Best The Luxury Item Podcasts (2024)

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S12 E05: Frédéric Fekkai, Founder of FEKKAI 32:41

8d ago32:41

32:41

Scott Kerr speaks with Frédéric Fekkai, legendary celebrity hairstylist and founder of FEKKAI brands. Frédéric discusses reinventing the luxury hair salon experience by creating the concept of beauty hospitality at his namesake salon atop New York’s Bergdorf Goodman and why he bought back his brand after going through a handful of different owners.…

1
#553 - Property Agent Issued POFMA Over Criticism of Housing Policy & AI-generated Government Ad Draws Ridicule 58:10

17m ago58:10

58:10

A property agent has been POFMAed for a video that made false claims about the HDB’s Ethnic Integration Policy. We analysed the video and the POFMA order to try and figure out the truth. Elsewhere, a series of social media posts by the Ministry of Finance featuring images of Singaporean families generated by AI, has drawn flak from online commenter…

1
#552 - Olympic “Last Supper” Riles Up Conservatives & Lim Tean Rants About Child on NDP Poster 1:21:30

1h ago1:21:30

1:21:30

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics has outraged conservatives around the world, with an apparent depiction of da Vinci’s “Last Supper” painting featuring drag queens. The organisers have clarified that the performance wasn’t actually based on da Vinci’s painting, but religious groups and far right commentators are still calling for a b…

1
#551 ft. Ho Kwon Ping - Singaporeans’ Colonial Mentality, the Insidiousness of Meritocracy, & Why Businesses Must Stand For Something 1:18:17

23h ago1:18:17

1:18:17

Get ready for an unfiltered conversation as Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Group, drops by the YLB studio. He's here to unveil his latest book, Behind The Banyan, and share hard-hitting lessons from his 30-year "badass" entrepreneurial journey. We dig into the dark side of meritocracy, why he thinks young people are “sleepwa…

1
#550 - Grab and Trans-Cab Deal Falls Through & RI Student Dresses as Delivery Rider for Racial Harmony Day 55:55

3d ago55:55

55:55

Grab officially ended its pursuit of a buyout of Trans-Cab after Singapore's competition watchdog announced that it believed the deal would result in "a substantial lessening of competition" in the local ride hailing scene. Was this turn of events a win for consumers? Elsewhere, Raffles Institution has drawn flak after a photo of a student dressed …

1
#549 - Should Income Insurance Be Sold To Foreign Company? & Japanese Gymnast Withdraws From Olympics for Drinking and Smoking 55:05

5h ago55:05

55:05

Allianz’s plans to buy a majority stake in Singapore’s Income Insurance have sparked concerns among some Singaporeans, with prominent figures like Tommy Koh and the ex-CEO of NTUC Income speaking up against the sale. Will this move really affect Singaporean’s insurance policies, or are we missing the forest for the trees? Elsewhere, the captain of …

1
#548 - Biden Exits US Presidential Race & Toilet Slippers Sold As Luxury Items 58:35

2h ago58:35

58:35

The tumultuous US presidential election took another strange turn this weekend, as incumbent US president Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race and his endorsement of VP Kamala Harris to take his place. What led to his sudden reversal, and realistically, does Harris stand a chance against Trump? Elsewhere, the familiar blue and white sli…

1
#547 ft. Sean Bai of Burnley F.C. - How a Singaporean Diplomat Made It to the Champions League and the Premier League 1:25:51

8h ago1:25:51

1:25:51

Earlier this year, Sean Bai, a born and bred Singaporean, was appointed the Chief of Staff (Football) at Burnley Football Club. How exactly did a born and bred Singaporean find his way into the senior management of a prestigious English football club? Sean talks about his journey from the diplomatic service to the Champions League, why Singapore ne…

1
#546 - How Trump Assassination Attempt Changes The Election & Why Are Malaysians Naming Their Children “Skibidi”? 51:30

22h ago51:30

51:30

This past weekend, footage of the shocking assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump sent shockwaves around the world. Some have declared it as a major turning point in the presidential election that tilts the race heavily in Trump’s favour. We dissect the reasons why. Closer to home, Malaysian authorities have officially advised pa…

1
S12 E04: Sabine Brunner, President of MCM Worldwide 46:36

8h ago46:36

46:36

Scott Kerr speaks with Sabine Brunner, president of MCM Worldwide, the legendary German luxury lifestyle goods and fashion house founded in 1976 and known for its high-quality leather goods and instantly recognized monogram — the Cognac Visetos. Brunner, who joined MCM in 2023, discusses injecting new energy into the brand with a fresh design team,…

