designers. Luca Fuso is also CEO of the Design Division at Haworth Lifestyle, a portfolio of brands including Cassina, Karakter, Zanotta and Cappellini. Luca discusses how Cassina pioneered innovative industrial production methods that fused craftsmanship and advanced technologies and how its long history of collaborating with the masters like Le Corbusier, Gio Ponti, Philippe Starck, Charlotte Perriand became crucial to its brand identity. He also talks about Cassina partnering with luxury Italian fashion houses on exclusive products or installations, the 'Cassina Perspective' philosophy that defines its creative vision, how Cassina actively shapes the discourse around design, and monitoring the impact of cultural shifts on our living spaces. Plus: Impact of the U.S tariffs on Cassina's businessFeaturing: Luca Fuso, CEO of Cassina (cassina.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Scott Kerr sits down with celebrated chef and global restaurateur Richard Sandoval, founder and executive chef of Richard Sandoval Hospitality, a company with over 60 locations across four continents specializing in contemporary Latin cuisine. Richard discusses switching from playing on the professional tennis circuit to enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America, what he learned about hospitality running his father's Mexico City restaurant, and how opening upscale Maya restaurant in New York City in 1997 became the seed of his global empire. He also talks about the rewards of introducing Latin cuisine in unexpected global regions and growing his licensing business with the leading luxury hotel brands. Plus: Richard Sandoval's mission to save the beesFeaturing: Richard Sandoval, Founder and Executive Chef at Richard Sandoval Hospitality (richardsandoval.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

Scott Kerr is joined by Filippo Arnaboldi, CEO of Frette, the 165-year-old Italian luxury brand renowned for providing linens and bedding to many of world's most prestigious hotels, iconic properties, and royal families throughout Europe. Filippo discusses how Frette became a symbol of luxury and craftsmanship in the world of home textiles, designing luxury hotel brand-specific collections, and reaching younger audiences through luxury travel and sleep wellness. He also talks about accelerating Frette's global business through early investments in e-commerce, opening immersive boutiques in the world's top luxury shopping locations, and strengthening its hospitality business. Plus: Frette's collaboration with Thom Browne at Milan Design Week.Featuring: Filippo Arnaboldi, CEO of Frette (frette.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

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 winning service culture, and why he's providing more curated experiences to guests than ever before. Plus: How The Plaza's Palm Court became a cultural touchstone of New York City's hospitality, history, and high society..Featuring: Sam Ioannidis, Managing Director of The Plaza Hotel (theplazany.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

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 her desire to build a great American luxury brand, collabs with Mark Cross and William Sonoma, and how she stays on top of changing customer preferences and digital trends. Plus: How her passion for flowers blossomed into a Rizzoli coffee table book "Living With Flowers"..Featuring: Aerin Lauder, Founder and Creative Director of AERIN (aerin.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

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 talks about why his Israeli street food inspired Miznon restaurant chain is a global phenomenon serving "fine dining in a pita", why hospitality is one of the highest cultural levels in our humanity,  and what it means to have a Michelin star restaurant in New York. Plus: How his first Kosher eatery Malka breaks the bad rap of kosher food.Featuring: Eyal Shani, Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur (instagram.com/eyaltomato)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

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 building its ships and the similarities to designing one of its land-based hotel properties, and why its third superyacht 'Luminara' (embarking on her maiden voyage in July) is its most ambitious creation yet. Jim also talks about why the luxury hotel superyacht market is still relatively untapped and how the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is shaping its itineraries and destinations to meet the demands of UHNW travelers who are increasingly valuing purity of experience over traditional luxury amenities. Plus: Why most of its guests are first-time cruisersFeaturing: Jim Murren, Executive Chairman and CEO of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection (ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

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 ConsultingAbout 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.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!