What's Contemporary Now?

• Jesse Lee on the Future of Curation in a Designed World

  The inevitability of change is something we can either fear or embrace with insatiable curiosity, and one of them, of course, yields far better results than the other. Today's guest is a serial entrepreneur and self-described "forever intern" who co-founded Basic.Space, which later acquired Design Miami, where he now serves as chairman. Up next is Design.Space, a project that explores the power of quality curation within an IRL/URL retail experience while bringing together the worlds of design, art, and fashion. In a culture where the concept of community has been co-opted by big business and marketing teams, Jesse Lee shares a different approach that, for this conversation, we’ll call a club. Whether or not you're familiar with the burgeoning world of design and its evolving role in communicating status the way a highly coveted watch or luxury fashion once did, Jesse’s mindset is one to emulate. His perspective is especially valuable for those seeking their own point of convergence where passion and purpose meet in a way that is both meaningful and profitable. "It's not just about the work ethic, but also about wanting to learn. If it wasn't for that mindset, I don't think I'd be able to learn from music, fashion, technology, art, design, culinary—whatever it is. That's sort of been the mantra since day one." - Jesse Lee  Design.Space will showcase a curated selection of archival and contemporary pieces from top artists, designers, galleries, and brands, including: Alexander May, AMEN, Archived, Avery Wheless, Brett Robinson, Brian Thoreen, Cadogan Tate, David Kelley, Enorme, Ettore Sottsass, Found Objects, George Davies, GUFRAM, Guido, Jahlil Nzinga, Jean Pigozzi, Jeffrey Deitch, Jess Hannah, Jeaux de Peau by Purienne, Justin Reed, Keiko Moriuchi, Laura Sattin, Leyla Fisher, Lily Clark, Marcin Rusak, Marquel Williams, Marta, Max Lamb, Memphis, Meritalia, Michelle Jane Lee, niceworkshop, Nick Thomm, Nike, NM3, NO GA, Paulin Paulin Paulin, Period Correct, Puck, Raiffe Glass, Roham Shamekh, Sabine Marcelis, Sam Klemick, Same Old/BASA Vintage, Sasha December, Spaceless Gallery, Stephanie Ketty, Stickymonger, Studio Ker, The Future Perfect, The Pink Lemonade, Tokio., Tristan Marsh, Tsu Lange Yor, USM, Verre d'Onge, Wexler Gallery, Willo Perron, Yung Jake & more to be announced soon. Episode Highlights: Jesse Lee’s Journey from Intern to Industry Leader – How his relentless curiosity and willingness to do any job led to his success in music, fashion, and design. The Birth of Basic.Space – Why Jesse created Basic.Space as a curated platform for creatives, and how it evolved into an ecosystem connecting sellers, collectors, and brands. The Acquisition of Design Miami – The strategic move behind Basic.Space acquiring Design Miami, and how the two entities complement each other. The Concept Behind Design.Space – How Jesse is bridging digital and physical retail by creating a hybrid shopping experience that blends the best of Basic.Space and Design Miami. The Shift from Fashion to Design – Why luxury consumers are now more interested in furniture, objects, and design than traditional status-driven fashion. The Strategy Behind Invitation-Only Shopping – Why Basic.Space is moving to a membership-based model and limiting access to its most engaged customers. Curation as the Key to Modern Luxury – How brands and platforms must focus on thoughtful selection rather than mass availability to stay relevant. The Role of Physical Events in a Digital World – Why Jesse believes creating real-world moments is critical, and how Design.Space will redefine the shopping experience. The Importance of Intersectionality in Business – Jesse’s belief that success comes from mastering multiple industries—fashion, music, technology, art, and design—rather than specializing in just one. Why Push Marketing Is Over – Jesse’s philosophy that the best brands don’t chase customers but create experiences that naturally pull the right people in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  38:06
• Inside Francesca Burns’ Transformative Journey