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#545 - Quah Ting Wen Excluded From Olympics & Barcelona Tourists Squirted With Water Guns 1:05:36

3d ago1:05:36

1:05:36

Singapore’s Olympics swim team came under intense scrutiny when veteran Quah Ting Wen was unexpectedly replaced in the women’s 4x100m medley relay team by another swimmer, Gan Ching Hwee. Quah has since gone public with her side of the story, and ignited a debate about the fairness of the selection process. Some have labelled her as “entitled” for …

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S12 E03: Giuseppe Santoni, Chairman and Executive President of Santoni 37:38

5d ago37:38

37:38

Scott Kerr sits down with Giuseppe Santoni, chairman and executive president of Santoni, the nearly half-century-old luxury Italian footwear company famed for its artisanal craftsmanship, high-quality leather and contemporary style. Founded as a men's shoe business by his father Andrea Santoni in 1975, Giuseppe talks about the workshop being his "p…

1
#544 - “Distasteful” Warplane Designs on Tampines Block & Parents Defend Bringing 4-Year-Old up Everest Base Camp 59:50

5d ago59:50

59:50

A Tampines resident urged authorities to remove a "warplane" design that was painted onto the side of a block, citing that it was “terribly distasteful" and in "bad and poor taste". However, MP Baey Yam Keng decided against doing so, and justified why in a Facebook post. Was he right in rejecting the call to remove the design? Elsewhere, a Singapor…

1
#543 ft. Bilahari Kausikan - Is World War 3 Imminent? & What Will A Second Trump Term Mean For Us? 1:16:01

29d ago1:16:01

1:16:01

Former Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan stops by the YLB studio to share his candid views about the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and to discuss how the struggle between the global superpowers will ultimately affect us in Southeast Asia. Also, he answers the big question on everyone’s minds: are we headed towards World War 3? What will…

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#542 - Yah Lah BUT Mentioned in Parliament & Who Are “Friends of the PAP”? 1:07:07

10d ago1:07:07

1:07:07

We usually talk about the news, but did not expect to BE the news, which is what happened this week! Our Yah Lah BUT episode with Leong Mun Wai was referenced during this week’s parliamentary sitting by the Speaker of Parliament, Seah Kian Peng. What exactly was Mr Leong’s “act of contempt” on our podcast, and what did we think of the entire fiasco…

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S12 E02: Christian Vernet, CEO of La Compagnie 54:05

12d ago54:05

54:05

Scott Kerr is joined by Christian Vernet, CEO of La Compagnie, a unique Paris-based airline that offers premium all-business-class transatlantic flight experiences but at competitive pricing. Christian discusses why the 10-year old company's all-business-class model has endured while others have failed in the space, how post-pandemic trends have in…

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#541 - Politicians Graded on LGBTQ Stance & NUS Students Get Wednesday Me-Time 51:49

1M ago51:49

51:49

Recently, Protect Singapore released a scorecard grading politicians based on their LGBTQ stance. Some were disappointed that this occurred right before Pink Dot, but we argue why it might be a good thing. Elsewhere, NUS announced that its students can take Wednesday afternoons off for out-of-class activities starting this August, ostensibly to aid…

1
Crazy Rich Asians: Romance in the Lap of Luxury 19:59

17d ago19:59

19:59

Welcome to Romance Ever After, where we dive into the most enchanting love stories in cinema. In today's episode, we explore the dazzling world of "Crazy Rich Asians," a film that has captured hearts and broken boundaries with its rich storytelling and cultural significance. "Crazy Rich Asians" follows the journey of Rachel Chu, an accomplished eco…

1
S12 E01: Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO at Lucid Motors 47:29

20d ago47:29

47:29

Scott Kerr is joined by Peter Rawlinson, CEO and CTO of American luxury electric automaker Lucid Motors, to talk about how the company evolved from an electric battery and powertrain supplier to a frontrunner in the electric vehicle market competing head-on with the German luxury manufacturers. Rawlinson, an auto industry veteran who engineered the…

1
#540 ft. Caitanya Tan - Why Singapore Women Stay Single & Singaporean Accent is Cringe? 1:35:05

1M ago1:35:05

1:35:05

In this Haresh-less episode, we end the patriarchy with guest host Caitanya Tan @caitofalltraits, as we deep dive into the recent debate about why more women in Singapore are choosing to remain single. We also discuss her thoughts about a viral Reddit thread about the Singapore podcast scene, and why some locals think our accent is “cringe”. (00:00…

