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Aesthetic Intelligence

Aesthetic Intelligence

Pauline Brown 86 Episodes Aug 22, 2026

Pauline Brown, former head of LVMH North America and Harvard Business School professor, hosts conversations exploring the intersection of creativity, culture, and commerce. Since 2017, the show has offered insights from leaders in arts, business, and design. Produced by SiriusXM, new episodes are released weekly. The podcast also invites listeners to follow Pauline's additional writing on Substack.

Episodes

The Making of a Home: Craft and Creativity with Diane Le Cornu and Justin Binnix
The Making of a Home: Craft and Creativity with Diane Le Cornu and Justin Binnix Aug 22, 2026 00:53:00 What makes a piece of furniture worth keeping? How can you tell the difference between something that’s beautifully made and something that simply looks good online? And, as technology makes it easier and cheaper than ever to furnish a home, how can you make sure your personal spaces still reflect your distinctive taste?In this latest episode, Pauline sits down with longtime furniture and lighting
The Art of Listening to Your Body and Reinventing Your Life
The Art of Listening to Your Body and Reinventing Your Life Aug 3, 2026 00:52:59 After three decades as a highly successful investment portfolio manager, Larissa Roesch made an unexpected decision: she walked away from her career without knowing what would come next.What followed was a "year of listening" that led her to Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old Indian tradition centered on restoring balance, not just treating symptoms.In this episode, Pauline and Larissa explore
Inside A. Lange & Söhne: CEO Wilhelm Schmid on Why Mechanical Watches Still Matter
Inside A. Lange & Söhne: CEO Wilhelm Schmid on Why Mechanical Watches Still Matter Jul 13, 2026 00:52:53 In this episode, Pauline sits down with Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, one of the world's most revered luxury watch brands, for a fascinating conversation about craftsmanship, history, and the enduring appeal of mechanical timepieces.From the company's founding in 1845 in the Kingdom of Saxony, through its expropriation under communist rule, to its remarkable revival after German reu
Beyond the Bottle: The New World of Scent with Fragrance Expert Paul Austin
Beyond the Bottle: The New World of Scent with Fragrance Expert Paul Austin Jul 12, 2026 00:53:00 In this episode, Pauline sits down with fragrance expert and brand strategist Paul Austin for a fascinating conversation about the power of scent and how it can be used to enrich human experience and enhance brand equity.Drawing on more than three decades in the industry, Paul explains how scent has evolved beyond personal fragrance to become an essential part of hospitality, retail, fashion, muse
60 And Still Becoming: A Conversation with Dartmouth Classmates
60 And Still Becoming: A Conversation with Dartmouth Classmates Jun 21, 2026 00:53:23 What happens when a group of college classmates reunites at age 60?In this special episode, Pauline is joined in the studio by three classmates - Perla Delson, Regina Glocker, and Judith Greenberg - for a candid conversation about identity, aging, friendship, and aspiration.Reflecting on four decades of life since graduation, they explore what it means to enter a new chapter. How their perceptions
Inside Gstaad Palace: Why Old-World Hospitality Still Matters
Inside Gstaad Palace: Why Old-World Hospitality Still Matters May 23, 2026 00:51:23 In this episode, Pauline sits down with Andrea Scherz, third generation owner and steward of the legendary Gstaad Palace in Switzerland, for a fascinating conversation about luxury, legacy, and the enduring appeal of old-world hospitality. From the hotel’s origins in the early 1900s to its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic hotels, Andrea shares the remarkable history and philosophy tha
The Evolution of Aesthetic Tastes through Wine & Spirits
The Evolution of Aesthetic Tastes through Wine & Spirits May 10, 2026 00:53:00 In this episode, Pauline Brown uncorks the fascinating history of wine and spirits through the lens of societal taste and cultural values, tracing how trends in alcohol consumption have mirrored the aspirations, anxieties, identities, and status symbols of each era. From the secrecy and rebellion of Prohibition era speakeasies to today’s highly curated, Instagram worthy cocktail culture, she revea
The Re-Enchantment of Travel: The Legacy of César Ritz (Part 2 of 2)
The Re-Enchantment of Travel: The Legacy of César Ritz (Part 2 of 2) Apr 25, 2026 00:27:09 In Part 2 of this series, Pauline shifts from critique to possibility, exploring how the travel experience might be reinvented. She does so by looking back to one of the original architects of luxury travel, César Ritz, founder of The Ritz-Carlton.At a time when travel feels increasingly transactional and depleted, Mr. Ritz remains a powerful and enduring symbol. Rising from humble beginnings in r
The Disenchantment of Modern Travel (Part 1 of a 2-Part Series)
The Disenchantment of Modern Travel (Part 1 of a 2-Part Series) Apr 25, 2026 00:27:28 In this episode (the first of a two-part series on travel), Pauline examines how modern travel - once defined by elegance, discovery, and anticipation - has devolved into a series of friction-filled, dehumanizing transactions.She explores the forces driving this decline, including: the financialization of the travel industry, an obsession with price over value, the rise of algorithm-driven process
The Blobification of Car Design
The Blobification of Car Design Apr 18, 2026 00:53:00 In this solo episode, Pauline takes on an unexpected subject: car design. Drawing on her background in ' the Business of Aesthetics' - and her consulting work with major automakers - she explores what she calls the “blobification” of cars: the growing sameness, softness, and visual boredom of today’s vehicles. Pauline argues that cars have lost much of their emotional and cultural expressi
Barbie and the Making of a Myth: A Conversation with Author Tarpley Hitt
Barbie and the Making of a Myth: A Conversation with Author Tarpley Hitt Mar 29, 2026 00:53:00 In this episode, Pauline sits down with Tarpley Hitt, author of Barbie Land: The Unauthorized History, to unpack the cultural staying power of America’s most famous doll. What begins as a conversation about Barbie’s origins leads into a broader discussion about aesthetics, archetypes, and why certain icons endure long after their commercial peak. Together, Pauline and Tarpley explore how Barbie be
Ice Cream Inc.: A Conversation with David Stein and Sasha Grutman on Branding, Culture, and Connection
Ice Cream Inc.: A Conversation with David Stein and Sasha Grutman on Branding, Culture, and Connection Mar 22, 2026 00:53:00 In this episode, Pauline dives into the sweet world of ice cream - an industry that's far more complex than it appears. Joined by longtime ice cream entrepreneur David Stein and discerning foodie Sasha Grutman, the conversation explores how frozen desserts evolved from local dairy byproducts into a multi‑billion‑dollar business shaped by shifts in branding, packaging, communications, and culture.T

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