The Grand Tourist with Dan Rubinstein

Milan Design Week is the most exciting time of year in design. On this special episode sponsored by Kartell, Dan reports from the Salone del Mobile fair to catch up with a quintet of industry powerhouses: Lorenza Luti, Philippe Starck, Piero Lissoni, Patricia Urquiola, and Roberto Palomba. Up for discussion is everything from the first designs made using artificial intelligence, the impact of sustainable materials on design, and the perfect place in the dynamic metropolis to find some peace and quiet.

As one of the most influential and admired interior designers of his generation, Pierre Yovanovitch has helped to usher in a new era of so-called quiet luxury. Celebrating 10 years since the launch of his own furniture line and the opening of a new gallery in New York, Dan speaks with the Paris-based trailblazer about his youth playing piano, what it was like working for fashion legend Pierre Cardin, how his American clients actually vary from his French ones, and more.

On this special episode sponsored by Lumens, Dan speaks with three incredible talents in the field of design: Pierre Marie, a French talent whose sense of color and artistic hand create everything from scarves for Hermès to fantastical works of crystal; Alyssa Kapito, a New York–based interior designer whose love of elegantly simple interiors is explored in her first book; and Frederik Molenschot, a Dutch genius whose love of the built environment creates mind-bending and monumental works.

As one half of the famed Campana Brothers, Humberto and his sibling Fernando ushered in a new era of design that blended craft, industry, and notions of ecological and social responsibility. Following the tragic passing of Fernando in 2022, Humberto carries on today as the head of Estúdio Campana. On this episode, Dan and Humberto chat about growing up in a conservative Brazilian household during the dictatorship, how some of his most famous pieces came to be, the future ahead of him, and more.

Sometimes the most influential people in culture and style are so because they elevate and amplify the work of others. Legendary perfumer Frédéric Malle, through his brand Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, is one of those trailblazers. What started as a long-shot experimental concept has become one of the most highly regarded players in the fragrance world. On this episode, Dan and Malle discuss his youth in Paris, the scent he hates the most, how he bet it all on the launch of his brand, and so much more.

Anyone who has ever strolled through the streets of Rome, ridden a gondola through the canals of Venice, or tasted freshly made pasta in Sicily has had this thought: I could get used to this. On this episode, Dan speaks with a quartet of experts on all things Italian real estate: Diletta Giorgolo, head of residential for Sotheby’s International Realty in Rome; designer and Chicagoan-turned-Milanese Eric Egan; Emily FitzRoy of Bellini Travel; and YouTuber (and Tuscan homeowner) Julie Montagu, Viscountess Hinchingbrooke. Everything is on the table, from the appeal of the so-called one-euro homes to the White Lotus effect, plus all the layman needs to know to make the leap.

Designing a successful hotel today is quite the undertaking, but designer and entrepreneur Kit Kemp does it all. On the eve of the opening of her third property in New York, Dan and the British talent discuss her upbringing in the English countryside, how she built her first hotel with no formal training in the ’80s, how she describes her unique and colorful sense of style, and more.

This Dutch designer has left an indelible mark on how we view the role of design in our lives. Through his ingenious housewares, elegant furniture, and playful interiors, he is part of a pantheon of talents that has ushered design into a more artful discipline. But his ideas and thoughts on what it all means are downright serious. On this episode Dan speaks with Wanders on his early career creating lamps for the Dutch postal service, how his famed Knotted Chair came to be, his new collection for Poliform, and more.

Few can claim a client roster quite like artist and stage designer Es Devlin, including museums, fashion brands, theater companies, and the Olympics, to a list of rock stars like U2, Adele, and Lady Gaga. On this episode, Dan speaks with the British talent on her first monographic museum retrospective, taking place at New York’s Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, how she transitioned her work from stage to stadium and back again, the impact of emerging technologies on her portfolio, and most importantly . . . What is Beyoncé like?