  We often bring up the idea of humanity on this show, exploring the anthropology of it all with the creative industry as our backdrop. When sitting down to speak with the absolutely lovely Francesca Burns about her journey - and all of the people, places, and things that have shaped it - we have the opportunity to go beyond the obvious and touch on the human interest of it all. From her early days with Kylie Minogue, the prolific career she's enjoyed working across titles and brands like i-D, British Vogue, Italian Vogue, Self Service, Beyond Noise, Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Nensi Dojaka and her own magazine, PRINT, Burns takes us on an even more holistic journey in this conversation as we move past the obvious benchmarks and begin to explore possibility through the unlimited power source that is inspiration. "You can't bend and shape yourself to meet other people's expectations. It's absolutely impossible. And what each of us has is completely unique to us. How we see the world is completely unique to us. I think there's no limit to what we can do if we're inspired." - Fran Burns Episode Highlights: Fran’s career in fashion first began in music when she assisted the creative director for Kylie Minogue.  Finding her way into the fashion side more officially, Fran started working in PR, where she discovered that styling and magazines were what really lit her up. Prolific stylists such as Joe McKenna, Alex White, and Jonathan Kaye were among those Fran assisted as she came up in the industry. After deciding that the format of most magazines felt ripe for change, Fran, along with her friend and collaborator Christopher Simmonds, decided it was time to start their own project, PRINT. Emphasizing the importance of viewing the necessary changes around sustainability as an evolution rather than a revolution, Fran reminds us to focus on progress rather than perfection as we all work together to achieve lasting and meaningful change. Deciding to study nutrition, Fran discovered the holistic approach to life as something that went beyond personal routines and lifestyle choices, eventually qualifying as a transformational coach. Refusing to be relegated to any one role, Fran is a stylist, consultant, creative director, publisher, and mentor, viewing this variety of creative outputs as an integral part of who she is. Working with both individuals and brand clients, Fran’s coaching has provided her with a way to bridge the gap between where we are and where we want to go, helping people realize they have the capacity to take the necessary steps toward achieving their goals. Fran points out that it’s impossible to shape and bend ourselves to the expectations of others, suggesting instead that we should lean into whatever lights us up, even if it’s outside of the industry we’ve chosen. If it’s feeding us, it’s also opening up our point of view even more. Leaving us with a simple yet powerful message, Fran believes that there is no limit to what we can do as long as we are inspired. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  29:04
• Fleeting Moments, Timeless Truths: A Talk with Daniel Arnold

  Daniel Arnold's work can be seen anywhere one consumes visual content, whether it's on the walls of a gallery, the cover of a magazine, or his own well-engaged Instagram feed. But beyond the humanity captured through his lens—with all its bells and whistles of what makes the individual an interesting subject—is the humanity of Daniel himself and the speed with which he can disarm you with his contagious brand of honesty. Speaking to generally relevant subjects as much as his more personal anecdotes, with the same level of fluency that somehow always sounds informed yet ever questioning, the trending power of relatability is alive and well in this episode. Pointing out that we are all well-trained to be entertained while living in this culture of distraction, the former writer-turned-photographer and director believes that anyone can tune into the frequency of viewing life as a source of entertainment rather than as something to validate us or prove our value. More than anything, in an era brimming with more questions than answers, Arnold leaves us with a multitude of soundbites to ponder long after the episode ends. "Letting go of any kind of visualized destination, any kind of idea of what was—what was the right way to do things—and just being kind of fluid and, you know, brave in a way that didn’t come naturally to me. But it sort of enforced this new counter-nature, where I had to survive. So I did." - Daniel Arnold  Episode Highlights: As the oldest of six kids, Daniel Arnold understood by the age of 11 or 12 that he would need to create his own world, entertaining himself while concealing his struggles and ambitions. He chose to only share fully formed ideas, appearing effortless and free from struggle. At just 23, the Milwaukee native arrived in New York City where he found a job writing for Viacom. Having grown up in a big family, he understood the value of fleeting moments captured through photography and found himself as a storyteller and a keeper of life’s precious and hilarious moments. Living off toast while navigating the waves of poverty that almost every young and new artist seems to endure at some point, Daniel's early years as a freelancer were no stranger to the learning opportunities found in struggle. With a growing body of work, the inspirational highs and lows of discovering the next great image that has always fueled him can sometimes prove even more challenging. Recognizing that we've all been trained to seek entertainment in this culture of distraction, Daniel believes we all have the ability to tune into a frequency where we can see life as a source of entertainment, rather than as a means of validation or proof of our own value. Like anyone who has battled imposter syndrome, Daniel says he’s been scared enough times to know to trust the process. A master of metaphor, Daniel compares digital photography to a conversation with success, while film is one with failure, simply because each frame is a risk without any guiding screen or preview. According to Arnold, we've become thirstier for control and perfection than ever before, and as a result, it's imperfection that has become more gorgeous and human than ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  34:16
• Crafting Culture: Raul Lopez on LUAR's Impact