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#539 ft. Jacky Ng - Oil Spill Stains Singapore & Does Creativity Exist in Schools? 1:09:58

2M ago1:09:58

1:09:58

In light of Haresh’s absence, we have comedian Jacky onboard as this week’s guest host! We talk about last weekend’s big news: the oil spill caused by an allision between two vessels that stained coastlines at East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, Keppel Bay, the Southern Islands and Sentosa. We discuss the media frenzy around the issue, and wh…

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S11 E10: Daniel Pidgeon, CEO of McIntosh Group 32:59

27d ago32:59

32:59

When it comes to high-end audio equipment, few companies have cornered the market quite like McIntosh Group. The group has been a leader and innovator in the premium and luxury audio category for decades and today has a portfolio of the world’s most revered audio brands including McIntosh, Sonus faber, and Rotel. Scott Kerr speaks with McIntosh Gro…

1
#538 - Yah Lah BUT Live! BTO System Leads to More Divorces in Singapore 50:34

2M ago50:34

50:34

2 years after our last SOLD OUT live show, we’re finally back with another YLB LIVE recording! 40 YLB listeners spent Saturday night with us at Monk’s Brew Club, as we discussed the thorny issue of whether BTOs lead to more divorces in Singapore. In a slight departure from our usual format, we had other interactive segments like “Most Not Shiok Com…

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#537 - Singapore Airlines Offers US$10K to Passengers in Turbulence Incident & Circles.Life Porn Ad Draws Flak 54:59

2M ago54:59

54:59

This week, Singapore Airlines announced that it would compensate passengers who suffered “minor injuries” in the SQ321 turbulence incident US$10K each. We discuss whether this is a generous offer. Elsewhere, a Circles.Life video ad, which depicted a teenager being caught watching porn by his mother, drew brickbats from online commenters. What was s…

1
S11 E09: Tina Edmundson, President, Luxury at Marriott International 29:35

2M ago29:35

29:35

Scott Kerr talks Tina Edmundson, president of luxury at Marriott International, who oversees a prestigious portfolio of luxury brands including The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, BVLGARI Hotels & Resorts, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, EDITION, The Luxury Collection, JW Marriott and W Hotels. Tina discusses her strategic priorities in her role si…

1
#536 - Singles to Blame for Lack of Babies in SG & Kid’s Poster Banned From Sports Hub Football Match 57:02

2M ago57:02

57:02

A Department of Statistics report recently found that more women remaining single is one of the contributing factors for Singapore’s baby drought. However, the ST article headline covering this report was slammed for seemingly laying the blame squarely on women. We discuss why the headline didn’t paint an accurate picture of the situation. Elsewher…

1
#535 - LTA Officer’s Death Sparks Outrage Against Teen & Singaporean Students Reconsider US Universities 49:54

2M ago49:54

49:54

This week, an 18-year-old involved in a motorcycle chase that killed a Land Transport Authority (LTA) officer tried to absolve himself of blame in his first court appearance. His comments sparked outrage online, with many online commenters questioning why he was not charged for causing the death of the officer. We do a layman dissection of the lega…

1
#534 - Science Centre Cancels Talk About Sex and Gender & Crystal Jade Offers Char Siew For Cantonese Insul 57:47

2M ago57:47

57:47

Earlier this week, Science Centre Singapore cancelled a ticketed event organised to discuss the differences between sex and gender, after an outcry from some members of the public. Could Science Centre have done anything differently to make this event palatable? Elsewhere, a Crystal Jade promo where diners could get free char siew for reciting a Ca…

1
S11 E08: Guido Conti Caponi, COO at Loretta Caponi 26:30

2M ago26:30

26:30

Scott Kerr is joined by Guido Conti Caponi, chief operating officer at Loretta Caponi, the legendary family-owned Florentine luxury label founded by his grandmother more than 50 years ago and renowned for its hand-embroidered sleepwear, linens, and ready-to-wear. Guido talks about the brand's remarkable history and how Loretta turned her love for t…

1
#533 - Ukrainian President Zelensky Calls Out China & New Raffles Statue Sparks Debate About Colonialism 56:33

2M ago56:33

56:33

This past weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue, where he called on Asian countries to join an upcoming Swiss-led peace summit to discuss the terms needed to end the war. While he was applauded by many and even hailed for his “leadership” by Minister of Defence Ng Eng Hen, online comme…

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The Luxury Item Podcasts

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