About The Grand Tourist: A podcast about design, art, architecture, food, fashion and travel—all the elements of a well-lived life. Join veteran journalist Dan Rubinstein as he shares his access with the world’s leading tastemakers.
From bold risk-takers to master craftsmen, witness the passion and innovation driving these designers to reshape the landscape of modern living spaces.
New York’s Rising Star
Originally a student of art history, specifically Renaissance paintings, Kapito switched her gaze to decoration with a heavy emphasis on collecting, early Modernist furniture, and a refined, Parisian-like, Pre-War aesthetic. And like many of her generation, she looks to pair her design work with that of a gallery to help enhance her duties as someone who can educate her clientele about the subtleties of connoisseurship. Kapito’s debut monograph will be released in April this year by Rizzoli.
A Daring and Experimental Dutch Designer
Trained at the Design Academy Eindhoven, he combines his fascination with architecture and the chaotic-seeming urban landscape with a keen sense of materiality to create monumental works that blend artificiality and naturalistic themes. His most prominent series of works are his City Lights, which are often made from bronze and sculpted in fantastical loops and swirls.
A Pioneer Who Transforms Tradition With Color and Craftsmanship
The Grand Tourist Introduces:
Dan connects with emerging design talents: Zizipho Poswa (South Africa) shares her inspiration for bronze sculptures, Fernando Laposse (Mexico) discusses agriculture’s impact on his creations, and Linde Freya Tangelder (Belgium) navigates between product and collectible design worlds.
Photo: Thomas Razzano
The Grand Tourist Introduces:
Dan meets three extraordinary studios in the field of design: Tom Massey uses radical materials and a sustainable approach to his gardens; Objects of Common Interest creates spaces and objects that defy convention; and Lucia Massari produces ultra-contemporary examples of Murano glass.
The Grand Tourist Introduces:
Dan interviews three rising design stars: Tola Ojuolape (London) on her culturally influenced Africa Centre design, Julien Sebban (Paris) creating vibrant interiors at Uchronia, and Jacqueline Sullivan (New York) blending collectible design with decorative arts in her downtown gallery.
Photo: Eva Würdinger
“We Are Fundamentally Poetic Beings”
Marcel Wanders
This Dutch designer reshapes our perception of design with ingenious housewares, elegant furniture, and playful interiors, contributing to a talent group that elevates design into an artful discipline.
Photo: Rankin
“I Love Blackness in All its Forms”
Theaster Gates
His groundbreaking installations, performances, and public programs preserve the past while creating meaningful experiences for the present.
Photo: Mason Poole
Enfants Terribles No More
The Haas Brothers
In the world of collectible design, Nikolai and Simon Haas have forged their own path to success by creating everything from sofas with monstrous feet and alien-looking sculptures to adorable porcelain tea sets.
Photo: Emily Andrews
Design’s Greatest Showman
David Rockwell
For four decades, this New York designer has changed the hotel game, turned restaurants into must-see destinations, impacted the daily life of cities, and brought a sense of style and ingenious spectacle to Broadway.
Photo: Eva Würdinger
Milan’s Master of Daring Interiors
Massimiliano Locatelli
Massimiliano Locatelli’s designs blend modernistic floating cubes in deconsecrated churches, marble stools resembling plastic, and stunning galleries with retrofitted storage spaces, epitomizing Italian cool.
Photo: Eva Würdinger
The Artist Who Bends Reality
Erwin Wurm
Country homes squeezed into wedges, cars that look like they’ve been inflated like a balloon, and sculptures created by ordinary people interacting with quotidian objects—the works of Austrian artist Erwin Wurm defy expectations.
Photo: James Braund
Is Now Better?
Stefan Sagmeister
This artistic icon dares to challenge conventions and communicates transformative ideas through inventive graphic designs, shaping our perception of society.
Photo: Courtesy Condé Nast
Guiding Architectural Digest Into the Future
Amy Astley
Dan talks with Architectural Digest’s Editor-in-Chief about embracing the new to maintain relevance, highlighting the magazine’s standard for design excellence.
“I Believe in a God Called Time”
Gaetano Pesce
The Italian-born legend chats with Dan about the most important muses of his life, how he predicted the limited edition object, the meaning behind his imaginative work, and his absolute favorite New York restaurant.
The Art of Styling
Alastair McKimm, Laila Gohar, and Colin King
In this episode, Dan talks with Alastair McKimm, editor-in-chief of i-D magazine; Laila Gohar, a food artist; and Colin King, a stylist and author, about their innovative careers in fashion, food, and interiors.
Turning Ideas Into Icons
Alberto Alessi
Dan and Alberto Alessi discuss his trailblazing career since the 1970s, including his partnership with Salvador Dali, collaborations with Virgil Abloh, and the downside of designers having a fixed style.
Advice and Inspiration on Modern Living
Athena Calderone
Athena discusses her career and answers questions from top names like Aurora James, Jason Wu, Jenna Lyons, Missy Robbins, Andre Mellone, and others on this special call-in episode.
Where Tradition and Modernity Meet
Vienna, Austria
Vienna’s rich history and culture make it an endlessly rewarding city to explore. In this episode, Dan speaks with hoteliers, curators, and creatives who uphold its legacy in art, design, music, and culture.
Never Give Up
Zandra Rhodes
One of the most iconic fashion designers in Britain, Dame Zandra Rhodes has made a name for herself by filling the world around her with color, joy, and plenty of eye-catching patterns.
Meet New York's Developer King
Harry Macklowe
Dan discusses Harry’s career highlights, like convincing Steve Jobs for the Apple Store glass cube, his love for Art Deco and mid-century modern, and his current project: One Wall Street.
Mapping a Legacy in Graphic Design
Paula Scher
Dan and Paula delve into her 50-year journey at Pentagram, where she became a partner in the ’90s. They discuss her influential career, from designing album covers to defining good graphic design.
The Man Who Made Antiques Cool
Axel Vervoordt
Dan and Vervoordt discuss his early start in selling objects as a teen, transforming a distillery into the renowned art destination Kanaal, and the music ambiance at his home.
A Dinner for Two
Gabriel Hendifar
In the podcast’s season finale, Dan dines with Gabriel Hendifar, discussing his company’s growth, groundbreaking events, and midlife epiphany through different life stages.
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