  The audacity of achievement is beautifully illustrated in the story of LUAR’s Raul Lopez, whose show has been one of the most anticipated at New York Fashion Week for several seasons and counting. Having discovered the power of stepping away when necessary, his process is one we can all learn from when it comes to fueling our own dreams and rediscovering our sense of purpose. The miseducation of humility can all too easily convince us that playing small does anyone favors—or even that it might make us better people. But Raul? He’s not here to ask for permission. Whether it’s one of his designs becoming a cultural phenomenon or the media spectacle surrounding his shows, the New York native has brought a newfound excitement to what has often been considered a somewhat staid schedule for the city’s fashion week. Ahead of his next show, we sit down with the designer to learn how one might weave a world as wide-reaching as his, the irrelevance of things like social class, and to better understand the reality of a life where dreams come true. "I don't care who you are. I don't care if you're a celebrity. I don't care where you come from—if you're from the hood—I treat everyone the same. And I think you can see that at my show." - Raul Lopez Episode Highlights: A New York native of Dominican descent, Raul Lopez first came onto the fashion scene by launching the brand Hood by Air with Shayne Oliver in 2006 before going on to launch his own brand, LUAR, in 2011.   After leaving HBA, Raul spent time living in the Dominican Republic while seeking to connect with his cultural roots beyond being part of the diaspora.   Raul has always found sanctuary in visits to his grandmother’s home, where she has an entire room set up as an altar. He still goes there before his shows every season to this day. Spirituality, rather than religion, remains one of the cornerstones of his creative process.   Growing up in Brooklyn, Raul’s creative inspirations have been drawn from an array of cultural reference points and figures, ranging from Hasidic Jews to the sex workers he often saw on the streets as a kid.   Initially naming his brand LUAR as a strategic move to avoid preconceived notions associated with a Latino name, Raul eventually decided it was time to embrace being Raul—not just LUAR—leaning into the wealth of creativity and culture he grew up in rather than shying away from it.   Culture is currency, and learning to live as your true, authentic self becomes currency. Raul has built his brand with this mindset.   After spending too much time trying to prove himself—designing despite never having received a formal education—Raul realized he had become depressed and no longer wanted to be in fashion. During this time away, living in the Cayman Islands, he discovered the powerful force of self-love and returned with a renewed perspective.   Raul views his brand as a platform—not just for himself but for others—seeing his designs as catalysts that help people discover their own truths.   Encouraging his team to step away when needed, Raul emphasizes the importance of learning who you are, loving who you are, and letting go of the fear that taking a break means being forgotten. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  36:52
• Luxury, Loyalty, and Lifestyle: Michael Kliger on Mytheresa's Unique Model

  Under Michael Kliger’s stewardship, Mytheresa has emerged as perhaps the most profitable platform of its kind. Unlike its sprawling competitors, Mytheresa thrives on a philosophy of precision—offering a tightly curated selection shaped by an intimate and ongoing dialogue with its discerning customer base. Where most brand events aim for maximum visibility and the optics of adjacency to “the right people,” Mytheresa takes a different route. Their gatherings are a masterclass in exclusivity, designed with their fiercely loyal repeat customers in mind—a rarefied echo chamber that isn’t trying to be everything to everyone, but everything to the few who matter most when it comes to their bottom line. "You need to define your audience and then be as good as you can to serve them and to stay close. Again, it's this dichotomy of they are looking for inspiration, but they're not willing to scroll through 500 depictions of products" - Michael Kliger  Episode Highlights: The son of two entrepreneurs, Michael Kliger decided to study business and initially pursued consulting while being unsure of which sector or function he was ready to fully commit to. After spending 12 years in retail, but never in digital, he made the move from McKinsey to eBay to gain a deeper understanding of the marketplace that was rapidly becoming the present and future of commerce. Michael recognized early on that the customer experience is the cornerstone of a company’s success, whether in digital or brick-and-mortar environments. Rather than tell them what they wanted, he first asked. While more complex designs and customer experiences emerge with the expansion of technology and its capabilities, Michael committed early on to having their content strategy guided by a deliberate simplicity. Understanding that their customer had significant buying power but a limited budget when it came to time, he quickly learned that their role was to inspire while curating a thoughtful, edited selection that met their customers' unique needs. Ultimately putting forward a smaller, yet more targeted, offering than their competitors. Like many others in the luxury sector, they have recognized and began catering to the growing demand for new categories, particularly in home and decor. Partnering with brands like Dries Van Noten and Valentino, part of their distinctive offering includes frequent capsule collections or exclusive product drops. Despite the platform’s ongoing and impressive success, Kliger describes their strategies as being in a constant state of evolution, likening it to a snake shedding its skin. A firm believer in the importance of consuming data points—whether through personal anecdotes, customer feedback, or other sources—Michael highlights how new ideas often emerge when different pieces of information suddenly connect. Michael also discusses the acquisition of Net-a-Porter and its implications for the future of both companies' respective businesses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  22:59

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