The Luxury Item with Scott Kerr

Scott Kerr is joined by Dino Michael, senior vice president & global category head for Hilton's luxury brands, overseeing the strategic growth and positioning of storied brands like Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, and LXR. Dino discusses the biggest shifts in luxury hospitality in the last two decades, how Hilton's luxury brands continually proves its value proposition in the fiercely competitive luxury hotel landscape, and why travelers are pivoting from escapism to emotional alignment. He also talks about the vision and strategy behind Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts' major revitalization spearheaded by its crown jewel Waldorf Astoria New York, and why the recently acquired NoMad Hotels was a strategic investment for Hilton's luxury portfolio. Plus: Why 'sleep is the new status symbol'Featuring: Dino Michael, Senior Vice President & Global Category Head, Luxury Brands at Hilton (hilton.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 Cliff Robinson, chief executive officer of Revo, the iconic premium eyewear brand renowned for high-performance polarized lenses rooted in NASA technology. Cliff discusses how after being owned by several companies (including Luxottica) since its founding forty years ago, Revo is undergoing a significant revitalization through new collaborations, store openings, and strategic initiatives. He also talks about the challenges of making a heritage brand culturally relevant again, strategies to appeal to younger audiences, why he chose Barcelona, Spain for its first European flagship store, and its exclusive eyewear collaboration with Universal Music Group that begins with The Rolling Stones. Plus: Will Revo be playing in the AI glasses arena anytime soon?Featuring: Cliff Robinson, CEO of Revo (revo.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 Kristie D'Ambrosio-Correll, CEO and co-founder of Dacora Motors, a groundbreaking American ultra-luxury electric vehicle that will compete with Rolls-Royce and whose design pays homage to the elegant lines of 1930s vintage automotive artistry. Dacora is the first female-founded and led car company in the industry’s history and the first made-in-America ultra-luxury vehicle brand in nearly a century. Kristie discusses what led her from CTO of Mirror to starting her own luxury EV company, the challenges she faced as female founder, and aiming to be the ultimate in luxury bespoke customization. She also talks about the opportunity for Dacora in a challenging luxury EV market and its design collaboration with the legendary Pininfarina Group. Plus: Why Dacora's extreme approach to personalization is unprecedented in this categoryFeaturing: Kristie D'Ambrosio-Correll, CEO and Co-Founder of Dacora (dacora.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 Julie Bramham, global managing director of Diageo Luxury Group, a division that unites prestigious ultra-premium spirits brands such as Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, Port Ellen, and others in one portfolio. Julie discusses Diageo's thinking behind the formation of a luxury division, why Johnnie Walker's iconic 'Keep Walking" message and platform stays culturally relevant, growth opportunities in the face of a challenging global drinks market and consumers trading down from expensive products. She also talks about creating custom luxury experiences for HNWIs, a haute couture and fine whisky collaboration, and resurrecting a legendary Scottish 'ghost' distillery. Plus: Why brand storytelling is central to the success of its brands.Featuring: Julie Bramham, Global  Managing Director at Diageo Luxury Group (diageo.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 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!